Barilla reports growth in turnover and profits

Health food products together with pasta and sauces were the segments that buoyed Barilla’s profitability in 2016, bringing consolidated revenues to €3.4 billion (+1%, or +2% net of exchange rate effects) and EBITDA to €379.6 million (+20%). They also pushed up net profits from €278 million to €371 million.

Unlike the lacklustre domestic market, exports generated significant growth in revenues, especially in Europe where volumes increased by 4% and turnover by 3% thanks to higher sales of pasta and sauces. In Eastern Europe the best performances were in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and above all Russia, which saw growth of 34% in volume and 37% in value. Growth in Western Europe was more modest.

In the United States, Barilla increased its market share in value terms by one percentage point to 31.4% thanks to both classic products and by innovative Barilla Premium Pasta products. In Mexico, its market share in the large-scale retail sector reached 33.5% in value (+0.3%), while in Canada its market share in value in the pasta segment rose to 11.4% (+0.9%).

The group also reported a strong performance in emerging markets where revenues grew by 6%, largely due to the growth in volumes.

Barilla also invested in new technology and technical improvements in 2016, spending €118 million (3.5% of turnover) to complete its US production line for gluten-free pasta and the line for gluten-free crispbread in Germany.