At DAF-AL S.R.L., a family company currently at the sixth generation, we directly follow every single phase of the agricultural and industrial production. A strong connection with our production area (Piacenza – Northern Italy) and a continuous improvement of our production techniques enable us to provide to our customers excellent natural foods.
Our products are grown in fields within 50 km from our factory in San Giorgio Piacentino and they are processed on the same day of the harvest using the energy produced by our own photovoltaic plant.
Farmers since 1825
Our entrepreneurial story begins in 1825
The Spinning Mill
The agricultural and industrial activities began with the cultivation of mulberries to feed the silkworm farms. The silk produced was then woven by mechanical looms that, in that period, represented a great technological innovation.
The Furnace
The clay soil around San Giorgio Piacentino was used to produce bricks, with innovative systems and important national customers (e.g. Salsomaggiore Terme).
The Tomatoes
Following our mission to innovate without losing the bond with our land, which always permeated our family activities, we cultivated tomatoes nearby our processing plant to produce sauces (both peeled tomatoes and tomato sauce) with a revolutionary continuous sterilization system (Sterilflame).
The Distillery
The growing of the sugar beet was a big step for our company as we started the distillation of ethyl alcohol.
Nowadays, we still “denaturate” and bottle the alcohol. Once packaged, it is supplied to some of the leading Italian retailers.
Green Peas and other legumes
Since the beginning, we harvest our Green Peas in our fields in Piacenza and we process them still fresh in order to preserve the organoleptic properties. Our Green Peas are vacuum-packed
The Mechanical Harvesting
We were the first company in Europe to harvest tomatoes with a self-propelled harvester (Blackwelder) imported from California. Consequently, we ended the era of harsh manual harvesting under the sun of hundreds of workers.
Sweet Corn
In 1971, first in Europe, we started to cultivate and process our core product: the Sweet Corn. As for the Green Peas, the entire production cycle, from sowing to canning, is made in a few hours in order to guarantee the maximum freshness. Our Sweet Corn, as all our other products, is GMO-free.
Sport Fishing Corn (Angling)
A new experience begins: the production of fishing baits flavored with 14 aromas (e.g. vanilla, strawberry, cheese, …) with a strong attractive power. Our brand Pescaviva is still today the market leader. www.pescaviva.it
Organic
Thanks to our close control on the fields, we were the first in Italy to produce organic Sweet Corn. Nowadays almost all our fields have been converted to organic.
Fresh Borlotti Beans
Following our “processed-from-fresh raw materials” mission and in order to expand our products range, we started the cultivation and canning of the Borlotti Beans.
Quinoa cultivated in Italy
After a test carried out in 2014, we started to cultivate Quinoa on our organic fields, selecting varieties suitable for our climate. The Quinoa, a pseudo-cereal that origins from South America, has become very popular in the last few years due to to its nutritional properties (high level of proteins and the absence of gluten).
Fresh Edamame Soybeans
Our “processed-from-fresh” canned product range continues to expand, this time with Edamame Soybeans.
As for all our products, we directly control all the phases of the agricultural and industrial chain, from cultivation to canning, which takes place within a few hours of harvesting.
Fresh Chickpeas
We further expanded our “processed-from-fresh” canned product range with the Chickpeas, harvested still partly green (first and only company in Italy).
Fresh Cannellini Beans
Cannellini Beans are the latest products added to our range of fresh processed legumes processed from 100% Italian raw materials.
Fresh Green Beans Flageolet
We have added a new legume to our organic line: Flageolet. These small beans are harvested while still green to maintain their unique flavor. Also excellent for making soups.
