TASTE BOOM!

the brief:

Founded in 2005 by business partners and brothers-in-law Rosario Tortorici and Nino Tornambè, Azienda Agricola Scyavuru is based in Ribera, on Sicily’s southern coast, amid a picturesque citrus grove. The company takes its name from the old Sicilian dialect word sciavuru, meaning “fragrance” or “aroma”—a direct reference to the region’s sensory richness and Sicily’s culinary heritage. Specialising in spreads, preserves and pestos, Scyavuru serves both domestic and international markets, exporting to more than 60 countries. Alongside its own label, the company also develops products for other brands. Within the spreads category, Scyavuru has extensive expertise in pistachio varieties, rooted in the region’s traditions, history and geography. This expertise has driven the gradual expansion of its range to include other ingredients and new product formats, including its innovative bottled “Super-Creamy” spreads. The market context An analysis of the spreads market revealed considerable similarity in the communication styles and positioning cues used by the category’s leading brands. Despite differences in tone, ranging from mainstream appeal to a more elegant, sophisticated approach, most brands draw on the same visual and verbal references, with only minor variations. At the same time, an analysis of contemporary food trends highlighted the growing importance of taste, pleasure and personal experience in people’s relationship with food. Together, these findings revealed an opportunity: to develop a new brand that could break away from the category’s conventional codes and connect with a younger audience seeking a satisfying, contemporary and authentic experience, underpinned by quality, natural ingredients.

strategy:

From category to experience The project encompassed every dimension of brand communication: from strategic concept and naming to brand and product identity, through to a cohesive design system conceived to support the brand as it builds relationships with its audience. The strategy grew from a desire to challenge established category conventions, moving beyond predominantly product-centric communication to build a brand centred on people and their experience. The aim is not simply to describe a spread, but to give shape to what happens between the product and the person who chooses it: desire, pleasure, satisfaction, and the transformation of an ordinary moment into a small, extraordinary experience. This represents a paradigm shift: from describing the product to expressing the emotion it creates, building a connection that is less rational and more instinctive, personal and engaging. Naming as a point of distinction The brief called for a distinctive concept—a truly ownable word: an original, recognisable name that the brand could potentially claim as its own and build its identity around. The name had to meet six essential criteria: Be an invented word, or feel entirely new. Sound like an existing word: natural and credible. Be easy to pronounce. Be memorable. Work internationally. Convey pleasure without explicitly describing it. The challenge, then, was not simply to invent a name, but to create a new brand within the category, giving it a meaning and personality of its own. The name needed to evoke pleasure, exuberance, satisfaction, desire, modernity, personality and design, without directly describing the product. The priority was to spark curiosity and build recognition: to make the first question “What brand is that?”, even before “What kind of spread is it?” From a product-centric to a human-centric brand While traditional category names and communication tend to foreground the product, its features and its ingredients, the new brand shifts the focus to the person. The brand tells the story not simply of the spread, but of the relationship between the spread and the person enjoying it. It communicates more than deliciousness: it expresses the emotion, desire and pleasure of taking a moment for yourself. This perspective creates room for an identity less bound by category conventions, able to connect with a contemporary audience through direct, distinctive and emotionally engaging language. The positioning: pleasure without justification At the heart of the strategy lies a simple, relatable belief: “This spread gives me pleasure, and I’m not ashamed to want it.” The brand offers more than a spread: it offers a small moment of pleasure to enjoy and openly embrace, without guilt or the need to justify desire through rational arguments, such as the product’s nut content. Quality and natural ingredients remain important, but they are not the focus of the story. The true point of distinction lies in the emotional experience, the freedom to desire, and the satisfaction the product delivers. The brand thus claims a territory rooted in pure indulgence, understood as more than a taste for sweet treats: a spontaneous, conscious expression of pleasure. The intended result is a brand with an independent, contemporary and memorable personality, able to stand out in the spreads market and build a relationship with its audience that goes beyond the product, turning an everyday gesture into a personal moment of gratification.