Italy-based charcuterie specialist Veroni has bought local pig processing business ProSus Gardenia for an undisclosed sum.
The deal gives Veroni control of an agricultural cooperative of pig producers that has 65 breeding and farming members located between Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto.
ProSus Gardenia’s pig processing business, which dates back to 1985, is centred around a ham factory in Cremona in the Lombardy province.
Cold cuts specialist Veroni, taken over in June last year by US-based food manufacturer SugarCreek Packing Co., said in a statement the acquisition is intended to “increase the competitiveness of the historic Correggio brand on international markets by focusing on made-in-Italy excellence”.
Veroni said it planned to invest in the Cremona facility to boost productivity and will retain the employees who work there.
Beyond its domestic market, the company’s expansion plans have been focused on the US market since its acquisition by SugarCreek.
Veroni was founded in 1925 and is based in Corregio in Emilia-Romagna. It was set up by five brothers who owned a small grocery store in Correggio. In addition to its Correggio site, the company has six other production plants in Emilia-Romagna and, since 2016, a slicing facility in the US.
It makes more than 600 products and employs 280 people in Italy and 70 in the US.
Veroni sells its products across multiple channels, including retail and foodservice. SugarCreek is a diversified packaged food manufacturer with seven manufacturing facilities, employing more than 2,500 people.
