Adriana Coppola, Owner, Alta Cucina Italia : A Foodpreneur Interview

Alta Cucia Italia Balsamic Vinegars

Adding vinegar to savory foods is not unusual but adding vinegar to sweet foods including ice cream was a new culinary adventure for me! I enjoyed Alta Cucina Italia balamic vinegars several years before I had the pleasure of meeting its founder Adriana Coppola.

This spring, at Flavor of Georgia, I finally saw the charming woman who created the lemon balsamic vinegar and fig balsamic vinegar that I have indeed used to topped dishes of ice cream (among other uses).

I found Adriana’s love of making the food reminisce of her childhood, in small town near Naples – Sorrento Italy, immediately evident. Her smile was a ray of sunshine. When she insisted that I taste the products that she proudly displaced, I felt as though I was a guest at her table.

It is with deep pleasure that I introduce you to Adriana Coppola and her story of Alta Cucina Italia which not surprisingly has it roots in family memories – both past and present. Enjoy!

About Adriana Coppola By Adriana Coppola – Adriana Coppola, is first at all a mom of two wonderful kids, now not kids anymore! My son is 20 and a senior in college and my daughter 18 and a freshman in college. I came to the U.S. 8 years ago looking for more opportunities and a better future for them. I am the smallest of 4 children from an Italian family of traditions.

Adriana Coppola, founder Alta Cucina Italia

Diva Foodies: How does your product reflect your passion for food?

Adriana Coppola, Alta Cucina Italia: In the taste and quality of all the products I offer I remember when I saw my mom or any of my family cooking, when I was a kid, and then when I grew-up and started cooking with them.

I enjoyed the pleasure of good food, of delightful flavors and aromas and all the passion they put into each dish while cooking them. Now by using the same recipes, it seems as time has stopped.

That is why I cook my products they way I do… it makes my memories flourish. I would love to give people these incredible feelings that I felt when tasting my mom’s and family food. I make my products from scratch everyday with fresh produce that is in season.

Diva Foodies:  People start businesses for many different motives but we’ve found that foodpreneurs often have their own special reasons. Why did you launch Alta Cucina Italia?

Adriana Coppola , Alta Cucina Italia: When I arrived in the U.S. from my home in Italy, I was excited to see different dishes and started experimenting with new ingredients, new ways of cooking, new recipes. Of course flavors and aromas in my kitchen started changing.

However, within months my two children started feeling homesick and told me how much they missed Italy. But most of all they missed its food. I felt terrible to not have been able to make their transition into another culture and language easier for them. So I started making again our traditional dishes.

When they invited friends or neighbors to our home, everyone loved my foods so much and always told me that I should sell them… and then suddenly A&A was born!

Alta Cucina Italia

Diva Foodies: As you well know, competition for food products is intense , what makes your products extra, extra special?

Adriana Coppola, Alta Cucina Italia: It is their authentic and outstanding natural flavor, which comes when you make them from scratch with traditional, authentic recipes and using the highest quality ingredients.

Diva Foodies: What one tip would you give to a person who wants to enter the world of foodpreneurship? Why is this tip important to you?

Adriana Coppola, Alta Cucina Italia:

To keep true to their original recipe and original ingredients.

I have met people that due to the increase of their costs or by trying to keep up with their competition prices, they start switching a bit their recipes or changing the quality of their ingredients, or start cooking them faster so they can diminish timing and with that cost..etc. What happens is they finish with a completely different flavor, losing their original authenticity and their uniqueness.

Diva Foodies: And a most important question – where can people buy Alta Cucina Italia products?

Alta Cucina Italia

Adriana Coppola, Alta Cucina Italia: Through our website; selected stores (they are listed in our website). I’m working now in a monthly club, so you can subscribe and receive monthly different products with suggestions on how to use them and recipes, I am so excited about it and looking forward for this program to start.

Connect with Alta Cucina Italia

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

 

Author: Toby Bloomberg

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1 Comment

  1. What a fabulous story! Being 50% Italian, I love what she says about “keeping true to the original recipe”!I am definitely going to check out her website. I doubt that she ships to Canada so I may have to come and visit, Toby!

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