TASTE EDUCATION

Spreading knowledge and culture on Italian deli meat products should be a precise mission of delicatessen butchers, butchers and counter operators who are entrusted with the delicate task of preserving and enhancing a heritage that is unique in the world, made up of no less than 700 different deli meats (Source: “Piccola storia della grande salumeria italiana”, G. Ballarini, 2003).

On the occasion of Italian Sandwich Day, which is celebrated on 21 November, ASSICA has launched a concrete proposal, inviting delicatessen owners, counter operators and bartenders to offer consumers a sandwich with a deli meat they have never tried before. This is a way to highlight territorial specialities and to make people understand how ancient, deep-rooted and noble the pork-butchery tradition is in our country. There are 21 PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) and 22 PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) branded specialities, and even more from each region that has kept the traditional recipes alive, without affecting their authenticity.

The task of convincing customers to embark on a new taste experience is not so difficult, because deli meats remain one of the favourite foods of Italians, who show a real affection for these products and consume them at various times in their daily lives: in 2021 the apparent per capita consumption, considering the population trend and the lower presence of tourists, grew by 5.4%, settling at around 17.0 kg against 16.2 in 2020 (Assica data). One idea could be to periodically propose a deli meat from a region other than one’s own, thus ‘exploring’ the whole of Italy. Another, proposing discounts or promotions for those who, in addition to their usual shopping, agree to buy a product they have never tried before. In the Trust Your Taste Academy, the virtual training initiative promoted by Assica that will soon be online, you will find many other ideas on how to interpret your profession in a current and purposeful manner.