Taste and use

This is what makes the Sicilian "Piccole Verdi" lentils so special:

• Taste: The nutty taste is typical of this lentil variety.
• Quality features: These lentils are a delicacy: perfect as a side dish, for salads or vegetarian burgers.
• Use: The "Piccole Verdi" only need to be cooked briefly to keep them nice and crunchy. You can find lentil recipes, for example here on our blog.

Cultivation and ecology

This is how the small, green lentils are grown:

• Cultivation method: Organic farming. The cooperative members alternate planting them in their fields with "Timilia" durum wheat and other cereals. The legumes naturally return nitrogen to the soil, which the wheat has taken away. To exaggerate a little, you could say: no spaghetti without lentil stew! The lentils are sown in January and harvested in summer.
• Producers: The lentils are planted by various members of the Valdibella cooperative. After harvesting, the lentils are dried, cleaned in a local grain mill and packed into small bags by hand by the cooperative. Valdibella uses the "Addio Pizzo" label to declare that they do not pay protection money to criminal organizations.

This is how the price is made up

The members of the Valdibella cooperative receive 1.20 euros per kilogram of uncleaned lentils.

Cultivation & processing CHF 4.92

• Cultivation and harvesting: Antonino Cusumano, Calogero Accurso, Caterina Pollina
• Processing: Santoro Srl, Cooperativa Valdibella

Transport & logistics CHF 2.90

• Export and logistics: Valdibella, Galliker
• Fees: Customs
• Quality assurance: SQTS laboratory
• Packaging: Zurich plant
• Shipping: Post

Procurement & distribution CHF 2.89

• Coordination, communication, online market: Crowd Container