Values, passion and product quality are the key factors of NeroGiardini strategy.

During the LUISS BS Executive MBA, Enrico Bracalente,  a successful entrepreneur that launched the brand NeroGiardini, talked about his personal and professional history and explained the success of his brand: NeroGiardini. With a turnover that reaches more than 204 million Euro and with over 3,5 million pairs of shoes produced per year, NeroGiardini is today one of the excellence of the made-in-Italy.

Enrico Bracalente does not forget his roots and the small firm where he has started from: “In the beginning, we have started an artisan business in the underground of a church, there were no other places available to run our business”.

The firm grew fast and the idea to be independent from suppliers and to create a shoes collection made of original and high-quality products become a reality.

The turning point was in the ’90s, when the globalisation offered the chance to offshoring abroad in countries with competitive production costs. “At the end of the ‘90s, when all the world praised the offshoring, I firmly said that I wanted to undertake the opposite path”, says Bracalente.

The entrepreneur, proud and satisfied of his choice, explains that the reason that guided this decision was the attention to the human capital. “We have chosen to not relocate, because the experience, the quality and the profitably of our employers was incomparable. The real force and the richness lie in people who work and collaborate with us”.

As the NeroGiardini strategy showed, it is possible to be competitive producing in the Italian country and, above all, it is possible to make the made-in-Italy production a distinctive brand which guarantees quality and reliability: “We buy raw material exclusively from Italian suppliers. We succeeded in communicating our vision and NeroGiardini is today immediately identified as a made-in-Italy brand.

The attention to the consumers and to their needs both in the price and in the quality of the products, in addition to the Italian production and the high qualified employees, are at the base of the company success. “To satisfy our average consumer needs, we produce affordable and quality products”.

Last but not least, the communication. At the end of the ‘90s, Bracalente paid more and more attention to marketing and communication activities. After many years the entrepreneur explains how this was the winning choice that has contributed to the brand awareness. “Nowadays, in Italy the real crisis is represented by the “brand lack. Adapting your business to ever-changing needs investing in communication has been a forward-looking decision. I believe that communication activities represent a great investment and not a cost for companies”.

With regard to the near future challenges, Bracelente strategy is clear: “The crisis must not be suffered, the crisis must be faced. Now, we are willing to internationalise the company, a goal that after becoming leader in Italy’s market is now achievable. To make this step in the opposite way would have meant starting to build a house from the roof instead of the ground”.