Pasta maker Barilla is to invest €50 million in its Rubbiano plant in order to boost its pasta sauces production capacity, in a move which will make it the biggest such factory in Europe.
The Italian food company has seen sales of its sauces rise by 45% since 2012, when the Rubbiano (close to Parma) factory became operational. The growth that has occurred since then applies to all geographical areas.
‘In line with the company strategy “Good for You, Good for the Planet”, the expansion plan will be implemented with the aim of reducing environmental impact (including a drop of 7% CO2 emissions and 9% water consumption, and more than 95% waste recycled) and giving an important contribution to local communities, progressively employing up to about 60 people,’ the Italian company said on the investment, which will be fully realised in 2018.
‘The aim of the employment plan is to achieve a perfect gender balance with a 50% female workforce in 2020, fully in line with Barilla’s Diversity & Inclusion program. The effort on nutritional issues is equally remarkable: none of the Barilla sauces contains preservatives and their nutritional profile has been improved in the last three years, e.g. reducing salt by -23%.’
Barilla describes itself as ‘leading the sauce sector in Italy and in other European countries like France, Germany, Greece, Switzerland and Slovenia.’
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Peter Donnelly. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
