Gianpiero Calzolari, chairman of Granarolo
Granarolo acquires 60% of Allfood, primary importer and distributor of typical European products in Brazil. The transaction follows the acquisition of 60% of Yema, a company specialised in the production and marketing of a wide range of dairy products, which also took place in Brazil at the end of 2015. With the second quoted company, oriented to foodservice, and the first one, specialised in the supply of large-scale distribution, the Italian agro-industrial group consolidates its presence in the local market by integrating different potentialities. The transaction will allow Granarolo, through synergies between Yema and Allfood, to become a reference company in importing Italian and European food products in Brazil, able to cover all distribution channels and achieve scale economies.
The new partner of Granarolo, whose headquarters are in St. Paul, has a portfolio of over 200 products, of which 48% Italian (25% cheese and 75% salami and cold cuts), 33% own-brand.
The company can count on a 2,000 m² logistics centre. It also boasts a direct production thanks to an establishment of two production lines for salami and cold cuts and cheeses respectively.
Luciano Almendary, CEO of Allfood Importação. Industria e Comercio SA, commented: ‘The choice of this partnership on the one hand represents for Granarolo the opportunity of entering even more strongly the Brazilian market; on the other hand, it strengthens Allfood strategy to consolidate its leadership in the import of European food products in Brazil’.
The Italian group started recently the celebration for its 60 years, with a delegation of one thousand farmers, members and employees of the group, that met Pope Francis. This was only the first of a series of events to celebrate the 60 years. A story of brave pioneers, that starting from Emilia-Romagna were able to look over, to invest, to discover other knowledge until they became what they are today: the first agribusiness company with Italian capital and the largest milk Italian chain owned directly by the breeders members of the Granlatte cooperative, more than 1000 in 12 Italian regions, and 2,800 employees.
