Discover the Masseria delle Stagioni brand: here's our interview.

Masseria delle Stagioni is a family business that originated in Teano, in the upper Caserta area, at the foot of the ancient and dormant volcano of Roccamonfina - on the border between Campania and Lazio (see here the Campanian products we have selected and here the gourmet Lazio products) which has endowed the soil with enormous mineral wealth, making it suitable for any cultivation. It is a young company, but well-rooted in time, born from a dream of Vincenzo De Francesco, the son of farmers who sacrificed to allow him to study and become an established professional. However, Vincenzo decided in October 1988 to take a small gamble: to purchase a farm.

Vincenzo's decision was made with the heart: the scent of the earth he felt since childhood on his mother and father's skin represented that “safe harbor,” that call to healthy origins that he wished to continue to feel for his entire life! The objective? One only: quality. The start of the business was not easy, but Vincenzo did not give up.
Today the farm cultivates 30 hectares: an agriculture as close as possible to the concept of "sustainability" that favors natural processes and is also capable of preserving the "environmental resource." An approach far removed from the concept of intensive agriculture and its harmful practices for the soil and, above all, for our own health.
The crops of Masseria delle Stagioni alternate between different types of plants: citrus fruits, peaches, apricots, pears, apples, figs, and, above all, many varieties of cherries as well as walnuts and chestnuts.
Although a certainly important role in the crops is currently represented by Hazelnuts (with 3 different varieties: S. Giovanni, Mortarella, and Tonda di Teano), the main part of the work of the Campanian company is currently linked to the production of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

We love these artisans, these producers of unique, certified, and award-winning delicacies: they are true treasures embedded in our Peninsula among seas and mountains and in the most remote streets of villages and countryside. We do not just settle for living their products, but we want to discover the protagonists of this brand up close. That’s why we have sent some questions to those who manage communication with us.

Stay with us to get to know Masseria delle Stagioni: read the answers!
 

• Who are we talking to?
  I am Carla De Francesco, Sales Manager.
   
• Is the company family-run? In what year was the company founded and who was the founder?
  Yes, ours is a small family business but its roots go back over a century, into the daily life of our great-grandparents, humble and modest people who drew their main sustenance from the land and the few crops they owned for their large family. In fact, there is no, how shall I say, a true "birth certificate" that crystallizes the moment our company was born.
   
• Who was the founder and what was his training or what working and professional field did he come from, if different from the current one?
  It all began with the purchase of a small piece of land without any initial vision of specific agricultural development; then, little by little, other small plots were added until, in 1988, my father Vincenzo, driven by unconditional love and respect for the land, and by his strong conviction that the bond with it is entirely essential for a healthy life, decided, not without some folly given the historical moment and the very few financial resources, to purchase a large plot of about 15 hectares.
   
• What is the real reason or trigger behind the birth of this company and when did it happen?
  The reason was mainly to give due value and appreciation to the priceless potential of that land, extraordinary for its geographical position, climate influences, and proximity to the dormant volcano of Roccamonfina.
  My father, also strong in his skills as an Agricultural Expert, decided that the crops aimed primarily at satisfying the needs of the colonist's family and obtaining hoped-for economic returns needed some form of reorganization: there was a need for specificity and specialization in the crops; quantity had to make way for high quality and why not, for excellence. From that moment on, a real conversion of the crops began, integrating the already numerous olive, hazelnut, and fresh fruit plants, among which cherries in various varieties were preferred.
   
• What is your relationship with your original land and its uniqueness? And why do you want to tell this through your products?
  The land is a fundamental element if not even indispensable for man to restore a balance between himself and the environment: it is the only way to save ourselves and the planet.
  Feuerbach's statement "We are what we eat" clearly and succinctly represents this bond. We believe that only a product achieved through respect for the times and cycles of nature can ensure a sustainable future, a product that is "Genuine, Healthy, and Good"; like ours!
   
