Agugiaro & Figna, 20 million to expand production of premium blends

Twenty million euros: this is the sum allocated by Agugiaro & Figna Molini to upgrade the Collecchio plant, with a new building housing a facility dedicated to the production and packaging of premium semi-finished products and special blends for the professional sector, as well as an automated warehouse.

This represents a significant investment, not only in economic terms but also strategically, as it enables the group to quadruple its production capacity in a high value-added sector that involves around 90 per cent of Italia’s artisan bakers. Overall, the Italian market for ingredients and semi-finished products for bread, pizza and pastries handles around 250,000 tonnes of products, according to figures from the trade association Aibi, with exports exceeding 70,000 tonnes.
The premix segment, in particular, is one that is steadily expanding (this year’s growth is estimated at 3 per cent more than in 2024) and has so far been the preserve of operators specialising in blending flours purchased on the market. However, Agugiaro & Figna Molini takes a different approach, based on direct control over the flour.

“We have decided to enter this market because we know we can count on a significant advantage: our expertise and direct control over the entire supply chain, from wheat selection and milling right through to the final formulation of the blends,” explains Riccardo Agugiaro, managing director of Agugiaro & Figna Molini, one of the leading international players in soft wheat flours for professional use and a major supplier to European food brands, with a turnover of 155 million euros in 2025 and over 200 products in its catalogue -“For the professionals who have been working with us for years, this is the natural evolution of a relationship built on trust. For those who are not yet familiar with us in this regard, it is an invitation to discover what changes when you truly start with an excellent raw material.”

The importance of the project is further underlined by the company’s decision to launch the new Faridea brand, entirely dedicated to mixes and technical ingredients for bakery professionals, through which it aims to establish a presence in a growing market, driven by the need to offer a wide range of high-quality products, to guarantee consistent product standards and to optimise processes, reducing the use of additives and improvers whilst achieving maximum production efficiency.

Faridea offers a range comprising over 30 products, including speciality mixes and technical ingredients, each providing a solution for bakeries, patisseries, laboratories, the catering sector and the hospitality industry, operating not only in Italy but also in the 96 countries where the group is present and where it generates approximately 23 per cent of its revenue. The functional selection of flour allows each ingredient in the mix to fulfil its role naturally, enabling the company to offer formulations with shorter labels and comprehensible, transparent lists of ingredients, in line with the demand for healthier foods produced with essential ingredients of certified quality. Careful attention is also paid to the packaging, which is made from FSC-certified paper and features the innovative Qwarzo® coating, free from plastic and intentionally added PFAS.