Aksia’s Fornaio del Casale strikes trio of food deals

Investor-backed Italian bakery shaper Fornaio del Casale has struck 3 add-on acquisitions for Castelfood, Figulì and Dolciaria Ponte Vecchio.

Financial presumption of the transactions were not disclosed.

In a statement, private-equity steadfast and Fornaio del Casale’s proprietor Aksìa said the acquisitions correspond the “first milestone successful a buy-and-build strategy aimed astatine creating a starring radical successful the premium saccharine and savoury snack market”.

Aksìa acquired a bulk involvement successful Fornaio del Casale from Riello Investimenti and the founding Gecchele household successful a transaction announced successful August.

Under that deal, Riello and the household reinvested and retained number stakes, and are present partnering with Aksìa connected the latest acquisitions.

The 3 recently acquired businesses were bought from their entrepreneurial owners and are each family-run companies, Aksìa told Just Food.

The founders of the acquired businesses – Gianni Rizzato of Castelfood, Filippo Albertini and Fabio Sartori of Figulì, and Andrea Puccioni of Dolciaria Ponte Vecchio – volition besides reinvest and enactment progressive operationally, according to the statement.

Fornaio del Casale and the 3 recently acquired businesses volition beryllium brought unneurotic nether a caller entity, Equipe Del Casale Group.

Aksìa said the combined concern volition “enable the instauration of a scalable and diversified concern platform”, with “significant opportunities for cross-selling and commercialized development”.

Fornaio del Casale, founded successful 1969 and based successful Casale sul Sile adjacent Treviso, produces nether the Gecchele and Antico Casale brands.

It volition enactment arsenic the concern and commercialized basal for the enlarged group, with the 3 acquisitions each adding a chiseled category.

Castelfood is progressive successful cereal-, rice- and vegetable-based snacks and has a “strong” planetary footprint.

Figulì specialises successful integrated and earthy baked goods, with a “strong positioning” successful health-focused and gluten-free products.

Dolciaria Ponte Vecchio focuses connected accepted baked goods, peculiarly cakes and doughnuts.

In effect to Just Food's request for much details, Aksìa said the 3 businesses chiefly proviso retail customers and besides nutrient private-label products.

Their main markets are Italy and the UK, with Italy the largest market.

Filippo Anichini, an Aksìa partner, said: “The radical is present embarking connected an integration and consolidation process aimed astatine afloat capturing the commercialized and accumulation synergies arising from the operation of the antithetic businesses.

“We mean to further heighten the spot of the Gecchele and Figulì brands, alongside the improvement of caller brands and an enlargement of our beingness successful people markets.”