INTERVIEW WITH SAMANTHA IVALDI
R&D SPECIALIST
Giuso Guido is the company that has made excellence its reason for existing. Founded in 1919 as a small workshop specializing in sour black cherries, jams and candied fruit, today after more than a century it is an important reference point for every artisan seeking the best ingredients in pastry making. The secret of its longevity is kept in the Research and Development department, where we met Samantha Ivaldi who in addition to dealing with the product development, offers her support in the Quality control of the candied fruit process.
Samantha, how is the R&D team composed and what does it do?
The Research and Development team, led by Paolo Gottardello, is made up of two people who work permanently in Giuso: Giulia Romano, who is in charge of labelling and packaging, and myself, mainly in charge of the product development, and for just over a year I have been supporting Quality in the control procedures of the candied fruit. Then there are other people who help us in the development of various other projects. Our task is to search for the best raw materials on the market, liaising with suppliers in the sector, and to develop various prototypes that reflect the demands made by the customers or marketing, from a chemical-physical, organoleptic but also economic point of view. After the approval of the laboratory sample, we move on to the industrialisation phase, where we draft process specifications and monitor the production stages until the product is established.
What made you choose this job?
Four years ago, after graduating, I won a scholarship that allowed me to join Giuso where I remained because Research and Development is very stimulating, and it gives vent to all my imagination and creativity in creating and experimenting with new products. I am also very happy to carry out the job of monitoring the candied fruit, because it has allowed me to explore the different production steps and understand the departmental difficulties that I did not know before.
What insights did you gather at Sigep 2023 and what novelties are you preparing?
This year I experienced Sigep as a protagonist and not as a simple visitor. For the first time I was present on the stand for three days and this has increased my passion for Patisserie. This important event gave me the opportunity to meet those who use the product, and to get to know their opinion and listen to their suggestions, plus of course the pleasure of being able to put a face to the customers who I only knew by name. I met very young pastry chefs who were making astounding volumes and I was so fascinated by them that I decided to enrol on a pastry course (for the moment only amateur!)
Which were the most popular references?
In addition to the Kit Crostata della nonna (Grandmas tart), which was extremely successful both with the public and the media, the product that created the most amazement was Strafrutta: an extremely innovative reference, apparently simple but which in reality, requires a lot of effort to be made on an industrial level. Then the Lievicreme line, which after its success in combination with Strega liqueur, will certainly be expanded with other alcoholic flavours for filling easter cakes and panettoni.
In which direction will you go this year?
We will certainly continue the improvement of the candied fruit range, in small steps and always in search of quality.