Riso Scotti starts up large production facility

For an investment of €3 million, Riso Scotti has opened a major new Enal brand production facility in Pavia devoted to rice-based products (rice cakes in various sizes, snacks and crackers).

The decision to open the new plant reflects the more health-conscious lifestyle choices of consumers and the consequent growth in sales of the group’s non-core products (i.e. outside its core business of rice) to around 40% of its 2016 revenues of €216.5 million.

The 1,650 square metre facility is equipped with two highly innovative lines (plus a third due to be started up shortly) and will have an output of 15 million pieces/year initially and 20 million pieces/year when fully operational.

Part of Scotti’s production will be sold on the Chinese market, where it aims to secure large market shares through an agreement signed with Central Leader, the company that controls the social platform Dropswujie 4.0 and guarantees transactions from manufacturer to consumer without counterfeiting.

The Pavia-based company nonetheless remains a major player in the rice industry alongside Gallo and Colussi, which together hold 35.7% of the Italian market.

In the first half of 2017 the parent company Riso Scotti (85% of business) generated revenues of €92.4 million (up 7% in volume with respect to the same period in 2016) and an EBITDA of €7.9 million. Exports make up one third of total revenues.