Volcanic Produce

We are specialists in organically grown, mineral rich foods and beverages.

We source food and wine from the Mediterranean island of Sicily, especially that grow in the foothills of the active volcano of Mount Etna.

Mount Etna replenishes the soil, regularly scattering mineral rich magma and ash across the landscape. This contributes to the unique black volcanic soils in which our produce is grown.

We develop close relationships with our suppliers to source exceptional quality products that enrich your life.

And we are proud to deliver it to you.

Demographic studies of Mediterranean regions reveal that a greater number of centenarians, or persons of more than 100 years old, currently live there.

It is believed that Mediterranean people live longer, happier and healthier lives, largely due to their diet.

However, following the diet is only one contributor to Mediterranean long living. The key to a longer, healthier life from the Mediterranean diet comes from the mineral rich volcanic soils in which the food is grown.

We source food and wine from the Mediterranean island of Sicily, especially that grown in the foothills of the active volcano of Mount Etna.

Research has shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet boasts a number of positive health benefits, including

Reduced risk of heart disease
Reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality & overall mortality
Reduced incidence of cancer, Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s disease
Lower levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) - "bad" cholesterol that is likely to build up in the arteries

The secret of a healthy life

Mediterranean cuisine is centred on eating plant based foods. Luscious fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and pulses are at the heart of the diet. Healthy fats, especially extra virgin olive oil dominate their cooking, leaving little room for butter, margarine or trans fats. Abundant use of fresh herbs and spices enhance flavour, limiting the need for salt and eliminating MSG & chemical additives. A huge variety of fresh seafood, organic poultry & small amounts of red meats support this diet.

For centuries, the Mediterranean diet has epitomised healthy eating.

The Mediterranean diet is full of foods containing high concentrations of compounds called polyphenols. Polyphenols are micronutrients that have antioxidant and, in some cases, anti-inflammatory properties. These properties help them absorb oxygen free radicals, which can cause degenerative diseases that are major killers in Western society, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. In addition to protecting you from diseases, polyphenols also help protect your skin from ultraviolet radiation, reduce brain degeneration and reduce the signs of aging.

Polyphenols & the Mediterranean diet

So where are these polyphenols found? To name a few sources

Fruits – blueberries, plums and strawberries
Vegetables – artichokes, red onion, spinach and broccoli
Spices – oregano, cloves and basil
Oils – especially extra virgin olive oil
Beverages – red wine, coffee and tea

Diets rich in polyphenols include fruits, vegetables, spices & olive oil.

Each of these foods form part of the Mediterranean diet and those living in these regions eat them every day. This explains why many following the Mediterranean diet live for a hundred years or more and the incidence of diseases in this region is significantly reduced. The higher concentration of polyphenols in their foods keeps them healthier for longer.

However, following this type of diet does not necessarily mean you gain all the benefits. Not all food gives you the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. What is missing?

Growing produce in nutrient rich soils

It seems that if your food is not grown in Mediterranean soils it doesn’t contain all the benefits. When you ask visitors to these lands the highlights of their visit, top of their list is the food - "...delicious, full of flavour, unforgettable, couldn’t resist having seconds, wish I could eat it everyday..."

The soils of the Mediterranean are young, fertile & rich in minerals.

Why is this? The soils of the Mediterranean are young, full of minerals being replenished from the active volcanoes. This was and still is a highly volcanic region. The island of Sicily in Italy is ringed by volcanoes, the stuff of legends that still rumble and smoke today.

Magnificent Mt Etna, with a height of 3300m, is the largest, most active volcano in the whole of Europe and it is constantly venting. Each day the volcano smoulders and spews out volcanic ash which fertilises living things all over the Mediterranean. Ash from an erupting Mt Etna has been found far away in the distant lands of north Africa, more than 1500km away.

The new paradigm

It smoulders, churning out a cocktail of fresh minerals from deep within the Earth, this enriches the already fertile hills and valleys of the region. History shows civilisations all around the world thrive in areas of volcanic activity, cultivating the rich soils on the slopes of volcanoes, enjoying plentiful harvests and seeing their animals grow strong and healthy. Discover this by exploring the history of civilisations in such diverse places as Sicily, Machu Picchu in Peru, parts of North America, Indonesia and Japan.

Civilisations throughout history have thrived in nutrient rich volcanic soils.

This is the new paradigm, a new way of thinking of the Mediterranean diet. Experts in nutrition agree, produce grown in rich volcanic soils, that do not need artificial fertilizers are more nutritious and delicious.

For a healthier and more enjoyable diet, choose Mediterranean foods and beverages and ensure they’re grown in volcanic soils.

Crops, forests, orchards, and animals grazing or browsing on the volcano’s slopes or surrounding lowland can be leveled or buried by a volcanic eruption. But that is the short-term effect.

In the long run, volcanic deposits can develop into some of the richest agricultural lands on earth.

Contact Us

My name is Pasquale (Frank) Ferrara, welcome to my island home of Sicily.

My birth place island is the most splendorous place in the world, with uncontested wonder in archealogical monuments, magnificent views and a culture found nowhere else on Earth.

Sicily is rich with natural beauty. The volcanic forces that shaped the island have also enriched the landscape. The soils are young and fertile, replenished regularly by active volcanoes, including Mt. Etna, the most active volcano in all of Europe.

The unity of this unique, mineral-rich environment and the skilled, caring hands that put it to work produce a special result.

I am deeply passionate about Sicilian food and wine and believe that the diet and lifestyle of my homeland is the key to a long, healthy and prosperous life.

Let me share my connection to Sicily with you.

Frank Ferrara
Founder, Volcanic Produce