From preserves to ready meals, the Polli girls go to America – Corriere.it

I dream of reopening the historic Bottega Polli, which in the 19th century had its windows overlooking Via Broletto in Milan, a stone’s throw from the Duomo. In the meantime, we are preparing for a major project in the USA, anticipates a The Economy Manuela Polli, sixth generation of the F.lli Polli family group founded under the Madonnina in 1872 and has always remained proudly in the family.
The group was born thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit of Fausto Polli who, even before the unification of Italy, understood the great potential of the market for preserves and began to invest in the cultivation and conservation of tomatoes. Today, F.lli Polli is a leader in vegetable preserves, present in 45 countries and is part of the register of historic brands of national interest, a recognition established by the Ministry of Economic Development. Ours then an all-female sixth generation, a fact of which I am very proud. Because with me is my sister Claudia, who also sits on the board of directors, and my cousin Maddalena also has a seat on the board, notes Manuela Polli. At the helm is the father, Marco, president, who with his sister Margherita represents the fifth Polli generation in the company.
How do you work with a house manager?
Pap has always been a man of vision, modern in dealing with business plans. Thus by common understanding in 2015, when we began to caress an international development plan, we decided to entrust ourselves to an external manager who had knowledge of internationalization paths. Today we can therefore count on our managing director Marco Fraccaroli. He has the ability to manage the dynamics of what has become a small multinational.
Small, not so much: in 1919 Giuseppe Polli, Fausto’s nephew, took over an old industrial site used for the production of canned meats in Monsummano Terme and founded the first Polli plant. In 2019 Polli acquired the brands and the plant in Valbona di Lozzo Atestino, in the province of Padua. Today you have several foreign offices.
Yes, from France to the United Kingdom: 300 employees in all, more than 200 million packs sold. There are now four of our foreign poles, for now all in Europe: in France and the United Kingdom, but also in Germany, these are commercial branches, in Spain a production branch. And our market in all these countries is growing despite the pandemic first and then inflation which also put our company to the test. As a food business we never stopped during the Covid, but it’s been a busy few months for the organization. Yet we have continued to innovate trying to satisfy the market because the recipe does not stop, study consumers and always innovate. For inflation, we have worked closely with suppliers to find win-win solutions with customers. And our plant based Pesto was recognized as product of the year.
From pickles to pesto to ready-made sauces which alone account for more than half of the business (55%). Moving on to new lines of legumes, a line of Plant-based condiments for a more attentive and healthy target and another of Squeezy Pesti, with the squeezing pack. Next step?
All the fresh, starting from ready mealsfrom ready meals is a great opportunity that we are evaluating, always remaining faithful to our “vegetable” DNA.
Sustainability is another lighthouse that guides the development of the group. In 2021, F.lli Polli obtained the certification of controlled basil supply chain. What plans do you have for the future?
Sustainability, not only environmental but also all-round that embraces social and governance, is a commitment that we have always pursued. This year we have translated it for the first time into a sustainability report which we will present at the end of the year. Not only the budget, but the idea of ​​investing more and more in a green direction with a Carbon Neutral goal that we have set ourselves to achieve by the end of 2024.
With what investments in the business plan?
We have allocated investments of 2 million and 800 thousand euros between 2023 and 2024.
Speaking of numbers, how much did you end 2022 with?
With a turnover of 145 million euros, 75% of which is generated abroad, where our sauces, especially pesto, continue to grow by double digits.
Time to look overseas?
In fact, in the new five-year plan, which has just been agreed with the managing director, we have also set the goal of opening a sales office and a production center in the USA. Ideally on the East Coast which perhaps has the most affinity with our product, Italian cuisine, but never say never also for the West Coast. the American market is a great challenge but we are ready to face it.
Curiosity: how do you work for women? Yours is an all-pink sixth generation.
We have always complemented each other very well, I follow the foreign commercial development and corporate strategy and development in general, Claudia is more focused on Italian customers while Maddalena does not have an operational role in the company.
And that idea of ​​restarting with Bottega Polli?
the dream, to return to sell with some boutiques in selected cities, directly to our customers.