Ecor – NaturaSì Group in Italy

On 1 January, 2009, the Italian leaders in the distribution of organic products Ecor and NaturaSì - the first supermarket chain for organic products in Italy - merged into a single company called Ecor NaturaSì Spa. 50 % of the shares of this Group are held by the independent Rudolf Steiner Anthroposophical Association of Conegliano, whose profits are used to promote educational activities as well as to support biodynamic agriculture. This merger has led to the creation of an important company within the distribution system of organic products internationally.

Joining the merger in 2008 was "Baule Volante”, the historic Italian company that has been involved in the distribution of organic products since 1987. For the last two years, the group has been running the Di Vaira Farm in Molise (picture), Southern Italy. This is a joint enterprise, with manufacturers, retailers, and individuals all united by the desire to create a model for organic farming and especially for biodynamic agriculture. Their goal is to supply stores with high quality organic products. Ecor has chosen to invest in retail, promoting the work of hundreds of small producers and increasing the presence of qualified stores. For this reason, in 2002 Ecor started the project B'io, an association of retailers which continues to register new members. Today, B'io is a network of 250 retail centres and is the first point of reference for anyone wishing to open a specialized shop with a professional structure.

While maintaining his autonomy, the retailer adopts the "B'io philosophy" and makes his shop not only a space dedicated to selling on a daily basis, but also  a place devoted to wellness, promoting respect for the environment, energy conservation and fair trade. Thanks to "Project B'io - Services for Stores”, retailers wanting to open a new store or become a part of the B'io network can call on the support of a team of experts. They advise on openings, selection of furniture and display, communication, computerization, personnel management, budget analysis and management control. Ecor is the most important Italian company for the distribution of organic and biodynamic products. It has developed a modern, efficient distribution structure that allows it to deliver a range of 3,800 products to about 800 stores nationwide. Its products are also sold in Spain, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Switzerland, Denmark and Australia. At the heart of this system is the warehouse at San Vendemiano (Treviso).

What distinguishes Ecor’s mission is specialized distribution, the search for the highest quality and the regeneration of farming with attention focused on the ethical implications of the whole production process. The company had a turnover of 82,972,499 € in 2007, and 95,930,000 € in 2008. At this point in time, the company has 800 customer outlets selling 3,800 products, plus fruit and vegetable products. 400 products carry the company’s private label.

Baule Volante started its business in 1987 as a result of the deep passion of its founders for organic and eco-friendly products. Today, Baule Volante is an important player in the specialized Italian market, with more than 2,000 regular customers, the majority being organic food shops and herbalists. It has annual sales in excess of 10 million €. Baule Volante has currently over 1,700 entries in its catalogue - organic food and non-food items, of which 500 are its own brand. The company puts a great deal of emphasis on raw materials and the constant search for new products. Reliable producers represent the strength of Baule Volante and have enabled the company to introduce very high quality products to the market.

NaturaSì is the most important chain of supermarkets in Italy that specialises in the sale of organic and natural products. Founded in 1992 by a group of professionals who wanted to promote organics, it is now present in 48 Italian cities with 68 franchise points of sale. Since 2000, NaturaSì has also opened two supermarkets in Madrid in Spain. The desire to spread organic food and natural well-being was the motivation for the projectsCarneSì (organic wholesale butchers in Milan, Padua and Verona) and NaturaSì organic cuisine (restaurants in Bologna and Verona).