The Unifood project combines research in social agriculture with farm production and relates the food production phase with its consumption. Unifood focuses on the direct sale of the Center’s agricultural products
Direct sale
There are many advantages of direct selling both for the farm and the environment, and for the consumer:
- multifunctionality and diversification of farm activities
- enhancement of agricultural activities
- increase in consumer knowledge of environmental protection
- strengthening the relationship between citizens and agricultural production
- raising citizen awareness of the importance of soil management in peri-urban areas
- reduction in the distance between producers and consumers (0 Km food)
- revaluation of local quality production
Direct sales of milk: the BANCOLAT
The direct sale of raw milk, which began in 2008, represents the first initiative to improve the value of CiRAA’s livestock products.
Over 24,000 liters of milk are sold annually through the Bancolat vending machine, which corresponds to a daily consumption of over 300 glasses of milk
Bancolat offers a high-quality product that has been carefully monitored to protect the health of the consumer. The milk undergoes 2500 analyses per year of both nutritional and hygienic-sanitary parameters
Direct sales of agricultural supply chain products
In 2015 the Center began direct sales of vegetable and dairy products thereby enhancing the agricultural supply chain.
The sales are currently reserved for UNIPI employees and around 80 types of products are offered, especially horticultural, also including processed foods such as pasteurized whole milk, natural white yogurt, grain cereals, flour, tomato purée and oil packed vegetables. For processed products, CiRAA makes use of external accredited laboratories. Many of the products come from organic crops and are the result of research projects that meet the following objectives:
- promotion of low environmental impact processes
- lower use of non-renewable resources (organic and integrated agriculture)
- development and strengthening of short supply chains and proximity sales
- enhancement of the nutritional aspects of food
- promotion of environmental and landscape aspects
- training and integration of people from the most deprived sections of society (ORTI ETICI project)
Consumer opinion
UNIFOOD products are highly appreciated by consumers who consider the “made by the University of Pisa” a guarantee of quality and safety. In addition to the characteristics of freshness, shoppers at Unifood appreciate the authenticity and flavor, together with the respect for the environment, social inclusion and ethicality of the products.