History - Formec Biffi

From 1966 to the present day

Our story began with a visionary idea of Pietro Casella, a brilliant young chemist-biologist from Piacenza, who, recently back from an experience in a multinational company, recognised the potential for market development at a key historical moment. This was in the late 1960s, a time when convenience foods were still an exception, especially in Italy, and what turned out to be an inspired decision was taken to gamble on the evolution of this market and the rise of the large-scale retailers, which would soon lead to new consumer behaviour.

Today, that same emphasis on innovation continues to inspire our business; we work to anticipate market needs with a focus on the more advanced segments that drive demand.

THE 1960S

THE BIRTH OF A NEW VISION

On 23 August 1966 Pietro Casella founded “Formec Alimentari di Casella dr. Pietro e C.,” while also creating the first sketches of our brand name. The first product to come out of the 120 square metres of the San Rocco al Porto plant was Mamy, processed cheese in a tube, the first in its category in that format; immediately after came ‘Oro’ brand mayonnaise, the forerunner of all the condiments that would go on to form the basis of Formec’s success. Two innovative products, destined to be milestones for the market and in our history. Only three years after its foundation, Formec saw the need to grow: it changed its legal format to an S.p.A. and expanded its factory, in the process establishing the core of its current headquarters in San Rocco al Porto.

THE 1970S

AN EVER-EXPANDING PRODUCT RANGE

The first Production Lines enabled the recipe for our mayonnaise to be developed for the production of Sasso Mayonnaise and Coop Mayonnaise, the first ‘private label’ products. During these years, the company received prestigious international awards such as the ‘Quality Prize’ and the ‘European Packaging Prize’, which it won for the development and creation of the “Maionese in Salsiera”, or ‘Mayonnaise in a Sauce Jug’, of the ‘Sasso’ line. Boosted by these successes and with the aim of always being at the forefront of the market, the expansion began of the product range, with the creation of mayonnaise-based condiments, and light, mustard and anchovy paste condiments. Towards the end of the decade, Dr Casella was awarded a contract for the packaging of Solvay products. This achievement enabled the company to install an even more modern and technologically advanced production line to guarantee product quality and safety.

THE 1980S

FROM THE BIFFI BRAND TO THE LARGE-SCALE RETAILERS

In the 1980s, significant investments were made to expand and modernise the laboratory. An important turning point saw the birth of the Gaia Line of condiments specifically for large-scale retailers. One of the company’s most iconic brands, it now boasts more than 60 specialities. Between 1982 and 1983, an epitome of Italian culinary excellence, the historic “Paolo Biffi Pasticceria” brand, was acquired. This inspired decision proved to be a success because it was to maintain and transfer the premium positioning of the Milanese brand to the gastronomic categories of ready-made sauces and condiments. A few years later saw the launch of the ‘Le Caravelle’ line, aimed at establishing itself in specialist shops, and the first cold-processed Pesto, still one of the company’s key products today.

THE 1990S

PRIVATE LABEL AND EXPORT

During these years, when the Private Label market experienced a boom, the company won the contract for the production of Pesto Nonna Amelia, a leading brand of fresh products. It also seized the opportunity to enter the world of Discount stores, a new sales format that was expanding rapidly in Italy, in order to reach an emerging and booming segment of the market. These two initiatives have contributed to the growth of the company and its transformation into a leader in the canned food market. As a result of the constant broadening of the distribution and the continuous expansion of the product range, 1992 saw major new investments in both communications and the first expansion of the factory and storage warehouse. These were years of great growth and also the beginning of expansion into European and non-EU countries, such as Japan and the United States. The end of the 1990s also saw the conclusion of negotiations for ownership of the Biffi brand name to be extended across all of the company’s categories.

THE 2000S

NEW FRONTIERS OF TASTE

In 2002, the company entered the retail world under the Biffi brand with sauces and condiments, initially in the ambient category, but then quickly conquering the Chilled food shelf as well. The period between 2004 and 2005 saw the opening of Corte Biffi, a place where employees could relax together and a focal point for conventions and large events. In 2010, Formec was one of the first companies in Italy to launch an organic product line with Pesto, Mayonnaise and Ketchup. The range of speciality sauces was expanded and the first Ethnic Sauces were developed for the range of preserves. The year 2014 marked the introduction into the market of 100% Vegetable products, with a line featuring some classics of the Italian gastronomic tradition reinterpreted with a Vegan take. Among the first were Vegetable Ragù, a 100% Vegetable Pesto and a Vegetable Sauce.

FROM 2015 TO THE PRESENT DAY

In 2015, the e-commerce site BiffiShop.it opened, enabling us to reach all Italian consumers. There they can access the full range of our products and have them delivered to their homes promptly and easily. The end of 2021 and the early months of 2022 saw a major turning point in the company’s history. The historical brand Gaia, leader in Italy in the world of condiments for the Food Service sector, now began to transition into Biffi Linea Professionale, a spin-off of the brand that had consolidated its successful position in the large-scale retail trade, becoming a household name among Italian consumers. Biffi is viewed as a Quality Brand, a brand that makes fine products, using excellent raw materials and processing methods that respect the Italian gastronomic tradition. This lay behind Formec’s decision to capitalise on the growth of its brand by transferring the brand attributes also to Food Service products. At the same time, the Freschi & Pronti line was created, a range of 10 sauce and pesto items in the 450g format, perfect for food service professionals, and in the Ambient world a line of 5 sauce and cream items in 500g glass jars. Finally, 2023 was a year of great innovation! To improve efficiency and productivity still further, construction began of a 6,000 square metre extension to accommodate a new production line and warehouse. A tri-generator and photovoltaic panels were also installed so that the company could become almost completely self-sufficient in the production of the energy needed to run its entire production plant. All this has allowed Biffi to grow irresistibly, so much so that it has become one of the top five sauce brands on the Italian scene.

Our history