Barilla Group

Barilla Group is an Italian food company headquartered in Parma and controlled by the Barilla family. It began in 1877 as a bakery shop founded by Pietro Barilla Sr. and developed during the twentieth century from a regional bakery and pasta business into an international packaged-food group. Although the Barilla name is strongly associated with dried pasta and tomato-based sauces, the group also operates across crispbread, bread, crackers, snacks, fresh pasta, and plant-based packaged foods through a portfolio of international and regional brands. The company’s early growth was driven by industrial production, distribution expansion, and packaging innovation. After Pietro Barilla Sr.’s death, his sons Riccardo and Gualtiero expanded the enterprise, and subsequent generations concentrated the business increasingly on pasta. In 1952, Barilla stopped producing bread in order to focus on pasta, helping establish a stronger identity in the Italian market. The adoption of cardboard packaging and the construction of new plants supported the transition from a local producer to a national food company. Barilla became a joint-stock company in 1960. During the following decade it added facilities and entered adjacent bakery categories, including crackers and breadsticks. In 1971, the US chemical company W. R. Grace acquired a controlling interest, while Pietro Barilla retained operational influence. Pietro Barilla repurchased control in 1979, and the group has remained privately held since then. Family ownership and long-term management continuity remain central features of its corporate identity. Internationalization accelerated in the 1990s and 2000s. Barilla acquired or developed businesses in Greece, Turkey, Sweden, Germany, Mexico, France, and the United States, adding brands such as MISKO, Filiz, Wasa, Harrys, and the Yemina and Vesta businesses. The group expanded its North American manufacturing footprint with plants in Iowa and New York. It later acquired Catelli and Lancia in Canada, took a majority stake in UK fresh-pasta company Pasta Evangelists, and acquired the US plant-based and non-GMO brand Back to Nature in 2022. The group’s portfolio includes the flagship Barilla pasta and sauce brand as well as Mulino Bianco, GranCereale, Pan di Stelle, Pavesini, Ringo, Togo, Gran Pavesi, Gocciole, Voiello, Wasa, MISKO, Filiz, Harrys, Catelli, Pasta Evangelists, Back to Nature, and other regional businesses. Barilla describes itself as a major global pasta producer, with production and milling operations distributed across Italy and several international markets. The company also operates the Barilla for Professionals business, serving food-service customers. Beyond commercial food production, Barilla has invested in corporate heritage, nutrition, and sustainability initiatives. Its Historical Archive preserves documentation relating to the company and brands incorporated into the group. The Barilla Foundation, formerly the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition, promotes research and discussion concerning sustainable food systems and healthy lifestyles. The company has also used sports sponsorships, entertainment partnerships, and branded content to support international awareness. Barilla remains an active, privately held multinational food group. Its current strategic profile combines a globally recognizable pasta franchise with a broader portfolio of bakery, crispbread, sauce, fresh-pasta, snack, and plant-based products. Its principal challenges include managing different regional brands, responding to changing dietary and sustainability expectations, maintaining supply-chain resilience, and protecting consumer trust after public controversies concerning advertising, inclusion, product origin, and operations in Russia.

