Veroni Becomes First Brand of Italian Charcuterie in US
While Veroni’s charcuterie recipes and production processes rely on the Italian centuries-old tradition, the family-owned company is committed to innovation and is set to attend the upcoming US food events – the IDDBA, Atlanta and the Summer Fancy Food Show, New York – to introduce the new antibiotic-free charcuterie line. The company has been ranked among the top 20 players in the US luncheon meat segment, becoming the first brand for Italian charcuterie. The 2022 first-quarter performances show a further acceleration with a 30 percent rise in revenue compared to last year’s Q1 results.
“The results we have achieved in the US market since we opened our slicing facility in Logan, NJ in 2016 have exceeded our expectations,” said Marco Veroni, president of Veroni USA. “We have entered the market with a clear objective: offer American consumers the opportunity to enjoy the authentic taste of Italian charcuterie by importing our product directly from our facilities located in the Emilia-Romagna region. It may sound like a brave choice, but it proved to be the right one. US consumers are discovering the pleasure to eat Italian food and are more and more open to purchase products that stand out for quality, flavor and taste. Through our charcuterie, we bring in the USA ‘a slice’ of genuine Italian gastronomic tradition.”
With a consolidated turnover of EUR 140 million (USD 150 million) and as an established brand presence across European countries such as Italy, Germany and France, Veroni aims to further expand the business in the US market. To increase brand awareness, the company has planned investments in marketing and communications. These include advertising campaigns on online food-centered magazines such as Taste of Home and Food & Wine and on radio such as iHeart’s Z100, as well as sponsorships of sports events like the Miami Open.
“We want US consumers to have the opportunity to taste the difference of our products, and large events like tennis tournaments are the right place to meet and connect with our target”, said Emanuela Bigi, marketing manager of Veroni. “After our first experience as a sponsor at the Miami Open, we have already been working on the next events such as the Citi Open in Washington, the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati and the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One, which will take place over the second half of 2022”.
In the meantime, the cured meat producer is set to introduce its brand-new antibiotic-free charcuterie line at the upcoming US food trade shows – the IDDBA (Atlanta, June 5 to June 7) and the Summer Fancy Food Show (New York, June 12 to June 14). The first references of the line are Prosciutto Italiano, Salame Milano and Salame Calabrese, available in 3 oz and 4 oz single packs as well as a pairing in the Antipasto Italiano tray.
The meat used to produce this line comes from pigs raised by family-owned farms that promote good animal husbandry practices. According to the Veroni antibiotic-free program, no antibiotics nor hormones can be administered to pigs in any growing stages. Furthermore, their diet is exclusively plant-based. In order to offer even a healthier and more genuine product, the Prosciutto Italiano contains no artificial ingredients and is minimally processed, while the salami contains no nitrates except for those naturally occurring in celery juice powder and salt.
“We are committing to develop new products that meet new trends related to the environment and health”, explains Bigi. “Last year we launched our eco-friendly charcuterie line that comes in trays made with 75 percent less plastic than traditional Veroni trays and FSC-certified paper. The new antibiotic-free line is a further, crucial step in our strategy to offer more natural and sustainable products while ensuring the quality and taste of traditional Italian charcuterie.”