• Care for healthy food has become, worldwide, an increasingly well-defined trend, bringing changes in approach in the confectionery-chocolate segment as well. Currently, both the taste and the aesthetics of the products are important, but these qualities must be organically combined with the concern for offering the healthiest sweets. It is a trend that Romanian confectioners understand and want to apply more and more responsibly, noted pastry chef Riccardo Magni.
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With over 20 years of activity in the confectionery - chocolate sector, the Italian specialist supports professional training courses in many countries of the world, including Romania. He gave an exclusive interview to the "Arta Albă" newspaper in which he talks about trends in the field.
1. How many years have you been supporting specialization courses in Romania?
I already consider myself a veteran in Romania, because I have been coming here for six years; I could say quite a long time.
2. What was your first impression of Romania and how do you see it today?
Comparing my first experience, six years ago, with the one now, I noticed a major evolution, a strong impulse in terms of taste innovation. Thus, in the field of confectionery there is a great desire to discover new products and to follow a path of professional development. I have noticed a very big change in these six years.
3. Can you tell us a little about the evolution of confectionery and chocolate products globally?
At the global level, in these years there has definitely been an important evolution, much faster than in the past years. We focused more and more on the study of the quality of confectionery and chocolate products, combined at the same time with the aesthetic aspect of the final products, more and more carefully and more and more deeply studied.
4. How do you perceive the Romanian confectionery market?
In recent years, I have noticed a transformation of Romanian confectionery products from traditional products, made in a classic way and linked to the historical past, towards current products, of international inspiration, both in terms of raw materials, appearance aesthetic, as well as the working methods used. There was certainly an avant-garde development.
5. Support professional training courses for confectioners, chocolatiers in many countries of the world. How do you see Romanian professionals compared to those from other countries?
Romanian professionals are very keen to specialize. I see in the category of my fellow confectioners here a great desire to learn new things, to specialize, to know new working methods, new types of products that may not even belong to their cultural and professional tradition, but they feel that, at the level international, there are changes and this gives them the desire to learn and specialize professionally.
6. Regarding the raw material required for a quality product, is it found in Romania, is it known and used?
Yes, definitely yes. Maybe years ago it was harder to find certain raw materials. But today, in Romania, you can find absolutely everything. Both raw materials used internationally and very necessary for the production of confectionery products at current standards, as well as technologies.
7. In your opinion, what are the global market trends and how do you see the confectionery and chocolate product in the future?
Current trends, globally, are towards sweet, less sweet products. And to make myself better understood, towards those products that are perceived by consumers as healthier. Therefore, both factually and through the signal given at the time of tasting the product, it must be perceived as a product with less fat, lighter, more pleasant and with a reduced sugar content, thus increasing the probability of more consumption big. Of course, consumer evaluation standards in 2017 have changed from those of past years. From generation to generation, tastes evolve, today they are increasingly widespread and present in products types of fruit that were once limited or could only be found in certain parts of the world. For example, certain types of exotic fruits or even spices have become common today in Europe, in the world, and of course also in Romania.
Interview conducted by Redaccia Arta Albă.
