In a world market like that of spirits, dominated by a few very large groups, it is possible to be successful even if relatively small. That's what he wants to try to doBitter Lucan, historic brand of Italian food invented in 1894 by Pasquale Vena who developed a still "secret" liqueur that includes absinthe, sage, yarrow, orange, thistle, rue plus another thirty herbs typical of the Basilicata area.
At the moment about 10% of turnover comes from exports, they explain from the Lucano Group, but the goal is to reach 25% in three years: 2016 is in fact the first year of the new three-year plan in which the focus is on abroad. So from the Pisticci factory, a suburb of the deep South, the heirs of Pasquale Vena, with theirs 4 million bottles and, point to the United States, Canada, Brazil and even China. "In the European area instead - declares Francesco Vena, head of legal affairs - we are aiming for Germany and England".
The strategy for conquering foreign markets is not that of large-scale distribution: "We rely rather on a network of first-rate baristas, clubs, hotels who become ambassadors of our brand", Vena always explains. At the moment the new ambitions are supported by the large numbers of the recent past: revenues grew in 2015 to 23,5 million, up 27% on 2014. And the acquisitions are also proceeding: last year the Limoncetta di Sorrento liqueur was purchased from Campari, which by tradition and on the market has an affinity with Amaro, so that it can be exploited in synergy. Today, with one million bottles, it is the second limoncello in Italy and the intention is to make it the first, also thanks, of course, to an important advertising effort.
However, the search for international markets will not lead to the loss of identity of a historic brand strongly linked to the land it represents: in Matera, the capital of Basilicata, not far from the Pisticci factory, an elegant XNUMXth century-style shop has been opened in the heart of the city, with the aim of celebrating a beautiful story of values handed down from the past.
