Vino e mercati emergenti: il caso della Colombia

Il vino, dal punto di vista economico, è uno dei prodotti più importanti e complessi dell’agricoltura; a livello internazionale, il mercato mondiale del vino è stato, negli ultimi anni, oggetto di profondi cambiamenti che hanno interessato la produzione ed il consumo. La produzione mondiale viene dai Paesi tradizionalmente produttori come la Francia, l’Italia e la Spagna, e dai nuovi produttori come gli USA, l’Australia, il Cile e l’Argentina. In Colombia, le prime indicazioni dell'arrivo del vino, risalgono al 12 ottobre dell'anno 1492 con Cristoforo Colombo; le prime importazioni di vino iniziarono già nell'anno 1534, ma subito dopo, sotto la pressione dei commercianti spagnoli che si vedevano sfuggire un mercato su cui lucrare, il re Felipe II proibì la coltivazione e la produzione di vino, cosa che impedì il successivo sviluppo della viticoltura in Colombia. La produzione di vino colombiana è ricominciata dopo circa 500 anni, il settore è dunque ancora molto giovane. Oggi il consumo e la produzione di vino in Colombia sono in crescita, e per soddisfare la crescente domanda la Colombia si ritrova ad importare vino soprattutto dal Cile, dall’Argentina e dalla Spagna. Scopo del presente lavoro è quello di comprendere in che misura il settore vitivinicolo colombiano sta evolvendo ed anche acquisire conoscenze (abitudini di consumo, frequenza, motivazioni, luoghi d’acquisto e di consumo, …) sulle preferenze e sui comportamenti del consumatore di vino colombiano. Lo studio si è sviluppato partendo dall’analisi del mercato colombiano, facendo riferimento al supporto che importanti istituti di statistiche mondiali e colombiani (OIV, FAO, DANE, …) potevano fornire. L’analisi ha evidenziato che il comparto vitivinicolo è un comparto ancora marginale per l’economia colombiana ma sembra essere in grande sviluppo sia dal punto di vista della produzione che del consumo; rappresentando dunque, un potenziale riferimento per tutti i paesi produttori ed esportatori di vino. In un passo successivo, per meglio studiare le attitudini e le preferenze del consumatore di vino colombiano si è voluta approfondire l’analisi effettuando un’indagine diretta presso un campione di 1150 consumatori

Interactions between Street Food and Food Safety Topics in the Scientific Literature—A Bibliometric Analysis with Science Mapping

Street food (SF) consists of ready-to-eat food prepared and sold on the street. This food constitutes the food traditions of local populations in many countries of the world. SF characterizes a large number of cities around the world, from New York to Paris, from Palermo to cities of North Africa, China, India and Japan. SF is inexpensive and prepared following traditional methods that meet local consumer preferences, culinary culture and lifestyles. Moreover, SF allows a unique experience for tourists who also want to experience a destination through traditional food consumed on the street together with the locals. Nevertheless, SF is linked to several health hazards. Hence, several studies discussed on the compliance with hygiene and food quality requirements that SF vendors should guarantee, to ensure human health. So far, there is no bibliometric review attempting to provide an objective and comprehensive analysis of the existing scientific documents that simultaneously study the scientific topic of SF linked to that of Food Safety (FS). Therefore, the objective of this paper is to provide a theoretical framework of the interactions between studies on SF and FS topics, in order to discover if the combined topic of “Street Food Safety” (SFS) was investigated as a topic in its own right. A bibliometric analysis was carried out analyzing 276 scientific contributions from the last 21 years, indexed in the Elsevier Scopus database and in the Clarivate Web of Science database. The results showed a very strong interaction between the two topics and many others in several scientific sectors; In particular, the topic of SFS involves many disciplines of social sciences. The results highlight that the scientific topic of SFS exists but not consciously, and it is believed that the research interest in this topic can grow considerably in the coming years, also because of the current COVID-19 pandemic situation that we are experiencing

Agricultural quality products for territorial evaluation and tourism development in Sicily: the Pantelleria case

