Bresca Dorada, a friendship with Nature long more than thirty years

Surrounded by the uncontaminated Mediterranean flora of the territory of Sarrabus and protected by the strands of Costa Rey and by the slopes of the Monte Liuru, the firm of "golden honeycomb", that, in the 80s, from the transhumance of bees gleaned the first precious products registered as Bresca Dorada, tells to the readers of Sandalyon an enchanting business path rooted in the territory.


It is Paolo Melis, the partner who founded the company together with two other members, that describes the past and the present of a project that privileges biological and quality, nature and the business life immersed in the countryside of Muravera. Jams of oranges, lemons, prickly pears, quinces and mandarins, and spirits, myrtle liqueurs and aromatized salt are some of the products that, thanks to the skillful hands of fifteen or so members of Bresca Dorada, come to the houses of the whole Island and of the national territory up to catch the Japanese banks polished tastes.

Paolo, begin with the brand, Bresca Dorada. Who made the choice of such an evocative name?

The name Bresca Dorada was chosen casually after a series of proposals made for baptizing a new initiative that was born thanks to three young partners, about twenty years old, who found in the bee-keeping a passion and a way for living in the countryside in very close contact with Nature. Bresca Dorada was good and I do not remember who among us had pronounced that, but we liked it immediately and its meaning was perfect: in Sardinian language Bresca is the wax honeycomb that contains honey, exactly the golden nectar.


Since the middle of the 80s until now, the first bees of Bresca Dorada seem to be gone very far. What is the most beautiful memory of the origins of the firm?

We came in the countryside of Muravera chasing the dream of countryside, that in the middle of the 80s was very spread in some environments. We found our space in the Monte Liuru, 15 kilometers from Muravera, and as neighbors there were other young people come from Cagliari and from other places of the Island, too: like us, they decided to leave from the city for living in very close contact with Nature and its beauty.


What does it mean, namely living the firm in the territory where it was born?

We came in the countryside with the project of developing the activity of bee-keeping, and after having bought a field of about 1 hectare, we realized a small laboratory for the making of honey. We were able to manage beehives and we gathered a lot of honey with various floral specificities that we wrapped and sold independently all over the Sardinia. Since then, 30 years have spent and lots of things have changed: obviously, youth do not exist anymore, and in that field that, when we arrived, was an arid parcel, now lots of trees have grown, those that we planted during the first years. The building has grown physically and in addition to the production of honey there were other productions, such as spirits, jams, aromatized salt and many other delicious products. The company had to look for some helps and today we have the collaboration of about fifteen people who work permanently. We can say that despite the troubles, all in all we have a good situation and we carry on creating new projects for being always young.

We are in November, when the fruits of myrtle ripen. We imagine that the month of Christmas is very important for you…

In our activity the greater care is addressed to spirits and that of myrtle has the greater success in the market. At the beginnings of December, as every years, it starts the harvest of myrtle that we will use both for spirits and for other products. The days of harvest are particularly intense, because with myrtle gatherers and their loads arrive and they come from half Sardinia: it is very pleasant to meet after one year and to compare one another about lots of elements of our job. And obviously, the months around Christmas mark a bigger request of products: so, the commercial perspective is very important in this period of the year.


Spirits, myrtle liqueurs, honey, jams. What do customers of your production prefer mainly? Are there some requests abroad too?

Our products are sold mainly in Sardinia and in the Peninsula, even if in Europe, recently, good possibilities have been coming. Generally, requests come by word of mouth, without counting on no advertising. It is a small entity that knows that can increase up to a certain level, and we wish that many small firms can arise in Sardinia and create a link for protecting one another from lots of dangers that come from parts of market that want the gain as the only purpose.


What has to the force of the Sardinian companies be?

Sardinia has a basic tool: the territory. Thanks to the prosperity and to the love for own land, companies can count on quality and present themselves as rich and aware in front of markets. This guarantee reinforces each day our love for countryside and for the beauty of Sardinian Nature and makes us proud of the choice made thirty years ago.