Cereal Docks acquires a majority stake in Pasini Riso and strengthens its position in the gluten-free sector
The growth and diversification strategy of the Camisano Vicentino-based group, with a turnover of €1.4 billion and a leading position in the primary processing of oilseeds and cereals, continues
Cereal Docks, a leading Italian industrial group specialising in the primary processing of oilseeds and cereals, has announced the signing of an agreement to acquire 75% of Pasini Riso e Derivati (Prd), a company based in Castel d’Ario (Mantua), owned by the Pasini family and specialising in the production of rice- and oat-based ingredients for the food industry.
With this move, the Camisano Vicentino-based group is continuing its acquisition strategy in line with its 2026–2028 business plan and is strengthening its position in the ingredients sector plant-based sector and in particular in the gluten-free segment. Completion of the transaction is subject to prior approval by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, as it falls within the scope of the so-called “Golden Power” legislation.
The acquisition of Prd forms part of the first phase of the group’s external growth strategy; last year, the group achieved a turnover of 1.4 billion, 20% of which came from exports. Following the acquisition of Molino Favero in 2023, a company specialising in the production of gluten-free flours, mixes and ingredients, Cereal Docks has in fact accelerated its consolidation in the ingredients segment, progressively strengthening its presence across Europe.
In recent months, complementary businesses such as Prista Commerce, based in Bulgaria and specialising in sunflower seed processing, and Quality Corn Group, which operates in the corn-based ingredients sector with industrial plants in Spain and France, have joined the group. Last March, a joint venture was announced between one of the group’s companies, Aethera Biotech, and the French multinational Robertet, a world leader in natural raw materials for perfumes, flavours and active ingredients, with the aim of strengthening its presence in the plant biotechnology sector applied to cosmetics and nutraceuticals.
The acquisition of Prd (€30 million in turnover in 2025 with 23 employees) now enables the group to expand its scope beyond the commodities it has traditionally handled – such as soya, sunflower, maize and rapeseed – with 5 storage centres in Italia, Spain, Romania and Bulgaria – integrating distinctive expertise in the production of rice- and oat-based ingredients intended primarily for the gluten-free and plant-based drinks sectors, markets undergoing rapid evolution driven by new consumer demands. The transaction holds significant strategic value for the industrial know-how developed by Prd, in a context where, at a national level, such expertise remains limited.
