A merger between the Casalasco Rivarolo del Re (CR) consortium with ARP (Piacento United Farmers) has created the largest Italian and third-biggest European tomato group.
The two shareholders' meetings have given the go-ahead for the creation of a group that will, in terms of production capacity, become the 15th largest in the world, just behind the main sauce producers from the USA, China and Spain.
According to farmers' association Coldiretti Lombardy, the business plan foresees the achievement of significant operational synergies, particularly in the coordination of general services, logistics and commercial organisation, with resulting benefits in terms of profitability and a greater flexibility to meet customer needs quickly.
In addition, the expansion of the product portfolio and the development of new sales channels will ensure a stronger presence in international markets, enhancing the distribution of both own-brand products (Pomi) and private-label brands.
The CR consortium is present in Germany, the UAE, Russia and the USA with its Pomi products, and is also active in the private-label segment, with products distributed under the brand names of other retail chains. It produces 550,000 tonnes of tomatoes on 7,000 hectares, with 370 agricultural enterprises, 1,300 workers, 50 production lines and a turnover of €270 million.
For its part, ARP is a cooperative that has been active for more than half a century in cultivating, processing and distributing tomatoes in the Italian province of Piacenza.
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
