The food sector is one of the flagships of Made in Italy. Today, we discuss Mutti, a historic company from Emilia that has been in the Parma area for over 120 years and is a leader in the tomato canning sector.
Pioneers from the very beginning
Mutti’s history began back in the 1800s thanks to the pioneering work of Giovanni Mutti, a passionate farmer who was among the first in Italy to practice crop rotation and a proper forerunner. So much so that the bust dedicated to him reads, ‘Eximious farmer who preceded the sidereal system by ten lustres.‘
It was his grandsons Callisto and Marcellino (born 1862), however, who founded the Mutti Conserve Alimentari company in Montechiarugolo, in the province of Parma, in 1899. The trademark, featuring two lions, was filed in 1911, and the company immediately won its first awards, such as the Gold Medal at the International Exhibition in Rome and the Grand Cross diploma, with inscription in the Gran Libro d’Oro dei Benemeriti del lavoro in 1914.
The tube of tomato paste
As preservation techniques improved, MUTTI doubled production and, in 1951, Ugo Mutti had the brilliant insight that led him to produce the first tomato paste in a tube. This new packaging allows you to use only the amount you need and features a curious cap that can be reused as a thimble in sewing work. The “tube with the thimble” is immediately a resounding success.
Innovation first and foremost
Mutti’s story carries on, focusing on innovation and cherished by success. In 1999 the company was the first plant in Italy to adopt the Certified Integrated Production Specifications, followed in 2001 by obtaining the non-GMO certification.
Today, MUTTI Spa has Francesco Mutti at the helm and, from its headquarters in Basilicanova (Parma), takes Italian tomatoes to dozens of countries, employs hundreds of people and has a turnover of millions of euros. Moreover, Mutti recently announced a multi-year (2022/2024) investment of 1.5 million euros entirely dedicated to starting environmental projects.
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