Following on from its takeover of gorgonzola producer Mario Costa, Italian agri-food group Granarolo has now acquired 100% of Calabro Cheese Corp.
Based in the US state of Connecticut, Calabro Cheese produces and markets fresh dairy products, particularly ricotta, mozzarella and burrata.
It has a modern production facility and a distribution platform that serves the New York, New England, New Jersey areas, as well as the southern and western United States.
Calabro is recognised as one of the top fresh cheese producers in the US, having ranked four of its products in the top positions of the American Cheese Society.
Last year, the company reported consolidated revenues of around US$ 25 million, in line with previous years, despite the effects of COVID-19.
Building A Strategic Platform
The acquisition of Calabro will also allow Granarolo to build a strategic platform to distribute a wide range of typical and DOP products from Italy, enhancing the value of an Italian raw material, in light of the stagnant domestic market.
The consolidation of the company in the United States that, according to President Gianpiero Calzolari, “will be the target market by 2022”, aims to replicate the positive performance achieved in other markets.
These include France, where Granarolo has grown significantly, reaching a volume share of 18.5% of the total Italian diary.
Granarolo’s foreign sales accounted for 33% of the company's total turnover, a percentage that is increasing year by year.
Its 2021-2025 Strategic Plan includes continuing the acquisition hunt with a focus on dairy producers in strategic markets.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