Barilla was established in 1877 when Pietro Barilla Sr. opened a bakery shop in Parma. The business expanded in the early twentieth century, and in 1910 it opened a pasta factory equipped with continuous-production baking technology. Following the founder’s death in 1912, his sons Riccardo and Gualtiero assumed control. Technological improvements and wider distribution helped Barilla become an important bread and pasta producer in Emilia-Romagna during the 1920s and 1930s. Gualtiero died in 1919, leaving Riccardo to lead the business with his wife Virginia. After Riccardo’s death in 1947, the third generation, represented by Pietro and Gianni Barilla, took over. In 1952, the company discontinued bread production and concentrated on pasta. This decision, combined with competitive pricing, product quality, and cardboard packaging, supported Barilla’s expansion beyond northern Italy. Barilla became a joint-stock company in 1960. It subsequently opened facilities including the Rubbiano plant, which supported entry into crackers and breadsticks, and the large Pedrignano complex near Parma. In 1971, W. R. Grace acquired a controlling interest. Pietro Barilla continued to influence the company’s operations and reacquired control in 1979, returning the group to family ownership. Pietro Barilla died in 1993, after which his children Guido, Luca, and Paolo represented the fourth family generation in management. International expansion became a central strategy. Barilla acquired MISKO in Greece in 1991, Filiz Makarna in Turkey in 1994, and Wasabröd in Sweden in 1999. It opened its first US pasta plant in Iowa in 1999 and a second US plant in Avon, New York, in 2007. The group also expanded through a joint venture with Mexico’s Herdez involving Yemina and Vesta, and through the 2002 acquisition of German company Kamps AG. Most of Kamps was later sold to Agrofert in 2013, while the French soft-bread business Harrys remained with Barilla. In the 2020s, the group broadened its portfolio through the Canadian Catelli and Lancia businesses, a majority stake in UK fresh-pasta company Pasta Evangelists, and the acquisition of US plant-based brand Back to Nature. Barilla’s international operating structure includes production sites and mills in Italy and several foreign countries, with regional brands retained alongside the global Barilla name. The company has also developed institutional and cultural activities. The Barilla Historical Archive was established in 1987 and later recognized by Italy’s Ministry of Culture for its historical significance. Barilla helped establish Museimpresa and contributed to the creation of the Pasta Museum in Parma province. In 2009, it created the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition, now the Barilla Foundation, to support discussion and research around sustainable food systems and healthy lifestyles. Barilla’s public profile has been shaped by extensive advertising and sports partnerships, including associations with tennis, skiing, motorsport, and Italian basketball. In 2013, comments by chairman Guido Barilla about same-sex families triggered calls for a boycott. He apologized, and the company subsequently introduced inclusion initiatives and supported LGBTQ-related activities. Other public issues have concerned animal-welfare commitments, product-origin claims in the United States, and the company’s continuing presence in Russia after its 2022 suspension of new investment and advertising there.

1. 2022Back to Nature acquisition

   The group acquires the US plant-based and non-GMO brand Back to Nature.

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2. 2021Expansion into Canadian and UK pasta businesses

   Barilla completes the Catelli and Lancia acquisition and invests in Pasta Evangelists.

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3. 2009Food and nutrition foundation established

   The Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition is created, later becoming the Barilla Foundation.

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4. 1999International manufacturing expands

   Barilla acquires Wasabröd and opens its first US production plant in Iowa.

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5. 1991MISKO acquisition

   Barilla acquires Greece’s MISKO pasta business.

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6. 1979Family control is restored

   Pietro Barilla reacquires control after W. R. Grace’s controlling investment.

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7. 1960Conversion into a joint-stock company

   Barilla adopts a joint-stock corporate structure.

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8. 1952Pasta becomes the central business

   The company ends bread production and focuses on pasta.

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9. 1910First industrial pasta factory

   Barilla inaugurates a new pasta factory using continuous-production baking equipment.

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10. 1877Barilla is founded in Parma

    Pietro Barilla Sr. establishes the business as a bakery shop.

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Mainstream to premium-mainstream packaged food, combining Italian culinary heritage, broad household availability, product quality, and international scale.

• Barilla pastaDried pasta

  The group’s flagship pasta range spans numerous shapes and sizes, including long, short, and specialty formats. It is sold internationally through retail, food service, and restaurant channels and is positioned around Italian culinary heritage, convenience, and consistent cooking performance.

• Barilla saucesPasta sauces

  Barilla produces ready-made sauces designed to accompany its pasta portfolio. The range is principally associated with tomato-based preparations and other convenient pasta accompaniments, helping the brand compete as a complete meal solution rather than solely as a dry-pasta producer.

• WasaCrispbread and flatbread

  Wasa is the group’s Swedish crispbread business and a major international flatbread brand. Its products are associated with Scandinavian-style crispbread, everyday snacking, and lighter meal occasions. The acquisition gave Barilla a leading position in a category outside conventional pasta and bakery products.

• Mulino BiancoBakery and biscuits

  Mulino Bianco is an Italian bakery and biscuit brand within the Barilla portfolio. It covers breakfast, snack, and household bakery occasions and is one of the group’s most prominent consumer brands in Italy.

