ICAM, an Italian leading company for cocoa processing and the production of high quality chocolate closed 2018 with a 2% increase in turnover (from 154 to 156 million euros) and an increasingly decisive shift towards the organic sector business, of which it is world leader. The share of turnover generated by organic and Fairtrade cocoa last year was 60% of the total (+4% compared to 2017, considering that the organic market grew only by 2.7%), confirming the trend of increase from 2015 to date. ICAM is also progressively strengthening its position buying directly from farmers and processing its own high quality certified raw materials. About 23,000 tons of cocoa beans were purchased in 2018 (+10% over 2017), all part of the integrated supply chain model that ICAM has been using for years.
ICAM TURNOVER IN 2018
Exports are also growing, representing 58% of the global turnover generated by sales in 65 different countries at the end of 2018. In the turnover mix of 2018, products destined for industry, a segment in which ICAM operates as a qualified partner of important food companies, fell slightly in percentage terms (-3%), offset by increases in the Private Label products area (+2%) thanks to growth in branded products for the major Italian and foreign distribution chains, and in the own premium brand Vanini (+1%). At the same time, the company has expanded its profitability profile, as well as making its capital structure even more balanced and solid.
AGOSTONI AND VANINI BRANDS
In 2018, the Agostoni line was born. It represents ICAM’s excellence dedicated to professionals in the gourmet sector. In fact, under this brand consumers can find a range of premium products characterized by an exclusive selection of unique recipes. The Vanini brand, on the other hand, has enriched its consumer offering by launching the new Bio tablets, made entirely from organic single origin Uganda cocoa.
TRACEABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY AND TECHNOLOGY
“Year after year, we can see our corporate vision take concrete shape in the results of the financial statements. ICAM is increasingly representing excellence in chocolate thanks to a path made up of complete traceability, sustainability and technological investments,” said Angelo Agostoni, president of ICAM. “Chain traceability and sustainability allowed us to become a leader in the quality organic cocoa sector. Thanks to the long-term relationships we established with producers in areas of origin of cocoa such as the Dominican Republic, Peru and Uganda we have been able to obtain an excellent product. Moreover, we never stopped investing in technology. This now provides us with enhanced production capacity and a 4.0 cutting edge technology. This year we will make Makabio operational, a new company that we opened in Madagascar to better select and process high-quality organic cocoa in an excellent way” – Agostoni concluded.