The Agri-Food system is determined and conditioned by the effects of great phenomena, strictly related to territorial, environmental, social, political and economical aspects. Thus, agriculture has to carry out complex roles within the multi-functionality framework throughout production of healthy products, safeguard and protection of environment and territory, preservation and safeguard of bio-diversity, and by supplying goods and services to public, integrating with industry and agrifood distribution. Within such scenery, developed Countries, and in particular those of the EU, carry out strategies in order to adjust to new agrifood market conditions, and to respond to citizens-consumers increasing requests, aiming at quality of agrifood products by recurring to certification marks as a competitive instrument. Rural development becomes the mean to increase industrial and territorial competitiveness in European countries; agriculture is not only linked to industry and distribution, but it undertakes a new role which brings to its integration with tourism, handicraft and the restaurant industry, therefore contributing to the evaluation and to the development of the rural areas. Over 850 certified products are present within the Union, whereas 79.0% of approvals belong to the Mediterranean Area, and where Italy is, with 182 denominations, the richest European country for typical products. Besides these products, it is also necessary to stress the role of wines, them constituting one of the most prominent sectors of the Italian agrifood system, together with the numerous traditional products, still not certified but which, nevertheless, represent a great opportunity for territorial development. Quality products, qualify and reinforce productive and economical local sectors, thus increasing competitiveness and prestige of rural territories. Sicily is, due to the extension of its territory and its population, the biggest Mediterranean island and it boasts with an old agrifood tradition proven true by over 130 typical products, deriving from different agricultural productive fields and from the food handicraft sector . This last is able to trigger a type of tourism that may count upon environmental, naturalistic and the eno-gastronomic patrimony, typical of rural areas and that brings, out of season, touristic request. Within this context, the island of Pantelleria, has been object, during the past twenty years, to radical changes within the socio-economic framework due to the decrease of population territorial abandonment, but mostly because of expertise differentiation, it no longer depending on agricultural activity and by now employed in other sectors, almost all linked to the island’s tourist vocation that has come to being during the second half of the 80s. The greater presence of tourists promotes the development of correlated activities, predominantly constituted by small commercial activities. The acquired visibility brought to the island external capital : investments were put forward on public and private housing as well as on infrastructures able to sustain tourism. Increase of the registered number of houses, starting from last decade, makes Pantelleria an area with an “elevated touristic vocation”. The new touristic flow increases the request of typical local products, and among these, the most required product is “passito di Pantelleria” wine, nowadays also produced by many of the VIPs , owners of homes and lands in Pantelleria. The changes have substantially modified the island’s economy with undoubted benefits for the activities carried out. The turmoil that was therefore recorded for tourism as well as for the more recent wine- wine-growing sector, was not accompanied by an adequate infrastructure development, nor it was favoured by significant public administration measures. The island of Pantelleria represents an example of how the interaction between agriculture and territory brought to life and developed, on the island, in a medium term period, a touristic sector that allowed relaunch of quality wine-growing production

Importance of food labeling as a means of information and traceability according to consumers

Consumption patterns have considerably changed over recent years. We are witnessing more and more frequently to a lack of information (i.e. information asymmetry) between food producers and consumers, this generate in the consumer the latter need to access information related to processes of production of food and food distribution. Decisionmaking, in absence of further information, leads consumers to pay attention to food labeling. Food labels become the only tool for consumers to acquire additional information about products in order to make the purchase decision. In today’s modern and globalized market, labels limitations can be partially overcome by using Mobile Marketing tools, such as the QR Code (Quick Response Code). Therefore the objective of this study is: (1) categorize profiles of consumers according to the importance given to various information patterns shown on food labeling; (2) discover consumer behaviors when making a purchasing decision based on food information they require in the label; (3) discover consumer profiles with regards to food quality and the use QR Code to acquire further information about food products. Two Italian regional capitals were chosen, as representative of Northern and Southern Italy, basing on the geographical division of the Country made by the ISTAT (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica). The interviews were carried out by telephone, using a questionnaire. Data collected were processed by Multidimensional Scaling We discovered eight profiles of consumers with different purchasing behaviors. Some consumer profiles, with lifestyles typical of contemporary life, use the QR Code to obtain additional information about food products. The innovative purchasing behavior identifies a consumer who is particularly interested in food quality and safety. Agri-food businesses that focus on quality productions could target the innovative profile and communicate further information trough the use of modern communication technologies

Study of Wine Producers’ Marketing Communication in Extreme Territories–Application of the AGIL Scheme to Wineries’ Website Features

This study measures the communication ability of wineries in two extreme territories of Southern Italy, Mount Etna and the island of Pantelleria. The evaluation of four dimensions of web communication was carried out by the AGIL Scheme (i.e., adaptation, goal-attainment, integration, latent pattern maintenance). The study provides a generalizable model to be applied in other similar studies. Additionally, focus groups of experts were carried out. The method proved to be suitable to measure the communication effectiveness of wineries through websites. Extreme territories may add value to the wine, regardless of the brand. The heroic wines may become the symbol of these territories, helping environmentally safeguard and contrast territory abandonment by rural communities. The findings highlight that effective communication of heroic viticulture may be used to reposition these wines and increase their competitive advantage in foreign markets. The study generates new ideas for reflection on new types of web communication

Consumption of spices and ethnic contamination in the daily diet of Italians - consumers’ preferences and modification of eating habits

