BF Group continues to strengthen its presence in the Italian food supply chain in order to promote Italian wheat and industrial processing in the country. A strategic acquisition was announced just a few days ago, which is set to boost the production of the grain hub of BF S.p.A. A contract was signed on 14 July to purchase the entire share capital of BIA S.p.A., an Italian company specialising in the production of couscous from the Italian supply chain. The agreement with Alto Partner SGR S.p.A. (which owns 95% of BIA’s capital) and with GESCAD S.p.A. (which owns 5% of BIA’s capital) entails a payment of €20.5 million, to be made by BF S.p.A. itself.
Bia is a major player in the European market and a world-leading producer of organic couscous; in 2021 it generated a turnover in excess of €33 million. This trend has been ongoing ever since couscous stepped out of the ethnic food niche, thus addressing the needs of consumers who have come to appreciate its organoleptic properties. In fact, it is a healthy and highly digestible food product, rich in fibre, which is increasingly being included in diets due to the fact that it is cholesterol free.
‘This transaction‘ – explains Mr Federico Vecchioni, CEO of BF – ‘is part of a more comprehensive project aimed at expanding a grain hub by merging the companies Ghigi 1870 S.p.A., Milling Hub S.p.A. and Pasta Fabianelli S.p.A., which are already part of the BF Group, as well as BIA, so as to create synergies and, together with BF, be able to control the entire Italian wheat supply chain.’