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AMARELLI: ITALIAN LIQUORICE COMBINING TRADITION AND INNOVATION
Quality liquorice, all over the world, comes from Italy. Or more precisely, from Calabria, where for over three centuries the Amarelli firm (www.liquirizia.it) has been extracting liquorice from the plants that grow naturally over the Calabrian coastline. Amarelli only uses local produce. Besides, even the Encyclopaedia Britannica certifies it: the best liquorice is 'Made in Calabria'.
"It may seem a paradox, but establishing your position in a niche market such as liquorice is not difficult", explains Pina Amarelli, President of the company. "However - she adds - you need two things in particular: skills and the ability to innovate. The best weapon, anyhow, is to concentrate on high quality, because competition is almost non-existent at that level. Obviously, once such a niche is conquered, it needs to be defended".
Even though it is associated with confectionery, "liquorice is far from being a sweet", Mrs Amarelli explains. "Our activity, to some extent, is 'hybrid': we are the first converters of a sole raw material, the roots from liquorice plants", she adds. It seems difficult to imagine that there are margins to innovate a product that has remained the same for over 300 years. "However - she replies - it is possible to improve the processing phases to obtain a higher output. Today's liquorice manufacturing, in fact, is characterised by a mix between traditional craftsmanship techniques and extremely high-tech procedures. For example, harvesting is done initially by machines and then completed by hand: liquorice roots have to be ripped manually from the ground, as they risk being damaged by a mechanised process" Each year 500 tonnes of roots are collected, out of which about 200 tonnes worth of pure liquorice is extracted.
Processing methods have remained unaltered: roots are minced, boiled and the liquorice is then extracted. In the first stage, the roots are cut up by a special machine, then subjected to a series of highly advanced and computerised processes. The extraction phase is carried out with maximum care, especially regarding temperature: just a few degrees could alter the organoleptic profile of the product. Even in this aspect, this historic Italian firm - which in 2006 posted revenues of about 4 million euros, an average yearly growth of 12% since 2001, with a 25% share of exports - demonstrates its drive to search for innovative solutions.
The concentration phase, which consists in exposing liquorice to oxygen, is the most delicate one. This is why the procedure is carried out manually and in open air. "It is the only way to give liquorice its trademark black colouring", explains Mrs Amarelli. "Otherwise, if it were solidified in a closed space, it would assume a dark brown colour. Even today a professional liquorice-maker has to check the exact point of solidification for the product. Only those with the great experience that is passed on from generation to generation, can understand - in spite of the daily variation of atmospheric conditions - the exact moment in which the paste has reached its optimal consistency. The paste, in its dense, dark, shiny and fragrant form, is then shaped according to requirements by special machines that have been developed on the basis of the firm's century-old experience. The last phase in the process is polishing, which is carried out by strong steam water jets, without any recourse to chemical substances".
As well as refining its manufacturing processes, Amarelli has been active in innovating its packaging and its marketing. "As far as packaging is concerned, we were the first to use metal for conservation. It is the best material to preserve the freshness of liquorice, it is hygienic and it is highly recyclable", claims Mrs Amarelli.
Marketing wise, Amarelli is pursuing a diversification strategy through co-branding: its product line has expanded to liquorice-flavoured items such as grappa, chocolate, pasta. As well as beauty products such as perfumes and bath foam. "We can create anything with a liquorice base, choosing only those partners that will preserve our exacting standards of quality. However - the President assures - Amarelli's core business is and will remain the production of pure liquorice".
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