Franco Costa and his brother run Costa Group, the firm that over 30 years ago brought innovation to the Italian bread shop format. They have never looked back, devising various new concepts and innovative solutions. So we asked him how he sees the present and future of this most ancient of shops, one that has risen to the challenges set by today’s new consumers.
Bread baking, pastry making, coffee brewing: how have mixer formats influenced the layout of your shops?
A great deal, perhaps too much and not always in the best of ways. Many have gone a bit over the top, as often happens. Some, for example, have gone too far with their crossovers, and failed to keep sight of why the shop and what it sells was recognised for its quality. I believe focusing attention on the product, which is the real star of the show, is of paramount importance.
How does Costa view tomorrow’s bakeries?
The bread shop of the future will highlight the value of product and producer alike. A baker who devotes his entire life to his product and to ensuring its quality is cleverer than an artist, so at least deserves all the honours bestowed on artists. For that reason, I hope that the big, quality bakeries really do focus on their product and do everything possible to enhance it. All the rest is a sideshow, sometimes a very eye-catching one, but harmony and philosophy must override everything else.
What are the trends in Italy and abroad?
In Italy we do sometimes see a bit of confusion. We find bread shops that serve coffee, and pastry shops that sell pizza… it’s all rather chaotic, with a few notable (but rare) exceptions. Absurdly, it’s outside Italy that we see a focus on Italy’s past, on Italian history, and on the skills and know-how needed to create harmonious transformations. So there are trendy coffee houses which, after careful and quite determined historical studies, are actually highlighting all that is good about Italy.
Are the new concepts geared towards genuineness and sustainability or are they more about technology and creating experiences?
The concepts in this historical context should be about ensuring wholesomeness and saving energy through technology and experience. But, alas, that is not always the case. The positive concept of sustainability is all too often just used as an excuse to boost business, with little thought about the future. I don’t personally think enough is done nowadays with regard to ensuring naturalness, sustainability and energy saving. Even less is being done in the field of technological research and the experience aspect often gets overlooked.
Are there any virtuous examples?
Yes, fortunately there are many who rise to the challenges posed by the market and successfully tackle the problems. One is Eataly, which we have been following for ten years; others include Barilla, Lindt, Rosso Pomodoro along with hundreds of others in Italy and around the world.
In the picture, a concept by Costa Group.