THE COOPERATIVE

It was April 7, 1971, when 46 small saffron producers from varius villages on the Navelli Plateau presented themselves in L'Aquila in front of notary Dr. Carlo Cricchi , united by the idea of ​​cooperation pioneered by Silvio Salvatore Sarra: the “Altopiano di Navelli” Cooperative was born.

The union of the producers in a cooperative became necessary because, in those years, the price of saffron had plummeted and there was no market demand. This caused a certain discontent among the growers, so much so that some of them began destroying the bulbs, feeding them to their livestock, and no longer growing saffron.

From then on, thanks to the establishment of the cooperative, led by Silvio Salvatore Sarra, things began to change, despite a thousand initial difficulties. The real turning point for this small business came when Silvio's greatest and most inspired collaborator, his sister Giovannina, encouraged him to appear on the TV show Portobello, hosted by Enzo Tortora and a household name for virtually every Italian at the time. The television showcase was a true triumph, and from then on, the red gold of Abruzzo's L'Aquila region truly began to be known worldwide, not least because this specific saffron is unsurpassed in quality. So much so that in 1989, a panel of international experts awarded it world recognition, followed by further recognition for the Cooperative in 1991 with the "Atomo d'Oro" (Golden Atom).The long list of accolades reached its peak in 2005, when the European Union awarded our L'Aquila Saffron the DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) label, for the product grown in the 13 municipalities of the L'Aquila area recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Producers who display the "Zafferano dell'Aquila DOP" designation are registered in special lists managed by the inspection body, along with the land registry parcels on which they are grown.Traceability, allowing the origin of a product to be traced as well as identifying all the steps and activities involved in the various stages of production and marketing, provides a guarantee for the consumer as it formally identifies the responsibilities of all those involved in obtaining the finished product.The certified product will allow consumers to clearly understand, through the label, the origin, safety, and authenticity of the product, thus benefiting the brand.