With contagious enthusiasm, Adriana Occhipinti recounts her experience at L’Orto Magico in the Italian town of Scicli, describing the greenhouses where an innovative and locally-rooted production process takes place every day.

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Adriana Occhipinti

The company was founded in 2006 as a family business, thanks to the dedication of the owner’s husband and father-in-law. Their involvement provided the company with new momentum, accelerating its growth and leading it to a strategic turning point: access to the large-scale retail trade channel.

This milestone was a commercial success and the catalyst for a corporate transformation. The company focused on structuring and modernizing every process. The result is a solid organization with a team of over 120 employees spread across greenhouse cultivation, warehouse processing, and administrative management. “This structural growth is the direct result of a production philosophy that prioritizes product quality and continuous innovation”, says Adriana.

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The company’s growth has been accompanied by environmentally responsible choices, such as installing a large photovoltaic system and focusing more on crop specialization to reduce its environmental impact.

In addition to tomatoes, including cherry, date, beefsteak, and heritage varieties, courgettes, aubergines, peppers, and cucumbers have been introduced in recent years. One novel variety is the Sweet Palermo pepper, which has a few seeds, thin skin, high digestibility, and natural sweetness. It is also ideal for those with intolerances.

The company is also experimenting with nickel-free products through an innovative above-ground cultivation system. This system makes it possible to offer vegetables suitable for consumers with specific nutritional preferences. These consumers are growing in number.

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“We are proud of our team and are committed to providing our staff with consistent training. One thing we are particularly proud of is that our warehouse team is predominantly made up of women. Their precision and attention to detail add tremendous value to the quality of our work,” emphasizes Occhipinti. The company’s network is one of its strongest assets. In January, L’Orto Magico will officially become a cooperative.

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“The new reality will allow us to exponentially increase our production capacity. Thanks to the contributions of our partners, we will increase our production from 20 to 150 hectares. These partners have been carefully selected. This ensures full compliance with our strict specifications. It also guarantees that our trademark quality will be maintained on a larger scale. Large-scale retailers need quantity, continuity, and quality,” she explains. “Maintaining such high standards is impossible without a structured supply chain.”

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Despite facing competition from abroad, particularly from Spain, Sicily’s agricultural sector is optimistic about the future. They are confident that their region’s mild, southern climate and proximity to the sea, which contribute to the unique flavor of their vegetables, will set them apart.

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Currently, 50 percent of production is intended for large-scale retail, 40 percent for the Italian market, and 10 percent for export, primarily to Germany and France. German customers, for example, are very frugal and have specific demands. They prefer weighed products and have strict packaging specifications, such as a 240-gram container of datterino tomatoes. Our ability to adapt to these requirements is key to our success abroad.

At the heart of it all is our constant commitment to training and certification. GlobalGAP, Grasp, IFS, and ISO certificates ensure rigorous standards throughout the supply chain. “Today, anyone can produce tomatoes,” Occhipinti reiterates, “but what distinguishes us is the flavor that leaves a lasting impression and encourages consumers to choose our product. Together with food safety, these are the values we truly want to convey.”

In addition to her career, Occhipinti has chosen to become involved with the Le Donne dell’Ortofrutta association. She recently attended the association’s first national assembly in Monastier, in the province of Treviso, in the Veneto region. She found it to be a unique experience and an opportunity to witness the collaborative spirit that unites women in the sector. She believes that, in the coming years, women will have a stronger and more prominent presence in the fruit and vegetable sector because the sector cannot function without their contributions.

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Occhipinti is proud to represent the women of L’Orto Magico’s workforce within both the company and the association. These women are dedicated to every step of the process, from product selection to final packaging, ensuring the highest quality. “I’d like to tell all my colleagues,” she adds, “never stop fighting, and always claim what you deserve, because the future of the fruit and vegetable sector also depends on our work and our determination.”

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Looking to the future, Occhipinti acknowledges the market difficulties associated with falling prices, yet he is optimistic about growth and innovation. “We are eager to take action, respond to consumer needs, and pursue a path that combines passion, tradition, and sustainability. For us, this is L’Orto Magico.”

For more information:
Azienda Agricola L’Orto Magico di Nigito Giovanni
Cda Barone SNC
97018 Scicli (RG) – Italy
+39 0932 1836051
[email protected]
www.lortomagicoscicli.it