The Venetian Ecor-NaturaSì group arrives in Molise

The Ecor-NaturaSì group has landed in the acres of Molise to close the circle of production - distribution - consumption. The two Italian leaders in organic distribution have decided to manage the agricultural company Di Vaira, a facility of 500 hectares in an angle of Molise in the commune of Petacciato (Campobasso), located between the cities Vasto and Termoli, and overlooking the Adriatic Sea. 70 hectares are dedicated to horticultural products, 70 hectares to vineyards, 18 to olive groves, and the rest to meadows and fodder in rotation. There are also 300 dairy cows of the breed Bruna Alpina, milking goats, pigs, donkeys and horses.

(Picture: Di Vaira's selling space has opened)

But why was this step taken? “To offer organic quality products to consumers,” responds Fabio Brescacin, the president of Ecor, “which are monitored from the field to the table. To create a company that is open for individuals, groups and schools, and to do some research on biodynamical farming. But most of all, this farm was launched to involve young people through training. The sector has a desperate need for new blood, since there are not enough agriculturists. Agriculture is about enthusiasm, but also about learning and making experiences. And this farm has what it takes to create a company with a closed circle, like Rudolf Steiner, the father of biodynamical agriculture, has taught.” (Picture: cows at Di Vaira)

The official launch of this historic move is May 18, 2008. Thanks to the complex information supplied by the network of 800 organic Ecor stores and 63 organic supermarkets of NaturaSì, more than 1,000 people arrived in the hills of Molise from all over Italy. Dozens of guided visits took place, and the selling space was crowded with people to buy meat, cheese and organic vegetables.

“This is an antique company”, says Gabriele La Palombara, the mayor of Petacciato, “which has made history in our community. The Foundation Di Vaira was chaired by the Bishop of the Diocese of Termoli-Larino, who managed it until 2007, but had been passive since 2000. Among the reasons for choosing this company was probably the idea to keep the spirit of the Family Di Vaira alive. They founded the farm in 1952 to provide for agricultural education of the young ones. This new idea of agriculture underlines the fundamental values of which our environment benefits.” (Picture by Ecor: a view on Di Vaira)

After a first lease contract for 70 hectares of horticulture, which had been closed last summer, the Foundation Di Vaira gave the entire property to the new “Opera società agricola biodinamica Di Vaira” in December 2007. The 34 members besides Ecor and NaturaSì, and Mr. Brescacin as president, are numerous organic NaturaSì supermarkets, specialized stores and local agriculturists like the brothers Desiderio, who are passionate owners of a producing company. The members have brought in 920,000 Euros altogether.

To the joint capital of the company, 500,000 Euros of financing were granted by Banca Etica, who has believed in the project from the very beginning, and two loans of more than 350,000 Euros, supplied by Banca Etica and Banca di Credito Cooperativo of Molise, which is also among the members. 1.3 million Euros approximately have already been invested to purchase animals, machinery, equipment, facilities, a mill and a warehouse. During the first months of management, the farm has been able do deliver broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, mangold and cabbage directly to the fruit and vegetable counters served by Ecor and to the NaturaSì supermarkets.

And thanks to research in collaboration with the Swiss company Sativa and the Molise research company Arsiam, experimenting with the cultivation of indigenous seeds (no hybrids), which are more suitable for biodynamical agriculture, is taking place to return products to their original taste and high nutritional capacity. "We have only just begun,” concludes Mr. Brescacin, “and it will take at least three years until the company yields. It is a challenge to meet." (Picture: signboard)

From the stores to the fields – this is the way the cycle closes

It has been a long story for Ecor to reach the front lines of national distribution of organic products, always under the guidance of Fabio Brescacin (picture). The story started in the early eighties with the specialized shop Ariele of Conegliano Veneto, a micro-observatory on suppliers and the world of organics. In 1987, the distributing company Gea in S. Vendemiano (Treviso) was established, which is still the headquarters of the company. In 1998, three other memorable companies entered: Pronatura of Gargazzone (Bolzano) and La Farnia of Rolo (Reggio-Emilia) as shareholders, and Vicenza-based Tam, which had been bought earlier. This is when the company Gea became Ecor.

In 2002, the associative project B'io was launched to integrate and to qualify specialized outlets. The number of outlets has reached 260 today. In 2006, a further important step took place. After many years of collaboration, Ecor and NaturaSì, the only national franchise chain of organic supermarkets, decided to concentrate their resources and energy with a stock exchange: 49% of Ecor was acquired by NaturaSì, and Ecor received 49% of NaturaSì stocks in return. In 2008, two other important companies entered into Ecor-NaturaSì’s network of distribution to specialized stores: In January, the Turin-based company “Il Fior di Loto”, with the acquisition of a share of 20%, to create synergies and to control the pharmaceutical channel. Bologna-based Baule Volante entered in March, the control of which passed to the two Venetian companies with peer shares.

And after establishing the wholesale distribution and retail, the missing link was added: agricultural production. In 2008, the group started to directly manage the Fattoria di Varia in Molise to create an experimental center for biodynamical agriculture in Southern Italy.

(Pictures except of the one from Ecor: Rosa Maria Bertino / Bio Bank).

Ecor in figures:

70 million Euros turnover 2006
83 million Euros turnover 2007
165 employees and collaborators
3,600 references in the catalogue
800 organic shops are served 
 
NaturaSì in figures:

60 million Euros sales 2006
70 Million Euros sales 2007
52 employees in the headquarters of Verona
4,000 references listed
63 organic supermarkets in Italy
3 organic supermarkets in Spain

Source: Agrisole June 13 to 19, 2008