Sperlari celebrates its 190th anniversary: a future with a greater international focus for nougat, sweets and panettone

EBITDA is expected to see double-digit growth by 2026, alongside a development plan focused on strengthening brands, product innovation and expansion into international markets, which currently account for 20 per cent of total turnover, now standing at 150 million. As the company marks the historic milestone of 190 years in business, Sperlari Group sets out the guidelines for its industrial strategy.

The company – which has been a subsidiary of the German holding company Katjes International since 2017, but with management and production entirely based in Italia – aims to consolidate the balance of its revenue,split equally between core products (sweets and sweeteners) and seasonal products (nougat and festive baked goods).

Cuore in Cremona – where it all began in 1836 with Enea Sperlari’s shop – today, the Group oversees a range of brands and product segments: from nougat to Cremonese mostarda, from sweets to sweeteners and festive baked goods, with the brands Sperlari, Saila, Galatine, Dietor, Dietorelle and Paluani, acquired in 2021. 100 per cent of production (around 20,000 tonnes per year) is concentrated in five factories.

Today, the Sperlari Group ranks as the third-largest player in Italia in the sweets segment, with a value share of 9.7 per cent, whilst in the sweeteners sector it holds a share of over 18 per cent. In the nougat segment, the brand accounts for 38.2 per cent of the modern retail market (Circana data updated to January 2026).

To support margin growth, CEO Riccardo Viani has set out a renewal programme, launched in 2025, involving the rebranding of the Sperlari brand, its packaging and visual identity. And looking ahead, he announced: “We want to continue investing in people, skills and ideas that will enable us to tackle new challenges, whilst maintaining profitability and the ability to generate value in the long term.”