When the edible insects market will finally be totally opened, the consumer will be in the position to choose among different products. And in the category consumers we must also include fish farmers, as those of mammals and poultry.
Selection is certainly an expression of freedom. Only if a person has the necessary informations to make a decision. Putting the consumer in this favorable condition, being informed, is producers’ duty and responsibility, for example through labeling.
But there are informations that you cannot write on a label because are immaterial, belonging to the world of suggestion and fascination, to the talent to tell about yourself and what you do, about how you do it. These informations are emotional perceptions, and it’s not possibile to write them on a label, but is possibile to transmit them through recalling symbols.
Mix this all together is the most suitable way for a country like ours, whose name -talking about food and alimentation- evokes respectful love for high quality, loving respect for the production processes, the ingredients and the controls, a long history of wisdom and application.
Image and substance.
A Quality Mark, single and unique, for the entire chain of the ”Italian insect“, supported by protocols shared with the Institution, should immediately characterize the sector, making it instantly recognizable while providing the consumers with the information and guarantees they need. A priority, especially when the goal is marketing a kind of product which, due to various known reasons, starts with an handicap made of absolute novelty, of no cultural and gastronomic links with the tradion, of pre-conceived distrust .
In this context, the warries of italian operators about our delay compared to countries like France, Belgium, Holland and England would be destined to fade away; no one, except with fraud and counterfit, can take advantage of those intangible values that only Italy expresses and can express.
Obviously it cannot be just a matter of green-white-red label, but scientific bases are also required.
The market space for the ”Italian insect” is therefore potentially protected, will be conquered by something else (or someone else) only if we fail in clearly delimiting it, so that we can also defend the borders.
A tricolor flag should soon be visible on the highest tower.