• MISKOPasta1927

  MISKO is Barilla’s Greek pasta business, founded in Piraeus in 1927 and acquired by Barilla in 1991. It is a major pasta brand in Greece and also serves Greek communities and consumers in other markets.

• Pasta EvangelistsFresh pasta

  Pasta Evangelists is a London-based fresh-pasta company focused on direct-to-consumer delivery and home dining. Barilla took a majority stake in the business in 2021, extending its portfolio toward fresh pasta and digitally enabled meal delivery.

• Back to NaturePlant-based packaged foods

  Back to Nature is an American brand specializing in plant-based and non-GMO packaged foods. Barilla acquired it in 2022, adding a US-oriented platform for products aligned with plant-based and natural-food consumption trends.

• 2025Formula One official pasta partnership

  International

  Formula One announced a partnership with Barilla as the sport’s official pasta partner, extending the company’s motorsport and global sports-marketing presence.

  Outcome. Official partnership announced.

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• 2021Perfect Pasta Time Spotify playlist

  International

  Barilla created Spotify playlists whose tracks were timed to correspond to recommended pasta cooking durations, turning preparation guidance into branded digital entertainment.

  Outcome. Digital engagement campaign associated with the brand’s pasta expertise.

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• 2020Global sports sponsorship program

  International

  Barilla used high-profile sports partnerships and ambassadors, including Roger Federer and Mikaela Shiffrin, to connect the brand with performance, international visibility, and Italian food culture.

  Outcome. Ongoing brand-awareness and sponsorship activity.

  Source

• 2022Restrict new Russian investment and advertisingStrategy

  The decision followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting commercial and reputational pressure on multinational companies.

  What changed. Barilla suspended new investment and advertising in Russia, limited activity to essential food production, and stated that it would not seek to profit from its presence there.

  Aftermath. The company continued operating in Russia, which remained a subject of public scrutiny.

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• 2016Commit to cage-free eggsStrategy

  Animal-welfare groups and consumer expectations were increasing pressure on food companies to change egg sourcing.

  What changed. Barilla committed to using 100 percent cage-free eggs by 2020.

  Aftermath. The company announced that it achieved the target one year ahead of schedule, in 2019.

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• 1999Build a US manufacturing platformStrategy

  Barilla’s internationalization strategy required local production capacity in North America.

  What changed. The group opened its first US production plant in Iowa and later added a second facility in Avon, New York, in 2007.

  Aftermath. The US became an important manufacturing and commercial market for the group.

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• 1979Reacquire controlling ownershipStrategy

  W. R. Grace had acquired a controlling interest in Barilla in 1971.

  What changed. Pietro Barilla reacquired control of the company.

  Aftermath. Barilla returned to family control and remained privately held.

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• 1952Concentrate exclusively on pastaStrategy

  Barilla was transitioning from a regional bakery and pasta enterprise toward a more focused packaged-food identity.

  What changed. The company discontinued bread production and directed resources toward pasta.

  Aftermath. The decision helped establish Barilla as a leading Italian pasta brand.

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• 2022US lawsuit concerning Italian-origin marketingControversy

  Two US consumers filed a proposed class action alleging that Barilla’s Italian branding could lead consumers to believe that products were made in Italy even when manufactured in the United States. A judge declined to dismiss the claims at an early stage after finding that economic injury had been alleged.

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• 2022Continuing Russian operations after invasion-related restrictionsControversy

  Barilla suspended new investment and advertising in Russia after the invasion of Ukraine but continued producing essential food products. Reporting about increased performance by the Russian subsidiary generated scrutiny over the company’s continued presence in the country.

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• 2013Controversy over comments about same-sex familiesControversy

  Chairman Guido Barilla said he opposed adoption by gay families and did not want same-sex families represented in the company’s advertising. The comments led to boycott calls and significant criticism. He later apologized, while Barilla introduced inclusion-related initiatives and subsequently supported LGBTQ causes.

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• 2026Barilla ranked among the world’s leading corporate reputations

  According to the referenced company and ranking material, Barilla was recognized for the third consecutive year as the highest-ranked food company in the Global RepTrak 100 and placed ninth overall.

