Project
History
La Fiammante dates back to the 1950s, but in the late 1970s, Don Luigi Franzese took over the brand, aiming to reclaim and relaunch the most authentic tradition of the Campania region, home to the Mediterranean Diet and cradle of the Italian canning industry.
As the firm grew and the suburbs of Naples rapidly expanded, the processing plant transferred to Buccino, at the gates of Cilento in the province of Salerno, a territory more suited to the objectives of an agri-food industry attentive to quality and environmental sustainability.
La Fiammante thus became the flagship brand of Industria Conserve Alimentari Buccino (ICAB), boasting historic brands such as La Paesana (F.lli Paudice) and La Reale, representative of the history of Made-in-Italy preserve production in the south.
Transparency
La Fiammante makes direct agreements with the farmers, cutting out the middlemen. We build genuine relationships based on mutual commitment and transparency, setting a fair price for the tomatoes with the farmers well before the season begins.
In recent years, La Fiammante has accelerated the production-data sharing process with everyone in the chain, from the farmer to the consumer, using VeChain digital assurance public blockchain technology. This gives consumers a direct and transparent view of the true story of the products every step of the way.
The My StoryTM DNV platform now allows all the information (from the cultivars used to the areas and methods of cultivation and processing) for each La Fiammante product to be checked, recorded, and consulted online using the QR Code on the label.
La Fiammante constantly runs transparency campaigns in the agri-food industry, exposing distribution systems that compromise product quality and the value of work. One of these is double-bottom auction trading, now the subject of parliamentary enquiry thanks to the tenacity of Francesco Franzese, the company’s CEO.
La Fiammante empowers the consumer through information campaigns to make the information shown on the label clearer and more accessible. We have just run a campaign (#solodapomodorofresco) using the leading social and traditional media to present an animated graphic explaining how to read the production code on our passata cans. This will help consumers understand whether the passata is produced from 100% fresh tomatoes or reprocessed tomato paste.
Social Sustainability
We at La Fiammante have always linked the value of our product to the value we give to the human factor and the land.
Through the determined formation of a “short supply chain”, the firm and the farmers agree on a purchase price for raw materials not subject to market fluctuations well before the start of the season, paying 20% upfront to cover investment for planting and cultivation.
Strict production regulations and support to the farmers throughout the sowing, transplanting, and harvesting phases guarantee high quality, complying with environmental and social sustainability objectives.
The commitments expected of the farmers include mechanical tomato harvesting and drawing up contracts with farmworkers to counteract illegal hiring, fully respecting the dignity of labour.
«I am absolutely convinced that businesses, and agribusiness in particular, are not only market-centred. They are built on relationships and are a part of society.»
Francesco Franzese
CEO ICAB La Fiammante
The philosophy of Corporate Social Responsibility informs company practice from the field to distribution: La Fiammante is committed to promoting virtuous behaviour throughout the supply chain and encouraging transparency at every stage.
Environmental Sustainability
La Fiammante has long been committed to environmental sustainability programmes, regularly updating its production process, from the field to distribution. All the production areas are constantly monitored, and soil, water, and fruit are subject to regular analysis. La Fiammante’s 100% Italian tomato production is tracked from sowing to packaging.
Expert agronomists work alongside farmers to promote professional growth, as well as good health and environmental practices, such as water-saving in the field, organic or integrated pest management to reduce pesticide use (-70%), and crop rotation to maintain soil fertility.
According to Arjen Hoekstra, founder of the Water Footprint Network, which pioneered the concept of “water footprint”, 85% of human water consumption is due to agriculture. Therefore, our priority is to reduce water consumption in the fields. La Fiammante’s water footprint has fallen by 3% over the last ten years, and numerous producers of agricultural goods are installing probes and sensors in the fields to ascertain optimal consumption and eliminate waste.
For more than six years, a photovoltaic system on the roof of the Buccino plant has been producing 60% of the company’s energy needs, aiming to increase this figure by 2030. All our boilers are methane-powered, allowing a further 23% reduction in energy consumption.
In line with circular economy principles, all our waste products are separated and recycled whenever possible, transforming waste into raw material for new production processes. For example, soil residues on the tomatoes delivered to the company are recovered and washed; they are then sold for compost production and used for green building. Skins and seeds are used for biogas or animal feed.
Sincerity
We at La Fiammante say what we think and do what we believe in. We are firmly committed to preserving and resolutely maintaining the firm’s roots and values. We want every member of the supply chain, from the farmer to the consumer, to contribute to improving the living conditions of all: people, communities, and territories.
The three brands, La Fiammante, La Paesana (F.lli Paudice), and La Reale, have always been a feature of Neapolitan family kitchens, and ICAB has been committed to preserving flavours and memories since taking them over many years ago.
The company’s communication strategy too is geared to obtaining an accurate picture of consumer needs. Customers are becoming increasingly informed and demanding year after year, and we aim to meet their expectations and increase their awareness of each of the players in the chain.
The search for authenticity, commitment to transparency, and the dedication of the Franzese family are the best guarantee of the genuineness of La Fiammante preserves.