Established over 30 years ago, Prezzemolo & Vitale sells traditional and regional Italian grocery products from shops in Sicily and London. CEO Giuseppa Vitale outlined the company’s high-quality products and plans for progression. Report by Phil Nicholls.
Prezzemolo & Vitale is the reference point for lovers of eating well and drinking with taste. The company is driven by a love of Sicilian food and a deep desire to build long-term partnerships with producers, creating a shopping experience where customers can learn, taste and discover.
“Doing business is the most fun job in t he world, as it creates value for the area and the people who live there,” explained CEO Giuseppa Vitale. “Growing together is the first objective for a company, one that goes far beyond simple economic return.”
The Prezzemolo & Vitale story began with the challenge of combining the convenience of the supermarket – wide product range – with a selection of food
and wine of the highest quality closely linked to a regional flavour. The goal was to stock excellent and authentic products alongside already well-known brands, all guided by the flavours and scents of the founders’ beloved land: Sicily.
Giuseppa Vitale and Giuseppe
Prezzemolo launched Prezzemolo & Vitale in 1982 with a small shop in Palermo, Sicily. Today, Prezzemolo & Vitale has a central department store, purchasing office and eight shops in Palermo. Meanwhile in London, the company has a warehouse and five more shops.
These facilities have 300 employees in Italy and a further 100 in London. Turnover is €60 million, with
solid growth of 20% over the last three years for both the Italian and British wings of the company.
A song of Sicily
The Prezzemolo & Vitale portfolio captures its Italian heritage, transporting customers back to the flavours and scents of Italy. This range includes numerous products from organic farms, such as flour, pulses, vegetables and fresh fruit. Prezzemolo & Vitale offers a wide choice of creams, jams, citrus marmalades and artisan biscuits.
Of course, the shops also stock an impressive selection of red and white wines, sparkling wines and numerous liqueurs. Customers can always find a high-quality product, to indulge in a moment of relaxation or to share a unique experience.
However, it is the regional speciality foods that really shine at Prezzemolo & Vitale: caponata, Mediterranean anchovy and tuna fillets, botargo, pâtés and
sauces. “We have encapsulated the Sicilian tradition under a single brand name,” Ms Vitale said. “Our Giù Giù brand includes bakery products, pâtés and condiments, meats and cold cuts, and even beverages. All have been rigorously created by the skilful hands of carefully chosen Sicilian artisans.”
The Giù Giù range includes a mouthwatering selection of preserves, pestos and vegetables. Ms Vitale was happy to describe her personal favourite Giù Giù item: “If I had to talk about just one product that contains the scents and colours of Sicily, I would talk about sauce. Tomato sauce is a preserve that was once made at home by the family. In the summer, when the tomatoes were good and ripe, grandparents invited their children, grandchildren and extended family to prepare summer preserves.
“Having the tomato sauce ready was a great advantage in the winter, because it allowed you to smell the summer
aromas and cook excellent dishes even during the cold season. Preparing these pre serves was a moment of celebration and family union. Between the songs and l aughter, the tomatoes were cooked with basil, onion and good olive oil. The sauce was puréed and poured into magical bottles which were then placed in the pantry.
“These perfumes, colours, laughter and singing are evoked in the bottles of Giù Giù sauce on sale in our stores in Palermo and London.”
Value exchange
Prezzemolo & Vitale remains a f amily company, however it is the creation of value that increasingly defines it, according to Ms Vitale: “We create values of ethics and authenticity by guaranteeing a platform in which every small producer finds support for their growth.
“We help our suppliers to
enlarge their production thanks to our commercial support, every employee increases their knowledge through our training and all our customers are heard. For each person we create value, a relationship and love.”
The core to Prezzemolo & Vitale’s ability to build these long-term relationships with suppliers is the principle of exchange. All the hard work of each artisan is exchanged for Prezzemolo & Vitale’s knowledge of the market demands and ability to connect with customers.
Ms Vitale was able to highlight a handful of particularly influential suppliers:
“From Italy there is Forno Impero who guarantee the production of
the best bread through completely natural leavening, I must also mention Tumminello, which produces the best artisanal biscuits, and Il Fiorino, the source of the best Tuscan pecorino in the world. Artisan Italian produces our stracciatella and our burrata, while Sant'Ilario supplies the best Parma hams.
“For our UK shops, I want to highlight Ele's Tiramisu, which makes the best tiramisu in London, and The Bread Shop Company, that bakes fantastic Pane di Altamura.”
Building new relationships
Moving forward, Prezzemolo & Vitale faces challenges related to the standardisation of procedures and communication
between sectors. However, thanks to these close relationships with its suppliers, supply chain issues have been minimised.
The plan for the next two years is to open another five stores in London.
Prezzemolo & Vitale expects this to involve an expansion of its restaurant format in the UK. Looking further afield, Ms Vitale shared an intention to continue this expansion programme into Europe and America.
Prezzemolo & Vitale is also steadily expanding the sustainability of its operations. The company has already created a photovoltaic system that supplies energy to its headquarters in Italy. It has worked on reducing waste by
creating a direct connection with the best voluntary and food distribution associations. The drive towards sustainability also includes Prezzemolo & Vitale’s packaging suppliers, evaluating new investments in this area.
As the Prezzemolo & Vitale story continues to grow, Ms Vitale retains a clear vision of what keeps her motivated: “Researching new products, learning about new manufacturers and their stories, and creating new relationships. I want to taste and experiment with new products for customers. Every Prezzemolo & Vitale shop should satisfy suppliers, customers and employees.” n
