Casillo and Puratos Italia have entered into a multi-year strategic alliance to develop and market a new generation of ingredients for the artisanal and high-end industrial bakery sector. The agreement combines Italian milling excellence with Puratos' global technological capabilities to meet a growing demand for innovation in the baked goods sector, which is increasingly focused on nutritionally balanced, clean-label solutions with a strong artisanal identity. The partnership represents a unique collaborative model for the Italian flour and bakery ingredients market, combining tradition and innovation, maintaining the quality and naturalness of raw materials while introducing new functionalities to finished products.
Initially, the agreement will focus on the Italian market, but the aim is to gradually extend the collaboration to other countries, leveraging the international presence of the Puratos Group, which operates in over one hundred countries. The new proposal is based on the innovation developed by Casillo through the Casillo Next Gen Food research platform, which gave rise to the patented "Circular Processing" technology. This process allows for the recovery and valorization of wheat components such as oil, germ proteins, and fiber, reintegrating them into the production chain.
This technology is the foundation of Altograno, a solution that allows for the production of bread, pizza, desserts, and pasta with a more balanced nutritional profile: fewer carbohydrates and more protein and fiber, without resorting to external ingredients like added gluten or alternative flours. The contribution of Puratos Italia's research and development department has been crucial in this process, adapting the solution to the needs of both the industrial and artisanal markets, focusing on products that combine taste, functionality, and well-being. This work is consistent with the group's approach, which also invests in the development of new food solutions through incubators like Sparkalis.
"This partnership represents a decisive step in our evolution from a commodity operator to an innovation platform," stated Francesco Casillo, emphasizing the potential for international deployment of the new solutions. Alberto Molinari echoed this sentiment, highlighting the strategic value of the agreement and the ability to combine tradition and research to develop innovative products that are easy to use by industry professionals. The collaboration also resulted in a new bread-making mix, integrating Altograno with wheat germ sourdough, developed using Puratos' proprietary technologies.
The Italian bakery flour market remains stable overall, but shows growth trends in premium segments such as specialty, organic, and high-hydration flours. The sector's overall value is estimated between €1,3 and €2 billion. Commercially, the go-to-market strategy will be managed in a complementary manner: Puratos will oversee the B2B channel, handling distribution and business development, while Casillo will maintain focus on production and end-consumer communications. The shared goal is to create a new category of wheat-based ingredients capable of generating value throughout the supply chain and meeting new market demands, increasingly focused on quality, health, and sustainability.
