Italian pasta giant Barilla says it has closed its acquisition of Ebro Foods’ Catelli dry pasta business in Canada as of January 29.
The deal, which values the Catelli business at C$165 million, includes the Catelli, Lancia, and Splendor brands, and a pasta plant in Montreal, Que.
“In Barilla, we’re leading the charge in transforming the pasta category, and as a category leader worldwide, it’s our mission to be an architect of growth,” says Claudio Colzani, chief executive officer of the Barilla Group. “Given the synergies between our business strategies, commitments and values, Catelli dry pasta is a natural fit for the expansion of our business. This acquisition will help underscore the importance of our responsibility to not only serve and satisfy the ever-changing needs of consumers through innovation, but also to anticipate them.”
The Ebro Group, which is based in Spain, says it will maintain its presence in the Canadian market through its Garofalo (dry pasta), Olivieri (fresh pasta and sauces) and rice (Minute Rice and Tilda) brands.
Barilla, the world’s biggest pasta maker, also plans to invest 1 billion euro in domestic pasta production in Italy through 2024.