  Other
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• 2025Barilla becomes Formula One’s official pasta partner

  Formula One announced a partnership naming Barilla the sport’s official pasta partner.

  CampaignOther
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• 2025Formula 1 welcomes Barilla as an official partner

  Formula 1 announced a multi-year partnership with Barilla, including pasta bars, trackside visibility, digital activations and hospitality experiences at Grands Prix.

  CampaignOther
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• 2025Barilla launches an archive-based podcast about Italian history

  Barilla presented the ten-episode podcast È sempre domenica, drawing on objects and advertising materials preserved in its historical archive.

  CampaignOther
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• 2023Barilla appoints Gianluca Di Tondo as Group CEO

  Barilla Group announced Gianluca Di Tondo as chief executive officer, succeeding Claudio Colzani and beginning a new phase of leadership for the family-owned food group.

  Leadership change
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• 2023Barilla appoints Gianluca Di Tondo as chief executive officer

  Barilla Group announced Gianluca Di Tondo as chief executive officer, succeeding Claudio Colzani and continuing the company's transition toward a new leadership phase.

  Leadership change
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• 2023Barilla appoints Gianluca Di Tondo as chief executive

  Barilla appointed Gianluca Di Tondo as chief executive, succeeding Claudio Colzani and continuing the group’s international growth and transformation agenda.

  Leadership change
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• 2022Barilla acquires Back to Nature

  The group acquired the American brand specializing in plant-based and non-GMO packaged foods.

  M&A
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• 2022Barilla limits new investment and advertising in Russia

  Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Barilla announced that it would suspend new investment and advertising in Russia while continuing essential food production.

  RegulationOther
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• 2022Barilla announces Gianluca Di Tondo as new Group CEO

  Barilla announced that Gianluca Di Tondo would succeed Claudio Colzani as chief executive in April 2023 after serving as Group Chief Marketing Officer.

  Leadership change
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• 2022Barilla announces limits on Russian investment and advertising

  Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Barilla said it would suspend new investments and advertising in Russia and restrict activity to essential food production, while stating that it would not seek profit from its presence there.

  RegulationOther
  Source
• 2021Barilla acquires Catelli and Lancia in Canada

  The group finalized the acquisition of Canadian pasta businesses Catelli and Lancia.

  M&A
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• 2021Barilla takes a majority stake in Pasta Evangelists

  Barilla expanded into UK fresh pasta and home delivery through a majority investment in Pasta Evangelists.

  M&A
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• 2021Barilla acquires Catelli dry-pasta business in Canada

  The group completed the acquisition of Catelli’s Canadian dry-pasta business, including the Lancia and Splendor brands, strengthening its North American portfolio.

  M&A
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• Barilla continues international sustainability and agricultural programs

  The group reports programs involving responsible sourcing, climate-related goals, packaging, agricultural supply chains and product development as part of its long-term sustainability strategy.

  Other
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• Barilla continues sustainability and supply-chain programs

  The company has continued publishing initiatives concerning agricultural sourcing, packaging, emissions, nutrition, and responsible business practices.

  Other
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• Barilla expands alternative-grain and dietary pasta offerings

  The company has developed and marketed whole-grain, gluten-free, legume-based and other product variants in response to changing dietary preferences and consumer demand.

  Product launchProduct generation
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1. Barilla
2. Barilla Group official website
3. Advertising and family-representation controversy
4. Public controversy over comments by Guido Barilla
5. Barilla chairman apologizes after comments about same-sex families
6. Barilla ranked among the world’s leading corporate reputations
7. Formula 1 welcomes Barilla as an official partner
8. Barilla launches an archive-based podcast about Italian history
9. Barilla appoints Gianluca Di Tondo as Group CEO
10. Barilla appoints Gianluca Di Tondo as chief executive officer
11. Barilla appoints Gianluca Di Tondo as chief executive
12. Barilla announces Gianluca Di Tondo as new Group CEO
13. Barilla acquires Catelli dry-pasta business in Canada
14. Barilla continues international sustainability and agricultural programs
15. Barilla expands alternative-grain and dietary pasta offerings