CLAI has taken on a new management role, appointing Antonio Giovanetti as general manager. He officially took office on April 1st. His goal is to guide the Emilia-based agri-food cooperative through further consolidation and market development, both domestically and internationally, in a particularly challenging environment for the meat and cured meats sector.
Born in Limbiate, Brianza, in 1963, Giovanetti brings extensive experience in the agri-food sector, gained across the entire supply chain, from his early work on livestock farms to his senior roles in some of Italy's leading retail and restaurant chains. His professional career began at Conad, where he developed strategic expertise in meat management and contributed to the expansion of the Conad Carni project nationwide, consolidating an organizational model focused on efficiency and category enhancement.
He subsequently joined Fileni as sales director, contributing to the growth and diversification of the business. He then moved on to Camst, a leading cooperative in collective catering, where he held positions of increasing responsibility, culminating in general management. He spearheaded governance renewal processes and promoted more participatory decision-making models, in a process that led the group to strengthen its international presence, with operations in Germany, Spain, and Denmark and a turnover of €750 million.
In more recent years, Giovanetti served as Sales and Marketing Director at Marr, a company listed on the STAR segment of the Italian Stock Exchange and a leader in food distribution for out-of-home catering. There, he coordinated a large and complex organization of approximately one thousand people, including the sales network and direct staff, contributing to commercial development in a highly competitive market. Before joining CLAI, he was General Manager of Authentica, overseeing complex industrial projects and managing major events, including the Youth Jubilee at Tor Vergata in 2025 and the catering of the Olympic Village during the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
"It's an honor to be part of this extraordinary Cooperative, which boasts a unique participatory management model in Europe," said Giovanetti. "In these first few days, I'm working to gain a thorough understanding of the company and quickly contribute to the growth path already underway, in a challenging yet opportunity-rich market."
Founded in 1962 in Imola by a group of farmers and ranchers, CLAI is now one of Italy's leading agri-food cooperatives, with a distinctive model based on direct member participation and a 100% Italian supply chain, an increasingly important factor in positioning and enhancing its offering. The production structure comprises four facilities in Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany, dedicated to meat processing, cured meats, the production of PDO hams, and artisanal cheeses.
The cooperative operates on the market with three main brands—CLAI, Zuarina, and Faggiola—and maintains strong local roots through a network of direct sales outlets, the Macellerie del Contadino (Farmer's Butchers), demonstrating an integrated model that combines production, processing, and distribution. The group employs over a thousand people, including employees and members, including family-run livestock farms.
From a financial standpoint, CLAI closed the 2025 financial year with growing results, recording revenues of €387 million, up from €364 million the previous year, and a profit of over €11 million, up from €9,9 million in 2024. These figures confirm the solidity of the cooperative model and the ability to navigate a market environment characterized by cost volatility and pressure on consumption.
Against this backdrop, Giovanetti's arrival represents a key step in further strengthening the management structure and supporting the cooperative's development strategies, with a particular focus on commercial expansion, product innovation, and consolidating its presence on international markets.
