In 2016, Veroni became the first Italian company to import made-in-Italy deli meats to the US, said Emanuela Bigi, marketing manager.

Products imported range from prosciutto to regional specialties like coppa and traditional salami, all featured in easy-to-open trays.

“We’ve always aimed to introduce American consumers to regional cured meats that are still little known in the US — mortadella, for instance, which has nothing to do with bologna — with good results.”

Prosciutto and spicy salame, however, remain the most popular for Veroni. The company’s best-selling products are the maxi platters from its antipasto line, especially those with Italian prosciutto, provolone, salame Calabrese, and salame Milano.

In addition to offering high-quality products, another part of Veroni’s mission, Bigi said, is to introduce US consumers to other Italian traditions, like the aperitivo and the Italian take on “snack time.”

“Our product roster changed in these terms,” she said. “In 2020 we launched the AperiTime line to offer ready-to-open and share charcuterie board trays featuring the best Italian charcuterie paired with dried fruits or breadsticks.”

Over the past several years, Veroni has introduced other combinations to this lineup to better satisfy Americans’ favorite flavors. And the launch of the snack line has been designed to capitalize on the growing grab-and-go trend and simultaneously offer a rich-in-protein snack solution that comes in practical packaging to always take with you.

Another winning addition for Veroni has been the new combination of the Maxi Antipasto line: Speck, Coppa, Salame Toscano, and Salame Calabrese. The 12-ounce packs feature charcuterie only (no cheese).

The access to imported deli meats from Italy, Spain, Germany and other countries with long-standing tradition of high-quality charcuterie has allowed American consumers to enjoy an indulgent restaurant experience with their family or small gatherings in the comfort of their home at a fraction of the cost, Bigi said.

“Charcuterie is easy to fix and consume, especially for Aperitivo and quick snacks. In addition to that, now younger generations are sustaining the growth of this segment as charcuterie is high in protein, gluten-free, flavor-packed, versatile, and ready to eat as a snack or meal.”

Crafting “epic” charcuterie boards is a trend that has outlasted others, Bigi said, because it picked up steam during the pandemic period and has remained hot.

What consumers now look for most, she added, is quality. Thanks to the ancient recipes that Veroni’s family passed down from generation to generation, the Italian charcuterie tradition, and high-quality raw material, Veroni is capitalizing on the quality trend.

In full swing

For the second year in a row, Italian specialty meat producer Veroni was an official sponsor of the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C.

The event was held July 29-Aug. 6. A week later, at the same time as last year, the company was in Cincinnati again, as a sponsor of the Western & Southern Open.

The Veroni sponsorships were full of events and initiatives to gratify American tennis fans by offering the best Italian food experience, according to the company.

Among the most anticipated events was the Sunset Aperitivo in Cincinnati, an event open to the public on Aug. 18 and created in collaboration with Aperol Spritz, one of the world’s most iconic cocktail brands.

“Italian food comes with unforgettable experiences. This is what we aim to do by continuing to bring our culinary culture to the largest sporting events such as The Mubadala Citi DC Open and the Western & Southern Open,” said Emanuela Bigi, Veroni’s marketing manager. “We want tennis fans to become fans of Veroni as well. We have been bringing the best charcuterie since 2016 and we want to continue carrying out our mission by celebrating sports and the high quality of our charcuterie.”

Veroni’s deli meats were served to athletes and their families and friends in players’ lounges and to fans at grab-an-go spots at the events.

“We believe in the synergy between sports and high-quality food.” Bigi said. “True to this winning combination with tennis, Veroni has also been the official supplier of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome. As a historical deli meats company, Veroni aims to bring the full experience of enjoying authentic charcuterie to everybody.”

This article is an excerpt from the September 2023 issue of Supermarket Perimeter. You can read the entire Imported Meats feature and more in the digital edition here.