Living la dolce vita all summer long

While lasagne, ragu and cacio e pepe are top choices over the colder months, for Italians, something lighter and fresher is more preferable during the summer. 

Revitalising your Italian offering for summer can help bring vibrant sauces and fresh ingredients back to the fore. Indeed, many Italians spend their vacations near the sea or the lakes, so the summer brings an increase in fish-based dishes such as pasta alle vongole, asparagus or grilled fish and seafood, often paired with white wine. 

But no Italian dish is complete without the classics, and your customers will be looking for summer flavours such as nutty basil pesto, juicy tomatoes, sweet balsamic vinegar, and light and creamy Mozzarella. Sourcing local seasonal veg grown in the UK such as courgettes, aubergines, tomatoes and rocket will also help customers add a local British twist to their favourite Italian dishes. Indeed, salads and fresh vegetables triumph on Italian summer tables.

Providing all the ingredients needed to create authentic wood-fired pizzas in their gardens will have home cooks flocking to your store to impress guests. For the more time-conscious, take a fresh look at your dried pastas and risottos as well as flavour-packed, stir-in sauces to ensure your shop offers something different to the multiples this summer.

Of course, the classic Italian drink is the Aperol spritz, so stock up on the spirit of summer and upsell the experience of suntrap pizzas under azure blue skies. For non-alcohol-drinking customers, get that spritz-feeling with premium adult softs and alcohol-free spirits.

The warmer months are a great time to fall in love with Italian cuisine, as simple, fresh and vibrant ingredients are at its core. Feel the warm embrace of pizza, pasta and risottos and get ready to live la dolce vita all summer long.