Currently, consumers appear to have diversified characteristics with regard to food tastes and consumption habits. The globalization of markets and the migration phenomenon contributed to the modification of food preferences of consumers who gradually introduce into their eating habits foods and recipes typical of the tradition of foreign countries. In this scenario, also in Italy, it is going to increase the use of “foreign products” with the consequent fusion of traditional cuisine techniques and recipes with ingredients that are typical of foreign countries and cultures. Foods and ingredients originally consumed in Asian or South American countries are increasingly consumed by Italian people, who have notoriously a strong “food identity,” who generally follow the Mediterranean Diet, and who consume typical products of the country. More particularly, the use of “new” or “novel” spices compared to those traditionally used in the preparation of Italian food has grown in the last 10 years. This study is an exploratory survey on the consumption of spices in Sicily (Southern Italy), which is an Italian Region with a high level of immigrated people and a good level of social integration and progressive inclusion. The objective of this study is to know whether and how Sicilian consumers’ consumption preferences, use, and purchasing behaviors with regard to spices changed in the last few years. The results highlight an increasing use of novel spices for the preparation of the traditional recipes and a good appreciation by consumers. These results are interesting because they provide information about spices’ market development and food product marketing and internationalization. The survey gives interesting inputs for reflections about the relationship between food contaminations and social integration and insight into consumers’ preferences in Italy

Influence of Coherent Context for Positioning Distinctive and Iconic Sicilian Sparkling Wines: Effect of a Sensorial Experience on a Gulet

Spumante wines produced in Sicily region (southern Italy) have sensorial characteristics significantly different from those produced in other Italian regions, because of the great differences of terroir. Offering a product included in a coherent and consistent context allows consumers to differentiate in the marketplace. The aim of this study is to propose solutions for Sicilian wineries for positioning Sicilian Spumante in the market, based on empirical data. Moreover, it was investigated whether a positive experience in a context consistent with the Sicilian sparkling wines could influence consumers’ consumption intentions. A blind sensory test was performed by 146 expert wine tasters. Opinions regarding sensorial quality, value, and suitable selling place for all wines tasted were investigated. Out-of-context and in-context preferences were analyzed. Development of the unipolar model to describe the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) process was attempted. Findings contribute to experiential marketing actions for other iconic wines and wine regions

Mediterranean Diet, Sustainability, and Tourism—A Study of the Market’s Demand and Knowledge

Globalization intensified competitiveness among agribusinesses worldwide in recent years. The European Commission focused on enhancing sustainable agriculture and food products’ territorial uniqueness for competing in the international market. The Mediterranean diet (MD) is a model of feeding and lifestyle belonging to the ancient Mediterranean culture, which also embodies a sustainable food system. Therefore, in 2010, UNESCO recognized the MD as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and Sicily (southern Italy) is its official physical site. Despite its worldwide fame, the notion of the MD runs the risk of being mystified because it is described most often as something that does not correspond to what it is holistically. The aim of this study is to know the market demand of the MD by Italian people and foreign tourists in Sicily and the level of knowledge of the MD by users, both consumers and experts. A survey at top Sicilian traditional restaurants with owners/chefs and their clients was carried out. The study provided an in-depth understanding of the current lack of knowledge about the holistic meaning of the MD. The study highlights the desirability of integrated science–policy actions (also for communication) and proposes a vertical communication system to revive and direct the MD demand toward its holistic model

Circular economy and agritourism: a sustainable behavioral model for tourists and farmers in the post-COVID era.

Introduction: In recent years, issues related to environmental and ecosystem protection have been given greater consideration than in the past. The goal of adopting sustainable development models is vigorously pursued in the European Union and is reflected concretely in the new Common Agricultural Policy 20232027. The circular economy can certainly be an emerging economic response that can eectively replace growth models centered on a linear view. Agriculture and tourism are two crucial sectors where the “green transition” should be encouraged to help achieve sustainability goals through economic circularity. Agritourism’s activity may be relevant in contributing to a behavioral change based on ethical choices. The study aim is to find out if agritourism can be the forerunner for the green transition. The objective is to know motivations and current level of awareness and adoption of concrete behaviors of the circular economy by agritourisms and their guests. The tourists’ preferences for Sicilian agritourism oerings were also observed. Methods: Two types of surveys were conducted: a Census of the Sicilian Agritourisms active at an online travel agency and a sampling survey of the agritourism’s visitors. Results and discussion: The results showed that agritourism by its very nature carries the green transition, partly due to the enormous financial support of the new CAP. Second, it is a provider of quality food and ecosystem services, and a promoter of healthy behaviors and consumption of seasonal and local short-chain products by visitors, so it can be a vehicle for the adoption of the Mediterranean Diet as a sustainable lifestyle and food system. Tourists’ propensity to seek out environmentally friendly products and green services can help to improve ethical, responsible, and sustainable tourism. A sustainable behavioral model for farmers and tourists was provided