Investing in the Covid-19 era. You need courage, but it is the way forward, said Mario Piccini

It is important to continue to invest because in difficult moments it can represent the winning card, as well as the fastest, to restart. In this period investing requires a great deal of courage. It is imperative for businesses, in the wine world as well, especially if you have solid foundations. And this is the case of the Piccini Group, which has sent a message of strength, but also of courage to the wine world. Mario Piccini, at the helm of the Piccini Group, a historical and branch company that has its roots in territories such as Chianti Classico, Montalcino, Maremma, on Etna in Sicily and in the Vulture in Basilicata, is investing in a new production center in the Siena area, precisely in Casole d'Elsa, not far from the vineyards in Chianti where Piccini is one of the main players.
The Group purchased the center in 2007 for 7 million euros, and between upgrading and re-structuring the new center has cost a total of 13 million euros and was completed during the lockdown. It was an immense effort, which however, immediately paid off, as, translated into figures, the increase in yield was 40%, the actual yield 30% more in the bottles, and a potential increase of 70%. Plus, evident improvements in logistics and storage performance. In difficult times it is right to renew ourselves and look ahead. Piccini has chosen this strategy to focus on the markets for some time. The choice of presiding over various countries, and above all various channels from large-scale distribution to catering, has paid off, especially during this Pandemic.
“It is extremely evident”, explained Mario Piccini, to WineNews, “for the simple reason that investing in a channel such as online, which was not one of our focuses, in a short time we have achieved 3% of turnover in Italy. We are reorganizing the HORECA because we have understood that after this pandemic we must change the way we review and reconsider distribution. But large-scale distribution has remained fundamental, where you can find more and more quality products”.
The Group, as mentioned, has invested heavily, both in the vineyard and in the winery, and in communication. This is the way forward, even if the temptation, in this period, would be to contain costs. “We need to invest, especially in our sector”, added Mario Piccini, “where we need to sell a territory, its history, its product and the work done in the vineyard by special people. You have to invest, communicate, make it known, and you have to make others fall in love with your work”.