Carmelina Brands: Authentic Italian Products


Anyone searching the Internet for information about San Marzano tomatoes will likely be astonished at how many different claims have been made about the fabulous San Marzano tomato. We have seen everything from dubious claims such as, “only DOP stamped labels are ‘authentic’ San Marzano tomatoes,” to domestic tomato producers telling the public these tomatoes “don’t exist.” Putting all hearsay aside, we would like to share our understanding of the San Marzano tomato as the growers of the Nocera-Sarno region have educated us over the past 10 years.
1.	Location - In order for the tomato to be considered San Marzano it must be produced in the region of San Marzano a.k.a. the Agro Nocerino Sarnese identified on the map. This valley off the slopes of Vesuvius is blessed with excellent soil rich in nutrients the San Marzano tomatoes need to develop and plenty of sunshine. The climate here is dominated by the nearby Mediterranean Sea. Its proximity moderates the hot summers the region is known for, thus creating an ideal tomato-growing environment. The heat encourages color and ripening, while the sea breeze moderates the heat and protects against wilting and blossom drop.
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	San Marzano	Perino	Roma	Pomodoro di Cerignola
2.	Genetics - For a visual comparison of common Italian tomato varieties see some examples above. The San Marzano tomato was created in the region during the early 1900’s from a cross between three tomato varieties already being grown: the King Umberto, Fiaschella, and the Fiascona varieties of tomato. An elongated shape, fewer seeds, and a pulp with excellent sweet flavor are traits imparted on the San Marzano tomato. Since its creation, the San Marzano tomato has been hybridized with traits like disease resistance and more even ripening while still retaining the original traits that make the San Marzano tomato so unique. With its high quality and use primarily for preserves, the San Marzano tomato has become big business in this region for growers and packers alike.
3.	To DOP or not to DOP? - With the San Marzano tomato becoming very important to the local economy, the Italian growers have formed the Consorzio San Marzano to oversee the production and marketing of this tomato variety. Thus, the San Marzano tomato has been given DOP status by the European Union. The main argument for doing this is to protect the San Marzano tomato product from others using this name with different products. The marks of “authenticity” are the EU’s DOP stamp and the Corsorzio San Marzano stamp, which are only available to packers from this region that pay the fees to use these stamps. These fees contribute to the continued operation of the Consortium. The dubious practice of packers paying the Consorzio San Marzano to demonstrate “authenticity,” leaves one wondering which is being enforced – the quality or the money?
	At our production facilities in the Nocera-Sarno region, we have decided to produce Carmelina ‘e… San Marzano® Tomatoes for the North American market without the DOP or Consorzio San Marzano stamp because we know the quality of our brand can compete with any DOP product. We can pass on the savings to our customers who are focused on the quality of the tomato in the can, rather than a stamp on the label.
	Compare Carmelina ‘e… San Marzano® Tomatoes with DOP product and you may find yourself unable to justify the extra expense of a stamp on the label. Consider that many DOP products we have sampled have citric acid and basil added during production and many are out of code. These are all reasons why we feel Carmelina ‘e… San Marzano® Tomatoes outperforms the competition.