History
The '40s/'50s:first steps.
It all began with butter production and cheese trading.
Just after the end of the Second World War, Angelo Ferruccio Rovagnati decided to produce food essential together with his son, Paolo, who left his studies to put his heart and soul into the father's business.
The '60s:cooked ham.
At the height of the economic boom, Paolo convinced his father to produce charcuterie.
He was convinced that by studying and trying out new production methods they could achieve high quality, even in cooked ham, which used to be considered an inferior product.
The founder
Paolo Rovagnati was the founder, creator and driving force of the business
...by constantly improving and updating products, processes and plants and often inventing machinery, methods and solutions.
His insight into marketing, production and processes led Rovagnati to become a nationally recognized business, while maintaining its identity as a Brianza-based company.
The '70s:a national business.
Paolo Rovagnati took over in 1968 and business soared.
His knowledge of the area, due to longstanding contact with clients, led the business to grow to national prominence.
The '80s:The Gran Biscotto is born.
The signature prosciutto.
In the ‘80s, Paolo Rovagnati came up with the brilliant idea of a continuous branding mark on the rind of his flagship product, the Gran Biscotto. That made it instantly recognizable, even without its packaging: the Gran Biscotto would always stand out.
The 1980s were also a decade in which Rovagnati’s production continued to expand. In those years the company launched more than 20 different varieties of prosciutto cotto, along with Sgrassatella, a tasty but lean bacon - something almost unthinkable at the time, but something the market wanted. These innovations led to an expansion of the production plant and increasingly cutting-edge facilities.
The '90s,The winds of change are blowing.
The final decade of the twentieth century was a turning point for Rovagnati. The company expanded its product line and made its television debut.
Rovagnati products’ increasingly wide distribution spurred the company to add Mortadella to its line-up, along with pre-sliced deli cold cuts, packaged in trays to preserve the high quality and aroma of those products with a longer shelf life.
The 1990s also marked Rovagnati's TV debut: it all began on Canale 5, on "La Ruota della Fortuna" (The Wheel of Fortune) where Mike Bongiorno became the TV face of Rovagnati products. It was an immediate PR success. The company, by now known all over Italy, continued to grow.
The 2000s:The futurist period.
Rovagnati continues its traditional production with an eye towards new technologies
In the 2000s, a production plant was built in Villasanta, able to manage shipment in a fully automatic way. A plant was also built in Arcore for the development of the innovative Le Panatine and Snello lines.
Since 2010,export and acquisition.
The company becomes more international
In the 2010s, Rovagnati began exporting to many European and non-European countries, including France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, and the United States.
The internationalization process and the brand growth strategy were also supported by notable acquisitions, including historic slicer brand Berkel and Pineider.
In 2012,The birth of RovaLab.
Rovagnati opens its own analysis laboratory.
2012 was notable for the inauguration of RovaLab, the laboratory for chemical-nutritional and microbiological analysis that monitors the nutritional composition and the hygienic-sanitary status of our food products, detecting any criticalities in strict compliance with the strict EU and international regulations.
Dal 2015,essere sostenibili
The company takes on the crucial issue of sustainability.
In the middle of the decade Rovagnati began a sustainable commitment to reducing energy consumption, installing cogeneration plants at its facilities in Biassono, Arcore, Villasanta and Felino.
2017 saw the launch of Rovagnati Responsible Quality, our Corporate Social Responsibility program that aims to continuously improve the quality of our cured meats, while decreasing our environmental impact and producing in an increasingly eco-conscious manner. That same year, we also launched our Borgo Rovagnati line of 100% Italian meats.
Since 2020,The first overseas production facility and expansion.
2021 saw the opening of Rovagnati’s first overseas production facility, in Vineland, New Jersey.
The Rovagnati North America plant aims to combine Italian quality and tradition with American taste. The facility has dedicated slicing and curing areas so that premium products can be made on-site to suit the needs, habits, and expectations of American consumers, who are constantly seeking natural, healthy, sustainable, and affordable products.
Rovagnati’s story is spreading across the globe: Canada, Hong Kong, Mexico, and Singapore are some of the new frontiers of the company's growth around the world.
In the same years, Rovagnati's offer is enriched by integrating physical and digital sales channels. From the opening in 2019 of the first proprietary online shop Rovagnati Outlet, to the opening in 2022 of two new premises in the centre of Biassono: the bistrot Rovagnati Officina del Gusto and the physical shop Rovagnati Outlet.
Today:tradition and foresight.
Rovagnati exports to a number of European and non-European countries such as France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland and the USA.
The internationalization process and brand growth strategy are supported by takeovers like Berkel, the world-renowned meat slicer manufacturer.
Fondazione Paolo Rovagnati
The non-profit foundation has the unique objective of social welfare and operates in scientific research, social services, health services and charity.
The Foundation works with public and private, national and foreign institutions pursuing the same goal.
Donate 5x1000 to the Paolo Rovagnati Foundation
Tax code: 94619880159