Amedei Toscana, an Italian company specializing in the production of artisanal chocolate that was acquired by Ferrarelle in 2017, is using cocoa husks to produce packaging paper. The initiative is part of the “Flora Cacao” project launched by Ferrarelle, which aims to produce around 10,340 kg of cocoa shells in 2022, which will be used to make around 6,000 kg of paper.
For 2023, the aim is to increase the use of this type of paper in packaging and to evaluate its extension to new products.
Michele Pontecorvo Ricciardi, Vice President of Ferrarelle, commented: "Sustainability is a mission, it is a priority that must become a foundation for any company, especially in the broader perspective of the planetary system for which we all share responsibility. We have been on this path for years and we do not intend to stop, we hope that our story can be a confirmation that a responsible and ethical way of doing business with success is possible".
Still on the green side, Italy's fourth largest mineral water company used 17% more R-Pet in 2022 than in 2021, reaching 9,833 tons. In terms of waste management (89% sent for recycling), the company stresses that it follows the principles of the circular economy, turning what is normally considered "waste" into a real resource. This is backed up by a responsible procurement model based on a careful selection of suppliers, which reached 1,311 in 2022, with a total spend of almost 205 million euros.
Ferrarelle is the first company in the food industry to remove tens of thousands of tons of PET plastic from the environment every year and give it a new life. The Bottle-to-Bottle project, developed with the classic dynamics of the circular economy in mind, has become a reality with the inauguration of the Presenzano (Caserta, Italy) factory, a plant always focused on sustainability and the result of a 27 million euros investment, designed to produce and return to the market new bottles made of 50% R-PET (recycled PET), the maximum quota allowed by law. In just 9 months, the plant has recycled more than 7,000 tons of PET, and at full capacity it will be able to remove at least 23,000 tons from the environment, twice as much as Ferrarelle uses to produce its bottles: in other words, for every 2 bottles produced, the company removes 3 from the environment. An analysis of the trends for 2022 for the company, which also owns the Vitasnella, Fonte Essenziale, Boario, Natía, Santagata and Roccafina brands, reveals a positive picture both in terms of volume and turnover. The latter will rise from 221 million euros in 2021 to almost 239 million euros in 2022. The company is also expanding in the countries to which it exports: United States, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Denmark, Russia, Israel, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan.
