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(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) – “Domenico Reina Coloniali”, a small shop in the Varese area, has become one of the leading companies, globally, in the spirits sector. It is the story of Illva Saronno – Industria, Lombarda, Liquori, Vini & Affini – which, founded in 1947 by the Reina family, transformed a local recipe – secretly handed down from generation to generation since 1600 – into Disaronno, “the most drunk in the world“. Today «while maintaining a strong link with tradition, the Group has an above all international vocation, so much so that exports now represent 80% of its turnover». The CEO of the holding, Aldino Marzorati, tells Radiocor in an interview. Present in 160 countries, the Group has expanded its offering with innovative products, such as Artik Vodka, Zucca, The Busker Irish Whiskey or the Tia Maria coffee bitters. «We are a healthy company and we don’t intend to stop: in the next five years our goal, as a Group, is to double our turnover», explains Marzorati. The performances of 2023 are already a step in this direction: Illva Saronno will close the turnover with an annual +10%, around 370 million euros (335 million in 2022), while the profit will stand at the levels of 2022 (39 million ).
For 2024, 15% growth in turnover
Estimates for 2024 foresee a further 15% increase in revenues. «We were among the first to look at markets outside Italy in the 1960s – explains the CEO – in particular the United States, which currently absorbs 30% of our foreign sales». With the recent acquisition of Sagamore Spirits – a leading company in the American Whiskey sector, based in Baltimore – «Illva Saronno intends to focus on the USA even more». Great Britain is also fertile ground (20% of exports), but in recent years “Brexit and the high level of inflation” have weighed on sales. In the meantime, however, the company’s interest in the East has grown. “We were pioneers in this field, with the acquisition of a share in the Chinese wine company Changyu in 2004 and with the joint venture with the Indian Umesh Modi Group”, says Marzorati. After the pandemic, «we started to see the results of the efforts made on some brands. In Japan we sold 1.5 million bottles of The Busker Whiskey”, he adds. However, in Australia, where canned alcohol is very popular, “our market is developing thanks to Engine”. An important aspect of Illva Saronno’s future growth is large-scale distribution (large-scale organized distribution): the increase in domestic consumption, “with home-made cocktails, during the lockdowns”, has in fact driven Illva’s sales in the last three years. A further element in support of the group’s objectives is diversification: the Group «has chosen to invest in some excellences in niche markets, to support the core business – says Marzorati – A bet that is paying off is the one on semi-finished products for artisanal ice cream , which represent the remaining 20% of the company’s turnover.” Despite its strong international vocation and attention to innovation, Illva Saronno is linked to the typical heart of Italian industry. «It is still 100% owned by the Reina family and listing on the stock exchange is not a priority for the moment – explains the CEO – The Group is an important cash generator and, in the case of large acquisitions, we can sacrifice our jewels, that is, the most marginal companies”.
Ilva Saronno strengthens in the USA and buys Sagamore Spirit