• What was the first product you created?
  Our products are not processed, so we do not actually create anything; our customers only have the opportunity to enjoy what Mother Nature gifts us, compensating us for the respectful commitment we put into our work.
   
• What product do you consider to be your "flagship" today?
  We are fond of simplicity: our extraordinary Extra Virgin Olive Oil "Masseria delle Stagioni", pure, obtained from hand-picked olives processed within a few hours from harvest.
   
• And what is the product that throughout the history of the company has most represented its beating heart, philosophy, and soul?
  In reality, all our products: every type of cultivation receives the same care and commitment because the first consumers are ourselves, our families, and especially our children.
   
• Let's talk about today: how much has the company grown since its inception? Can we have some numbers?
  Over the years, there have been various acquisitions of neighboring lands, and today the company covers an area of over 30 hectares. The crops are varied and each type is available in several varieties: there is a vast olive grove, an equally extensive hazelnut grove, and an important cherry orchard. There are also various crops of fresh fruit, citrus fruits, walnuts, chestnuts, and many varieties of vegetables.
   
• At this moment: more tradition or more innovation?
  I would say some elements of innovation while proudly remaining anchored to tradition: a peasant heart always carries within itself its own story and its own tradition.
   
• What has been the most important evolution of the company to get it to where it is today?
  There have been many small steps, some confident and others uncertain, but what perhaps marked the real change in the recent past was the realization of our brand "Masseria delle Stagioni": a brand studied and chosen (now also registered!) precisely because we think it communicates, graphically and clearly, our indispensable bond with nature. Last year, then, with a slight fear, given the importance of the event where some of the best olive oil productions from the Mediterranean basin are compared, we participated in the International Olive Oil Competition “AIPO D’ARGENTO 2020,” and the Extra Virgin Olive Oil of “Masseria delle Stagioni” reached 14th place in the "Italian - Light Fruity" category obtaining “a drop of gold.” We know well the extraordinary goodness of our products, but a recognition is always an emotion that proudly confirms we are on the right path!
   
• Speaking of the future: what kind of tomorrow awaits the company? Are there plans for any changes or new evolutionary processes?
  Our gaze towards the future is aimed at continually improving our relationship with nature and making this precious synergy between nature and man increasingly sustainable by utilizing innovative cultivation, harvesting, and processing methods while always respecting the most precious asset for our activity: the land.
   
• Do you plan to create new products?
  We start from our “first love”: our Extra Virgin Olive Oil! It is a light and delicate oil that pairs extraordinarily well with any preparation, whether sweet or savory. This year we decided to create a special tasting opportunity: thus were born our first Seasoning with EVO Oil with Chili Pepper and Truffle. We are now thinking of other combinations with herbs, spices, and vegetables, also coming from our crops: preserved vegetables, sauces, and also simply “crushed” olives in jars, much appreciated by food lovers!
  Other projects concern the hazelnuts that we would like to propose in other tasty variants or our fruit that we hope could delight as many palates as possible, both fresh and transformed into delicious preserves or jams… but time will tell!
   
• Having partnered with Spaghetti & Mandolino, how important is online sales to you? What has been your relationship in the past with this sales channel, and how do you see it in the future?
  Online sales are a fundamental resource: through it, the product reaches a customer wherever they are, at any hour of the day or night, and if the portal effectively communicates the specialty of the product, the customer will decide to purchase it and have it at home with a simple click!
  It’s therefore an enormous potential that we have focused on by taking care of the packaging, studying the new brand, and relying on Spaghetti & Mandolino, which offers its customers the opportunity to discover small entrepreneurial realities that create virtually unique products with extraordinary aromas and flavors, light years away from those of large-scale distribution that supports intensive farming with inevitably unhealthy products.
   
• Value: what has it been, what is it today, and what will it be in the future for your company?
  Our constant value is to practice agriculture respecting nature: only in this way can we aspire to a sustainable future, while also having the privilege of nourishing ourselves with good, healthy, and genuine products.

S&M