Research, experimentation and a perspective on the flour market that looks to the future. In Umbria, Molini Spigadoro is the result of a dynamic and committed entrepreneurship that focuses on product excellence understood as raw material quality, technological innovation and attention to nutritional characteristics, process sustainability and the entrepreneurial design of a concept that embraces the entire production path, from raw material to consumer.
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We talk about it with Mario Cucchia CEO) who explains the principles on which Molini Spigadoro’s mission is based.
What kind of craftsman does your company cater to?
We naturally target artisans who follow a traditional style of production and use mainly classic type 0 and 00 flours, but especially those who feel inclined to expand their working methods and aim at the production of functional foods by devoting more attention and respect toward health needs. For them we have developed flours and semi-finished products with superior nutritional characteristics whether for bakery, pizzeria or pastry.
What are the flours involved?
These are type 1 and type 2 flours for the production of bakery products with lower wheat content and higher content of minerals, fiber and important nutritional properties. After all, the future of milling production and the entire bakery sector is heading in this direction. The trend is the one dictated by the current Expo themes, feeding the planet in a sustainable way, and ours are products that perfectly respect this philosophy. All our flours are derived from dehulled wheat, an operation that guarantees the absence of contaminating residues. In short, flours of excellent quality and with something extra.
What is the market response to these products?
We record a steadily increasing demand. When we started producing type 1 and 2 flours six years ago, the market response was very timid. Today our customers are asking us for exactly these types of products and are constantly challenging us, spurring us on to continue this path. It is a growing trend.
Does research and innovation not stop at flours?
Right, we have been pushing research into new ingredients that can offer the operator added value in terms of nutrition and image. In this sense, milk enzymes for leavening, hemp sativa flour and charcoal for baked goods are some examples. With excellent sales results.
What do you think this demand depends on: increased awareness?
There is certainly a growing awareness and information on the part of both professionals and consumers. This makes it imperative to respond adequately to market needs.
What kind of support do you provide to the client in terms of training and communication?
We also try to support our customers by advising them on the raw materials to be used in combination with the flours. We also make an informative contribution on the subject of nutrition through the collaboration we have established with the University of Perugia. Together we periodically organize events, including at trade fairs, to publicize the characteristics of our flours in terms of fatty acid selection, fiber content, and nutritional properties. For example, on the subject of pizza, we have declined for pizza makers and consumers, under the “Pizza nel Cuore” brand, the decalogue shared at the time by the former INRAN, so that it is understandable to everyone: advice aimed at reducing calories, increasing fiber intake, etc. It is an awareness-raising process that also involves students of the Faculty of Food Science and Human Nutrition (SANU) who choose the milling world as the topic of their thesis.
Do you provide widespread distribution throughout the peninsula?
We are based in Umbria and currently have a strong distribution mainly in central and southern Italy, but we plan to expand our reach soon, so we are looking for distributors to work with us in Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria.
How do you envision the bakery of the future?
The bakery of the future will be closely linked to the concept of product freshness. In this we are probably going against the trend but we are convinced that it is the right way. It will be a bakery that will focus on foods made with flours 1 and 2, which contain the best nutritional principles, which come from raw materials obtained by sustainable methods. Chasing after production optimization and increasing shelflife does not always turn out to be the winning strategy. Especially for bread and pastry artisans, it means risking a clash with industry, and this would be counterproductive: there are no weapons strong enough to do so. Better to play the game on the ground of quality, freshness and added value. I think it is also useful to aim to transform the bakery into a place where it is possible to have a good meal, perhaps combined with excellent local products: a versatile place that comes from craftsmanship to offer a complete service to the consumer.
The Baker 5 2015 Molino Spigadoro
Edited by the editors, Marina Caccialanza.
