Some flavors cannot be manufactured — they have to be grown. At Borgo Tressanti, in the heart of Puglia’s Tavoliere plain, Spirito Contadino has been cultivating rare local vegetables for generations, cryogenically freezing them within hours of harvest and delivering them — through LAPA — to professional kitchens across Switzerland.
A farming tradition rooted in Puglia
Based in Cerignola (Foggia), Spirito Contadino is a family-run operation that has never strayed from its founding principle: "patience and wholesome products of the earth". The company cultivates indigenous Apulian vegetable varieties, many of which had nearly disappeared from commercial agriculture, following the natural rhythms of the season.
Every step — from sowing to packaging — remains under direct family control. No outsourcing, no gaps in the quality chain. Full traceability you can put on your menu.
Cryogenic freezing: quality you can verify
Vegetables are cryogenically frozen immediately after harvest. This technology locks water molecules at a microscopic scale, preserving cell structure, color, aroma and nutrients — measurably better than conventional freezing.
- No preservatives, no additives
- Up to 40% less food waste compared to fresh
- Stable costs year-round, no seasonal price swings
- IFS Food Certified — internationally recognized food safety standard
- Portioned formats designed for professional kitchens
Two product lines
Natural
Pure frozen vegetables, ready for your creative interpretation.
- Turnip tops (Cime di rapa)
- Wild broccoli (Friarielli di campo)
- Wild field chicory
- Zucchini blossoms
- Cardoncello mushrooms
- Artichoke wedges and hearts
- Borage, wild mustard
- Sweet Apulian olives
Wheat flour coated
Vegetables in a light, crispy flour crust — fry or bake, ready in minutes for premium starters and finger food.
- Zucchini blossoms in crust
- Sage in crust
- Baby artichokes in crust
- Turnip tops and sausage in crust
- Doratelle (flour fritters)
- Vegetable trio in crust
- Zucchini and shrimp fritters (Murgiamare)
- Panciotte, traditional pettole
LAPA’s selection from Spirito Contadino
The Apulian vegetables we stock regularly for Swiss foodservice operators
| Product | Pack size |
|---|---|
| Turnip Tops (Cime di Rapa) | 2 kg (box 8 kg) |
| Wild Broccoli (Friarielli di Campo) | 1 kg (box 4 kg) |
| Wild Field Chicory | 1.25 kg (box 5 kg) |
| Cardoncello Mushrooms | on request |
| Zucchini Blossoms (natural) | 1 kg |
| Zucchini Blossoms in Crust | on request |
| Sage in Crust | on request |
| Turnip Tops and Sausage in Crust | on request |
| Baby Artichokes in Crust | on request |
| Doratelle (Flour Fritters) | on request |
| Vegetable Trio in Crust | on request |
| Zucchini-Shrimp Fritters (Murgiamare) | on request |
| Artichoke Wedges | on request |
Why LAPA chose Spirito Contadino
Swiss foodservice professionals demand consistency — in quality, delivery, and sourcing transparency. Spirito Contadino delivers on all three: family ownership, IFS certification, and complete vertical integration from field to freezer.
For your kitchen, this means authentic Apulian specialty vegetables on your menu — bitter and aromatic turnip tops, wild broccoli, fragrant zucchini blossoms — with the reliability of frozen logistics and the assurance of IFS food safety standards.
Authentic Apulian vegetables, grown and processed by the same family in Borgo Tressanti. Cryogenically frozen, IFS certified, no preservatives.
Supplier contact and location
Borgo Tressanti (FG) 71040
ex S.S. 544 Trinitapoli/FG n. 57/C
Tel: +39 0885 418626
[email protected]
"Chef di Spirito" Programme
Selected chefs who share Spirito Contadino’s philosophy and feature their vegetables in signature dishes
Ready to add Spirito Contadino to your menu?
Our team is here to help you build the right selection. With over 2,000 products in our catalogue, LAPA is your single source for quality Italian and European specialties in Switzerland.
Tel: +41 76 361 70 21
Browse the LAPA catalogue