La Molisana makes its debut in the production of tinned tomatoes
The acquisition of a local canning company is in its final stages, with an investment of 27 million euros
Following a 15-year turnaround that saw the company rise from the brink of bankruptcy in 2011 to a turnover of €370 million in 2025, pasta manufacturer La Molisana is now preparing to enter the world of tinned tomatoes. According to Il Sole 24 Ore, the company led by Giuseppe Ferro is in the final stages of acquiring the Molise-based canning firm.
A full-scale diversification move, therefore, marking our entry into a completely new sector. “We started out as millers, and fifteen years ago we entered the pasta sector, which was new to us,” explains Giuseppe Ferro, CEO of La Molisana – “and even then we proceeded with great caution, taking the time to understand the dynamics before launching our strategy. We will adopt the same approach in the future: understanding the business and developing our own course of action.”
Above all, however, this is a strategy already adopted by other leading Italian pasta brands, one that is designed to support international consumers by first helping them discover pasta, and then providing them with sauces, starting with the most popular one: tomato.
Furthermore, the investment is in addition to the plan already announced by the company, which provides for an allocation of 100 million to double the size of the pasta factory and mill at its headquarters on the outskirts of Campobasso. Specifically, 65 million euros will be invested in the new 20-hectare site for pasta production and 35 million for the new milling plant.
The investment in the canning industry – currently in the final stages of due diligence and expected to be finalised shortly – will initially require an outlay of less than two million euros to which further funds will be added for the relocation and refurbishment of the plant. “We have looked at various opportunities,” continues the CEO, “but all in other regions and, in any case, a long way from us. Whereas for me, when entering a completely new sector, it is essential to have everything under control, close by, in an easily accessible location.”
