In line with the company’s endeavour to promote its international growth process in the upcoming years, Granarolo is still in the midst of the strategic acquisitions phase and has accordingly decided to take over 50% of the Swedish company Matric Italgross AB, leader in the distribution of Italian brands, and 60% of Comarsa SA, an Italian Food distribution company in Switzerland, the fourth market for Italian exports of dairy products in Europe.
SWEDEN AND SWITZERLAND AS STRATEGIC EXPORT COUNTRIES – The acquisition of Matric Italgross, the second commercial platform of Italian food and wine products in Sweden that owns the brands Matric and Matilda recording a turnover of 20 million euro in 2015, will allow Granarolo to develop synergies in the market as well as encourage further development of its products. Already the market leader in terms of shares in Scandinavia, where it sells Italian fresh cheeses, the company is endeavouring to foster “core” products (cheeses in particular) through its three logistical platforms that provide coverage over the entire Swedish territory. Likewise, the acquisition of Comarsa SA, leader in the distribution of Italian food in Switzerland, covering an area of 2,500 square metres in the heart of canton Ticino and a recorded turnover of around 27 million euro, will enable Granarolo to enter the Swiss market initially with its own dairy products and hams.
WHAT DOES THE STRATEGIC PLAN 2016-2019 STIPULATE – “Since the beginning of this year,” says Chairman of Granarolo, Gianpiero Calzolari, “the company has concluded three new acquisitions that are part of the product diversification plan (this is where the acquisition of Con. Bio, specializing in vegetable food, can be inserted) and functional diversification of markets to accomplish the targets of the strategic plan 2016-2019 which should lead the group to a turnover of over 1,5 billion euro within three years. Particularly the two announced strategic European operations in Switzerland and Sweden are to develop the Granarolo brands in markets of ample opportunities, offering immediate synergies in terms of logistics management, given the geographical proximity of Switzerland and thanks to Granarolo’s already established fresh cheese presence in Scandinavia. We are aiming to exceed a turnover of 35% abroad in the next three years, to be gained through similar operations eventually leading Granarolo to become the reference group for Italian food products.”
