Welcome to our family
Azienda Casina Rossa
At Casina Rossa, we are committed to producing high-quality, fresh local produce for you.
Nicola is our producer and farmer. Following in the same passionate footsteps as his father, he ensures that the ripe crops become wonderful delicacies.
Nicola De LaurentiisOwner & producer
Paola is our point of contact for suppliers and customers, taking care of the business and the employees and making sure that our books are all in order.
Paola SpadettoOwner & producer
Where we are
Roccascalegna
Roccascalegna is a small Italian commune in the province of Chieti, part of the Abruzzo region. Perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking the valley, it offers stunning views of the surrounding area. The place is famous for its impressive medieval castle. A few minutes away, outside the village, is the Casina Rossa farm.
Our story
Don Antonio & Donna Antonia
Don Antonio was a farmer in the 1960s. He was also a passionate cook who used his produce to conjure up delicious creations for his family. Antonio loves traditional Italian cuisine – and his family – and has always developed new ideas on how his vegetables can be preserved and still taste great.
Donna Antonia eventually started marketing the products – among friends, at the weekly market in Roccascalegna and Chieti, and in local shops – and soon everyone in the area knew about the De Laurentiis family’s extra virgin olive oil and vegetables in jars.
The next generation – Nicola & Paola De Laurentiis
His son Nicola, who took over the family business in 1999, continues the tradition with his wife Paola, their two sons Marco and Andrea and his parents. They have developed new ways to improve and increase production. Little by little, new customers were found for the products. Speciality stockists from Australia, Europe, the USA, Switzerland and Japan became interested in the sughi and antipasti.
Development
Thanks to the steadily increasing demand, a new production facility was built in 2018, especially for the popular Sughi Don Antonio. Since then, the raw ingredients warehouse has also been expanded, making us better prepared for any supply bottlenecks hitting the economy. Trends show that rising purchase prices for raw materials, longer waiting times and increased planning are to be expected.
Future
We are developing many new ideas and are aiming to position ourselves even better in the international market. Alternative ways of eating, such as organic and vegan diets, are currently popular, and there is increased demand for special products, such as those free from gluten and lactose. People’s needs and expectations are changing in today’s society. Our company is reacting to this and it continues to evolve. Cultivation and production are being constantly expanded and optimised to meet changing demands.
Cultivated land
Wine grows everywhere in the sunny region – and where wine grows well, fruit and vegetables thrive, too.
On our cultivated land, we grow tomatoes, onions, aubergines and other kinds of vegetables for making antipasti and pâté. We obtain our extra virgin olive oil in limited quantities from our olive trees surrounding the Casina Rossa premises.
Capers
Aubergines
Saffron
Onions
Premium-Saffron
‘Red Gold’, saffron, grows at higher altitudes. It is very difficult to cultivate. Saffron requires a chalky, humus-rich, well-drained soil.
From the end of October to mid-November, the saffron flowers bloom for around ten days. The flowers close at night and must therefore be picked early in the morning until noon, when the flowers are still dormant. This is the only way to ensure high quality.
Immediately after harvesting, the flowers are carefully removed by hand from the stigma and pistil. Only the red threads are collected. The yellow and white ones are discarded.
Planting the saffron bulbs
