Between 2011 and 2012, Magro Brothers of Gozo were busy developing a new product at their Xewkija facility – a novelty condiment made from a fusion of tomatoes and Balsamic vinegar.
This product development was commissioned by the DeNigris family who are world leaders in the balsamic vinegar industry in Modena, Italy. Founded in 1889, DeNigris is today a third generation company with a passion for the vinification of wine, fruit and balsamic vinegars.
The marriage of Magro Brothers and DeNigris came about when a DeNigris official approached John Magro and proposed the creation of a specialised new product with the fusion of Mediterranean, sun-ripe tomatoes and balsamic vinegar – two perfect Mediterranean ingredients to make this exceptional adult condiment.
As an added requisite, DeNigris also wanted their new product to declare an IGP status (Protected Geographical Indication). This was made possible by having the Gozitan production facility acquire the required authorisation from the Italian Ministry of Agriculture to handle IGP balsamic vinegar with strict traceability procedures.
After months of intensive trials, in April 2012, the product was launched in Italy and today the Balsamic Ketchup is available from most of the leading Italian supermarket chains. The DeNigris export team has also been successful to make this product available in several overseas markets including the USA, Canada, Brasil and Japan besides several other European countries.
This novelty product in the premium condiment category did not go unnoticed by the specialised retail media in Italy and several articles of praise about Balsamic Ketchup were published.
However, the best news came in the first days of this year when Magro Brothers were informed that the new product had won the prestigious award of the Prodotto dell’anno 2013. This very prestigious award is granted to products that distinguish themselves in innovation, in what is already a sophisticated Italian market, and following an intensive survey carried out with over 12,000 Italian consumers. This award is also supported by the Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico.
On 7 February, John Magro flew to Milan to attend the award-giving ceremony with the DeNigris family members.
When interviewed, Mr Magro thanked the DeNigris family for their trust in the Magro organisation and the opportunity to be a part of this exciting project.
Luca DeNigris expressed words of praise for the professional approach of the Gozitan team and for the enthusiasm and passion for good food presented by the members of the Magro family. "The Gozitan facility is very well known in Europe as an experienced and reliable sauce maker and we are pleased to have chosen Magro for the development and execution of our Balsamic Ketchup."