{"id":2778,"date":"2021-11-02T12:32:10","date_gmt":"2021-11-02T11:32:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jolife.info\/?p=2778\/"},"modified":"2025-07-31T16:11:33","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T14:11:33","slug":"interview-with-matteo-falzi-ceo-of-villafrut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jolife.info\/en\/interview-with-matteo-falzi-ceo-of-villafrut\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Matteo Falzi, CEO of Villafrut"},"content":{"rendered":"

Matteo Falzi, CEO of Villafrut srl, proudly defines himself as a true \u201cVeronese.\u201d Although his company\u2014based in Oppeano and specialized in aggregating fruit and vegetable production and managing logistics for major retail chains\u2014takes him across Europe, his heart remains rooted in his hometown. It’s this connection that led him, through the company\u2019s brand Jolife<\/em>, to support the \u201c67 Colonne\u201d project. \u201cBridging the world of business with the enhancement of our territory’s heritage is undoubtedly positive,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

What did you like about this initiative?<\/strong>
\nI decided to join because the Arena, with its wonderful operas, is not only a symbol of the city but also contributes to the region\u2019s economic development. I noticed a strong response from Verona\u2019s business community: in all that interest, I saw a deep connection to the Arena, a sincere sentiment stemming from the fact that this amphitheater truly represents us.<\/p>\n

What is your personal connection to the Arena? Is there a special memory tied to it?<\/strong>
\nThe Arena has been part of many childhood memories. My parents often went there with friends or clients. When they said \u201cLet\u2019s go to the Arena,\u201d it was clear\u2014they were going to the opera, and that phrase carried with it a sense of luxury, prestige, and uniqueness. Then came the day I was invited\u2014it was my turn. I accompanied some clients and felt so proud; I still remember it clearly. I experienced my first opera with the innocence and curiosity of someone not deeply familiar with the art form, completely captivated by the magic of that majestic amphitheater. That\u2019s the Arena\u2019s true allure: its unique beauty and atmosphere win everyone over, even those unfamiliar with opera.<\/p>\n

Do you believe it\u2019s part of a business\u2019s duty to safeguard the cultural and artistic heritage of its local area?<\/strong>
\nIn general, I think there are designated entities responsible for that purpose. However, in the case of the Arena, things are a bit different, especially for local entrepreneurs. This amphitheater, as the symbol of our city, has personally helped us build public relations networks abroad. Many of our clients, after attending opera performances with us over the years, returned home with unforgettable memories. I fully support initiatives like this and hope they continue. Connecting business to the enhancement of local heritage is definitely a good thing.<\/p>\n

Villafrut operates all across Europe\u2014do you feel Verona is well-known abroad?<\/strong>
\nAbsolutely. Verona has international recognition, and I believe that over the past ten years, its image has improved significantly. I appreciate the way the city is being promoted beyond national borders.<\/p>\n

What is it like doing business in this region?<\/strong>
\nI\u2019m a \u201ctrue Veronese,\u201d so I might be biased\u2014but I have to say, it\u2019s fantastic. Our region is strategically located at the crossroads of the main European north-south and east-west axes. This has always helped us maintain strong connections and efficient logistics. Verona is a perfect hub for doing business. I\u2019d never move. But again, I admit I\u2019m biased…<\/p>\n

Your strong connection to the region is evident in your many initiatives. How do you contribute to the development of sustainable agriculture?<\/strong>
\nIn the simplest way\u2014by following nature\u2019s lead. But sustainability has many dimensions. We\u2019re committed on several fronts, not just environmental. Socially, Villafrut has held certifications for many years. Economically, we build value chains and foster a healthy business model in which our suppliers, collaborators, and clients are also partners. That\u2019s how you build a virtuous economy.<\/p>\n

Villafrut is also very active in food education, especially with younger generations. What kind of initiatives have you launched?<\/strong>
\nChildren will inherit our planet, and it\u2019s our duty to educate them. We support both sports and social projects aimed at encouraging kids to eat healthy and live well. We\u2019ve supported events like Straverona, various sports clubs, and volunteer organizations. We\u2019ve created school programs such as \u201cThe Story of Strawberries: From Earth to Table,\u201d<\/em> combining storytelling with play and music. We\u2019ve even launched international initiatives like Gem\u00fcsefit<\/em>, aimed at introducing kids to fruits and vegetables through hands-on scientific labs. On our brand site Jolife.info<\/em>, you\u2019ll also find tips and recipes to prepare fruits and vegetables in simple, tasty ways. The most tangible result\u2014which is never a final goal but an ongoing process\u2014is contributing each day to raising awareness of the importance of self-care and caring for our planet.<\/p>\n

The 67 Colonne initiative was launched to support the Arena during a time of difficulty brought on by the pandemic. How has the last year and a half been for you?<\/strong>
\nAt the start of the pandemic, we felt a strong sense of social responsibility to keep operating\u2014after all, we supply essential goods like fruits and vegetables. If we had stopped, the produce sections in supermarkets would have gone empty, causing public concern. It wasn\u2019t easy to ensure the continuity of our supply chain, which above all depends on the continuity of our employees. I\u2019m incredibly proud of them: there was no absenteeism, no hesitation, no fear in coming to work. They showed up every day, demonstrating great dedication\u2014and that\u2019s been my greatest satisfaction over the past year and a half.<\/p>\n

Today, rather than talk about a \u201crecovery,\u201d I\u2019d say we\u2019re returning to normal. There\u2019s definitely excitement out there\u2014people want to go out, have fun, spend\u2014and that\u2019s helping all sectors restart. But I believe there are still vulnerabilities we must not underestimate. I think European policies are supporting the economy well and should continue boldly. We entrepreneurs bring ideas, courage, instinct\u2014we\u2019re forward-thinking. But the \u201cgovernants,\u201d as I call them, must back us up, offering stability and political certainty. I believe that in 2022, we\u2019ll see the true state of the economy. Right now, it seems a bit too effervescent\u2014but thankfully, the pandemic is behind us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Matteo Falzi, CEO of Villafrut srl, proudly defines himself as a true \u201cVeronese.\u201d Although his company\u2014based in Oppeano and specialized in aggregating fruit and vegetable production and managing logistics for major retail chains\u2014takes him across Europe, his heart remains rooted in his hometown. It’s this connection that led him, through the company\u2019s brand Jolife, to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2613,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[573,575,577,630],"class_list":["post-2778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eventi-en","tag-67colonne","tag-arenadiverona","tag-matteofalzi","tag-opera"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jolife.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jolife.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jolife.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jolife.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jolife.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2778"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jolife.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2778\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2779,"href":"https:\/\/jolife.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2778\/revisions\/2779"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jolife.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2613"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jolife.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jolife.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jolife.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}