Fruit, tubs and pouches of spoon-fed pulp consumed by 40% of households
Sales in supermarkets at over 104 million: growth in pocket-size packs continues, driven by interest in healthy, simple, unprocessed and convenient food that can be eaten anywhere
Who would have ever bet on the growth of a product as deja vu as fruit pulps? Yet whoever did it was right: packaged in the classic single-portion tubs or in handy pouches in large-scale distribution alone they are worth over 104 million euros. And they are travelling at an annual rate of +5%, driven by interest in healthy foods that are simple, low-processed and clean label, but also practical to consume anywhere. The fact that this is an interesting product category, which has entered into more than 40% of Italian households, is confirmed both by the high rate of innovation, with the launch of proposals aimed at new and specific targets (such as the slow-release versions aimed at sportsmen), and by the arrival of new competitors such as Zuegg.
"We have just hit the shelves with a line with 100 per cent blended fruit, no added sugar, no preservatives or flavourings," says Gaia Romani, head of global & trade marketing, "with which we aim to strengthen our presence in the fruit snack market.
And it is precisely snacks that are the magic word that has made fruit puree sales take off and attracted so much investment. In the last three years, after acquiring the specialised company Ad Chini, the Melinda Consortium has created a business unit dedicated to the development of natural processed products and has begun the renovation of production facilities to meet market demand, also taking advantage of the public resources tapped by the Distretto della Mela della Val di Non e Val di Sole.
«Abbiamo aumentato la capacità produttiva (ad esempio autoproducendo le puree in busta), migliorato la qualità di molti prodotti e lanciato diverse innovazioni, come la linea che abbina la mela con la frutta secca» spiega Paolo Gerevini, direttore generale di Melinda Lab, che supera i 25 milioni di euro di fatturato e cresce a tassi del 50% annuo. Proporre un’offerta sempre più ampia e calibrata per diversi tipi di target è vincente per espandere il mercato e rendere sempre più moderna l’immagine di questi prodotti, nati da un’esigenza specifica: quella di recuperare la frutta imperfetta, non assorbita dal mercato del fresco. Ma a cambiare volto al mercato è stato l’arrivo di prodotti di maggior qualità, ottenuti da frutta di varietà vocate alla trasformazione, di cui viene usata solo la polpa senza aggiunta di concentrati, polpe o zuccheri. Estratta a freddo, in modo da mantenerne sapore e valore nutrizionale, viene confezionata in un pack sicuro e riciclabile. È con quest’approcc
"Since 1993, we have continued to propose not mixtures of purees but authentic recipes and to bring innovation with proposals segmented by consumption and functionality, from the natural supplement for endurance sportsmen to intestinal well-being. Twenty years ago, the company created Prunolax, the first 'spoonable' plum puree, thanks to an exclusive technology and the addition of a vegetable fibre, whose recipe has just been renewed. Launched first in pharmacies, Prunolax then entered the large-scale retail trade, where it became a category brand and where it is the leader in its market segment.
