Wild about truffles

ITALIAN truffles, caviar and other specialty foods are the stuff that Italtouch offers from its base in Dubai, UAE. The company is owned by Massimo Vidoni, an Italian with over 25 years of experience in the fine food market, in particular truffles, a

Speaking at the sides of the recent Gulfood Manufacturing 2015, Mr Vidoni shared his views on the potential this region holds for its Italian products, the recognition of gourmet food, and growth and expansion plans across the GCC.

Massimo Vidoni, owner, Italtouch

Tell us about the gourmet food products from Italtouch.

We import fresh truffles and its products from Italy. However, locally in Italy, we produce a complete line of truffle products, including truffle oil, truffle creams, truffle butter, truffle honey and Halal cold cuts with truffles. Few other products include truffle tagliatelle, truffle salt and slicers. We also offer gift baskets for ultimate occasions or making any event special.

Where do you procure the raw materials? Does the company have an in-house R&D team?

Due to stringent quality measures, all of my raw materials are procured from Italy, hence the name Italtouch. Italy is great in high-quality pure ingredients so we ensure that our customers get nothing short of the very best.

We produce all our products in one factory except for the Halal cold cuts line that is about 40 kilometers away from my hometown. Everything is done in-house since holding and deploying the technical and operational knowledge of producing such items is the key to its success. We ensure a keen eye is kept on the entire manufacturing process.

Are products available outside the UAE? What is the company’s current volume?

We try and sell across the GCC, South East Asia and others. I started selling my products across Iran, Bahrain, India, Thailand, Laos, Ethiopia, Qatar and seldom, to a customer or traveler who comes or goes to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

We sell around four to five million dollars’ worth of produce per year and fortunately have been growing at a rate of more than 45 percent each quarter.

Products: Truffle sauce, carpaccio, honey, oils, butter as well as whole truffles. Italtouch keeps a close watch on the entire manufacturing process

What potential does the UAE truffle and fine-food market hold?

UAE as a food and beverage market holds huge potential due to its diversity. Most expats and locals have a considerable amount of disposable income and love and appreciate culinary delight in the finest of things. In addition to that, the government is planning new resorts and fine hotels. Given the growth in population and the attraction of more companies, I am sure the demand for the truffle and the fine food market in general will double soon.

How recognized is UAE's food market on a global scale?

UAE is slowly becoming a huge market and is the crossway of the world in terms of brands, people and global access. It is very appealing for the food industries in general, not only gourmet food producers and suppliers. All the big guys are now setting up their headquarters here.

Which other markets are of interest to you?

The Gulf region harbors amazing amount of potential; Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran in particular are markets that I wish to concentrate on and hopefully strike a lucrative partnership. I am seeking professional and worthy importers there who would help promote and bring my products in their local jurisdiction.

My target for the imminent future is expanding majorly across all markets of the Gulf region with specific concentration on markets such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Qatar.

Are local consumers more health-conscious?

Yes, they are! But the best thing is that truffles are perfect for enhancement of flavors, being a vegetarian product. People are starting to know truffles and their differences as the season menus’ are marked by the truffles season.

What new products are in the pipeline?

We produce truffle popcorn with Italian truffles locally in Dubai, UAE. As they gained popularity, I now wish to produce more variety locally with Italian ingredients, such as dates and truffles, chips and truffles, and laban & truffles.

The Truffle Man – when and how did this nickname come about?

I love it! Instead of a nickname, chefs started calling me this when I was doing the initial deliveries myself. I remember walking directly into their kitchens and their initial reaction on seeing me and the truffles would be “….Aah…The Truffle Man.” Somehow, this name got coined with my business and today, appears on my business card.

Having said this, it is now much easier to connect to the top chefs across the country through a call via this moniker. It has made the entire interaction process so much more convenient.

How would you describe the journey since the establishment of Italtouch?

It was no less than a rollercoaster at first, but one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Initially, I trained chefs who did not know much and their crew if needed. In good time, they have grown in popularity in all kinds of hospitality, and a big feather in my cap is that now, there aren’t any top restaurants which don’t post some kind of truffle or truffle-related item on their menu which is a testament to how exciting and fulfilling this journey has been.

What challenges did the company face when it was starting in this business?

Liquidity and cash flow blockages were the primary causes of concern and major hindrances, too. The products were growing and so was the demand but the payments were taking time. In Italy, our products are sold against payment made upfront but here we needed to wait for a downtime period of 45 to 60 days which was somehow hampering our fast growth terrains. That was one of the issues I felt at launching and initially growing the company.

What are the major setbacks in the region's F&B Industry?

Finding good investors and partners is the key to success and also the biggest challenge for the industry today. I work with two partners based out of Italy that help me source the right products and oversee the factory and its operations. The collaboration we share ensures that the products sold are of top and consistent quality as I don’t need to worry about my truffle oil changing taste or that any cheap quality material has been used to increase manufacturing profits. Maintaining consistency in truffle products is very important and we ensure that reflects in our products. - ZAINAB MANSOOR

Massimo Vidoni

Position: Owner, Italtouch Trading FZ LLC

A: P.O.Box: 644326, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

T: 00971 4 8879969

E: italtouchuae@gmail.com

W: www.italtouch.com