Kiwifruit of Italy

Italian produce association CSO has launched a three-million-euro campaign to promote European produce in Asia and North America.

Freshness from Europe, sponsored by CSO and funded by the EU and Italian government, will run until 2018 and feature a series of targeted initiatives, including trade fair attendance, to boost sales of European fresh fruit and vegetables in the US, Canada, Japan, China and the United Arab Emirates.

“This project, sponsored by the CSO (Centro Servizi Ortofrutticoli) and financed by the European Union and the Italian government, aims at promoting European fruit and vegetables, stressing the intimate bond with their picturesque places of origin,” CSO said in a press release.

“The main producer in Europe is Italy, especially when it comes to its excellent peaches and nectarines, kiwis, apples, plums, oranges, table grapes, tomatoes and many other fruits and vegetables.”

In addition to its website www.freshnessfromeurope.eu, already active and available in the various languages of the project, the campaign also features a 150-page pocket catalogue explaining the goals of the project and a comprehensive description of the featured products.

The information will include details on the producer, various culinary uses and the organoleptic and flavour characteristics, CSO said.

'This useful volume also emphasises the place of origin of the various products, with their interesting histories, traditions and unforgettable landscapes: a unique feature of the Italian products which distinguishes them from all the rest in the world,' the statement said.