I'm not doubting the quality of the tomatoes. I'm questioning the price. 35 oz is cheaper than 28 oz certified? Why pay more for less when it's the same product in the can? My math is fine.
Your math may be fine, but your facts aren't. It’s not necessarily the same. They only claim that Cento makes with the “Italian” product (35oz can) is that it is a “Product of Italy.” To the best of my knowledge, their “certified” product is only claimed to be certified San Marzano tomatoes. Nothing more. The “Italian” product may or may not be San Marzano tomato. They don’t say either way.
Perhaps some education is in order. San Marzano is a variety of plum tomato. It can be grown from the volcanic soils of Mt. Vesuvius to the clay soil of my yard here on the coastal plains of Texas. The quality may vary by growing area, but the variety does not. If you start with San Marzano seed, you get San Marzano tomatoes. It doesn’t matter where you grow them; it’s still a San Marzano tomato. D.O.P. certification imposes additional requirements beyond the variety grown – such as the growing region.
Contrast San Marzano tomatoes to Bordeaux wine or Vidalia onions. They are very different. Bordeaux is not a grape variety and Vidalia is not an onion variety. They are the names of the growing region, and in either case, more than one variety can be used. To have the name Bordeaux or Vidalia, the grapes or onions must be grown in the officially defined regions. This is not the case with San Marzano Tomatoes; the growing region only matters is when it comes to D.O.P. certification.
The label is taking advantage of people who think are DOP. DOP San Marzano are suppose to be genetically San Marzano tomatoes. Not Roma tomatoes that may have been cross bred with real SM tomatoes. Real SM tomatoes are soft and broken in the can because genetically they're weaker. That's why they're rare and cost more. Plus, they taste sweeter.
Yes, and this is what Cento has paid to have certified – that they are in fact San Marzano variety tomatoes, and this is all that they are claiming on their labels. You are confusing elements that are not necessarily related. While D.O.P. San Marzano tomatoes must be genetically San Marzano tomatoes as you write, D.O.P. signifies more than simply the variety – such as the precise growing region, how they are to be grown, and the size, shape, and color when (hand) harvested. Cento isn’t making a claim on any of this with their “Certified” product. There is no reason why they can’t market genetically pure San Marzano tomatoes that don’t meet the other D.O.P. requirements and call them “certified" San Marzano but not calling them D.O.P.
As for being sweeter, that far from being a given.
It's taking advantage of the consumer. Just like Capatriti olive oil. They're getting sued by the National Olive Oil Association for "mislabeling". Basically, they were putting any type of edible oil in their cans and bottles and labeling it olive oil. It wasn't. Don't think these big companies are all sincere to their word. Looking at the banks giving out bonuses after getting bailout money. Different industry, still scammers.
No. It’s not, and your olive oil example couldn’t possibly be more apples and oranges. What Cento is doing is not dishonest and illegal as in the case of the olive oil you described. You might think it is misleading, but it is perfectly accurate and legal. At some point, the consumer has to be responsible for educating himself. There are plenty of label requirements to protect against outright fraud as you described in your olive oil example. How many people in the US have ever heard of a D.O.P. San Marzano tomato? Not very many. And, of those that have, how many don’t know to look for D.O.P. on the label? When you get down to it, there is nobody to fool. How do you take advantage of the customer when there are no customers you can take advantage of???
If you’re really worried about companies taking advantage of the customer, why don’t you go after the those selling true D.O.P. San Marzano tomatoes that they know are inferior under the D.O.P. label just so that they can charge more money for them? Now that is intentionally misleading and taking advantage of the customer. As far as I’m concerned, they are the scammers. You should be applauding Cento for offering high quality alternatives at better prices. The “Certified” are about $1 less expensive than the D.O.P. items I have available to me, and the value of the “Italian” 35oz product simply can’t be beat.
