We are genuinely sustainable, with concrete methods and real actions

At our family-run farm in Carrù, in the province of Cuneo, every decision we make is guided by a sense of responsibility towards people, bees, the land, and water. We choose methods recognised under organic farming standards and production processes certified by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture (MASAF) to protect the ecosystem and its future.

20.000 kW

electricity generated each year by our photovoltaic system.

0%

glyphosate-based herbicides used in our fields.

55–60%

the hazelnut shell is a renewable fuel for us.

100%

of treatments approved for organic farming.

Sustainability Is a Choice, Not Just a Word.

At Scoiattolo Rosso, we try to prove this every day through choices that cost more, take more time, and often have easier alternatives. But Carrù is the land where we grew up and where our children still play today.

The way we care for and cultivate our fields affects us before it affects our customers. That gives us a powerful reason to do things properly—and to keep track of every step.

No More Herbicides or Glyphosate

To care for our hazelnut trees and soil, we have eliminated glyphosate-based herbicides—substances that scientific research has identified as highly concerning for both ecosystems and human health.

Glyphosate is a “non-selective systemic” herbicide: it is absorbed by plants and transported throughout their tissues. Its residues may reach the crops we eat. Its impact does not end there: it can enter the water cycle, disperse through the air, and remain in the environment, with long-term effects that are difficult to quantify.

Studies by toxicologist Christopher Portier, former director of the US National Toxicology Program, have raised concerns about its toxicity in rodents. The IARC classifies glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans. You will not find it in our fields.

Biological pest control instead of insecticides

Insecticides have a major environmental impact for one very simple reason: they do not discriminate. The life stages of invasive pests—such as the brown marmorated stink bug, which arrived from Asia and is now widespread in our area—often overlap with the presence of beneficial insects such as ladybirds and bees. Insecticides do not target selectively; they eliminate everything.

In addition to the immediate ecological damage, insecticides also leave residues behind: traces that remain on fruit, in the soil, and in water. “Low impact” does not mean “zero impact,” and their cumulative effects over time are far from insignificant.

Our response is biological pest control using beneficial insects. We monitor pests, track their numbers and life stages, and intervene only when strictly necessary, using targeted methods and insects that naturally control harmful species. The treatments we use are based on copper and sulphur and are approved for organic farming.

Certified Manure Fertilisers, Free from Microplastics

The quality of an agricultural product begins with the soil. That is why we fertilise our land exclusively with certified manure-based fertilisers that meet recognised quality standards. They are more expensive than other alternatives, but they are effective and sustainable over time.

This is a technical choice as much as an ethical one. Cheaper fertilisers on the market are often made from waste materials, such as sewage and wastewater-treatment sludge, which may contain microplastics and other contaminants. These substances can accumulate in the soil and eventually reach the crops.

Zero Waste with “Stored Sunshine”

For heating, processing, and drying our Piedmont Hazelnuts PGI, we do not burn fossil fuels at Scoiattolo Rosso. Instead, we use a generator fuelled by the hazelnut shells themselves.

The shell accounts for around 55–60% of the fruit’s total weight. In a conventional industrial model, it would be treated as waste to dispose of, with the related costs and emissions. For us, however, it has become fuel.

It is a renewable energy source that our family calls “stored sunshine”: the solar energy absorbed by the fruit as it grows, returned to the production cycle instead of being wasted.

Energy Generated by Our Solar Panels

Scoiattolo Rosso’s photovoltaic system generates around 20,000 kWh of electricity every year—enough to cover the farm’s energy needs while reducing our dependence on the national grid and non-renewable sources.

This is our idea of a circular economy: generating heat with our “stored sunshine,” producing electricity through solar panels, and relying largely on what we grow. Giving back to nature what nature gives to us.

Packaging naturali o riciclabili

We package our Piedmont Hazelnuts PGI in natural jute-fibre bags—a biodegradable material that reflects our company’s philosophy and the authentic nature of the product inside.

For our spreads and Italian honey, we use glass jars that can be washed and reused as containers or for creative upcycling projects. Italy is also a European leader in glass recycling, with a rate of 80.3%—well above the European Union’s 75% target for 2030.

Biodiversity Is the Starting Point, Rather Than a Goal to Be Achieved.

Biodiversity—the variety of living organisms, in all their different forms and ecosystems—is something very real and present in our everyday lives. We see it in ladybirds doing their work, bees pollinating flowers, and hazelnut trees following their natural yearly cycle.

In 2015, we began beekeeping, committing ourselves to protecting a fragile ecosystem threatened by pollution, global warming, and intensive farming. Bees are also environmental sentinels: the health of an apiary reveals a great deal about the health of the surrounding land.

Everything we do in our fields—from eliminating glyphosate and using biological pest control to choosing fertilisers carefully and reusing hazelnut shells—serves this purpose too: preserving a balance built over decades, but which could be destroyed in a single season.

What Does It Mean to You?

Sustainability is about the environment—and about what ends up on your plate.

Here is the direct connection between the choices we make and the products available in the Scoiattolo Rosso online shop.

No Glyphosate in What You Eat

By eliminating herbicides, insecticides, and glyphosate from our fields, we prevent their residues from ending up in our products.

Short, Transparent Labels

We oversee every stage of our artisanal production. What you read on the label is exactly what is inside: no artificial additives or preservatives.

Truly Natural Products

Healthy, well-cared-for soil produces fruit with better sensory qualities, a richer aroma, and a more concentrated flavour.

SQNPI Certification

Through this certification, the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and authorised control bodies verify that we farm according to sustainable agricultural practices.

How We Work

We are down-to-earth. We value practicality and people of few words who keep their promises. Just like us.

Piedmont Hazelnuts PGI

We grow and process the “Tonda Gentile delle Langhe” hazelnut in accordance with the PGI production specification, approved by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture and verified by authorised control bodies. The trilobata variety is the result of the unique microclimate, soil, and farming expertise found only here.

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Natural Italian Honey

Thanks to our beehives, we produce three different varieties: acacia honey, wildflower honey, and chestnut honey. We protect beneficial insects, plants, and microorganisms so that biodiversity is the starting point, rather than a goal to be achieved.

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