IT Natalino Barbieri

Natalino Barbieri pictured at his office in Imola (Photo: NCX Drahorad)

Italy's fresh produce industry is mourning the passing of Natalino Barbieri, co-owner of Imola-based wholesaler Barbieri & Cenni, who passed away on 29 January aged 78.

He was a well-known and greatly respected member of the trade. His family – including father Gino – were among the European fresh produce market's early pioneers, establishing one of the first fresh produce companies to sell products including cherries and stonefruit abroad, starting in Germany, the UK and Scandinavia.

Born on Christmas Day 1935 and accordingly given the name Natalino (Little Christmas), Barbieri worked in the fruit trade for more 55 years and, as recently as 2012, was still managing his company's sizeable export business.

During the 1970s, Barbieri was involved in establishing the producer organisation Sole di Montagna in collaboration with another Imola-based company run by Domenico Cenni. The co-operative continues to this day, marketing fruit to customers around the world.

Barbieri was certainly an industry leader and held in high regard by his peers. His company was one of the first members of the national export association Aneioa (now Fruitimprese), helped to establish the Vignola Cherry Consortium and was also a founding partner of Comunexport, one of the first groups in Italy to bring together commercial operators in the Italian fruit and vegetable business.