What Auricchio does

Gennaro Auricchio S.p.A., operating under the Auricchio brand, is a privately held, family-controlled Italian cheese manufacturer founded in 1877 and headquartered in Cremona, Italy. The company produces a full portfolio of traditional Italian cheeses across multiple sub-brands: flagship Auricchio Provolone (Dolce, Piccante, Giovane, Gustoso, Stravecchio) made from Don Gennaro's protected 1877 recipe; Riserva Esclusiva covering premium D.O.P. cheeses (Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano, Asiago); Giovanni Colombo for Gorgonzola, Taleggio, Mascarpone, Ricotta, and Scamorza; Ceccardi for Emilia-Romagna fresh cheeses; Gloria for Sardinian and Sicilian Pecorino; and Locatelli, held exclusively for the US market. The company operates eight production facilities across Italy processing approximately 400 tons of hot milk per day, supported by five photovoltaic parks, eight wastewater treatment plants, and a whey recovery system.

The business model is a hybrid of branded food manufacturing and distribution. Auricchio sells through four parallel channels: (i) proprietary direct-to-consumer e-commerce via shop.auricchio.it and factory outlets in Scandiano and Macomer; (ii) Italian retail chains including Conad, Carrefour, CRAI, Despar, Selex, MD, and Sisa; (iii) international distribution through wholly owned subsidiaries Ambriola in the United States (West Caldwell, NJ) and Hispano Italiana in Spain (Sabadell); and (iv) HoReCa and foodservice supply. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time product sales at retail, wholesale, and direct-to-consumer prices, with pricing not publicly disclosed. The company holds multiple D.O.P./I.G.P. designations and certifications including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, BRC, IFS, HACCP, ClassyFarm, and EquipPlanet.

Auricchio employs approximately 700 people (99% on permanent contracts) and serves retail consumers, HoReCa buyers, and retail distributors in more than 100 countries. It claims the position of world leader in Provolone manufacturing. Ownership rests with the Auricchio family across four generations, with Antonio Auricchio serving as President and holding external leadership roles at AFIDOP and the Gorgonzola D.O.P. Consortium, and Gabriele Sala as CFO since December 2023. The group has grown primarily through bolt-on acquisitions, with the most recent being 3B Latte in November 2022, and completed a corporate rebranding in April 2026.

Name

Auricchio

Legal name

Gennaro Auricchio S.p.A.

Website

https://auricchio.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1877

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Auricchio (Gennaro Auricchio S.p.A.) is a privately held, family-owned Italian cheese manufacturer founded in 1877, producing Provolone, Gorgonzola, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino, and other D.O.P. cheeses across eight Italian facilities and selling to retail consumers, HoReCa, and international distributors in over 100 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Products

NAICS

Cheese Manufacturing (311513)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Pasta Filata Cheese Manufacturing (Mozzarella, Provolone, String Cheese) (AFAHABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ripened Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Semi-Soft, Hard & Blue) (AFAHABAB), Grated, Shredded & Sliced Cheese Manufacturing (Value-Added Cuts) (AFAHABAF), Cheese Byproduct & Waste Stream Processing (Whey Routing, Brine Management) (AFAHABAK)

Keywords

• Italian cheese production
• Provolone manufacturing
• PDO cheese products
• Traditional dairy manufacturing
• Artisan Italian cheese

Headquarters

HQ city

Cremona

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Cheese Product Sales: Direct sale of proprietary and licensed Italian cheese products through retail, wholesale, and direct-to-consumer channels including e-commerce and factory outlets

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Auricchio is a multi-brand Italian cheese manufacturer producing its flagship Provolone (Dolce, Piccante, Giovane, Gustoso, Stravecchio variants) under Don Gennaro's 1877 secret recipe, together with a comprehensive range of traditional Italian cheeses including PDO varieties (Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano, Asiago, Taleggio, Gorgonzola), fresh cheeses (Ricotta, Mascarpone, Scamorza, Caciotte), sheep cheeses (Pecorini stagionati), and goat cheeses (Caprini). Products are sold under six owned brands (Auricchio, Riserva Esclusiva, Giovanni Colombo, Ceccardi, Gloria, Locatelli) through proprietary e-commerce, factory outlets, Italian retail chains, and international subsidiaries.

Product overview

Auricchio is a multi-brand Italian cheese company producing Provolone (its flagship product since 1877) and a comprehensive range of Italian traditional cheeses. The company operates under multiple sub-brands including Auricchio (core Provolone products), Riserva Esclusiva (premium PDO cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano), Giovanni Colombo (Gorgonzola, Taleggio, Mascarpone, Ricotta, Scamorza), Ceccardi (Emilia Romagna specialty cheeses), Gloria (Sicilian/Sardinian sheep cheeses), and Locatelli (US market brand). The portfolio includes stretched curd cheeses (Provolone variants), soft and creamy cheeses (Gorgonzola, Taleggio, Mascarpone), hard and aged cheeses (Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Pecorini), fresh cheeses (Ricotta, Caciotte, Scamorza), and goat cheeses (Caprini). Products are sold through an e-commerce platform (Auricchio E-Shop) and traditional retail channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Auricchio: Main brand for Provolone cheeses including Dolce, Piccante, Giovane, Stravecchio, Gustoso, Auricchietto, and Inforna e Gusta products.
• Riserva Esclusiva
• Giovanni Colombo
• Ceccardi
• Gloria
• Locatelli

Products and services

• Auricchio Provolone (Dolce, Piccante, Giovane, Gustoso, Stravecchio) Flagship Auricchio brand of stretched-curd Provolone cheeses made since 1877 with Don Gennaro's exclusive recipe and Auricchio rennet, available in five variants (Dolce, Piccante, Giovane, Gustoso, Stravecchio) for retail, foodservice, and home-cooking applications.
• Auricchio E-Shop Proprietary online shop at shop.auricchio.it offering the full Auricchio product range directly to consumers with home delivery.
• Caciotte Fresche (Riserva Esclusiva) Fresh soft cheeses under the Riserva Esclusiva line including Auretta, Saracino, Caciotta del Pirata, Novella, Pecorino al Tartufo, and Marzolino, made from cow, sheep, or mixed milk with flavors including truffle, chili pepper, and plain.
• Grana Padano D.O.P. Hard PDO Grana Padano cheese under Riserva Esclusiva, marketed as the world's most sold protected designation of origin cheese with consistent quality and taste.
• Parmigiano Reggiano D.O.P. Artisan PDO Parmigiano Reggiano cheese under Riserva Esclusiva, known for distinctive flavor and aroma and high protein, vitamin, and mineral content.
• Pecorino Romano D.O.P. Prestigious PDO sheep's milk cheese produced in Sardinia under Riserva Esclusiva, available au naturel or with traditional dark coating, used grated or as table cheese.
• Asiago D.O.P. PDO Asiago table cheese aged 5 weeks with marked and irregular eyes, white or straw-colored paste and delicate taste, branded and controlled by Consorzio Tutela Formaggio Asiago.
• Ancoretto Cow's milk cheese aged about 4 months with a strong, intense flavor retaining cow's milk overtones, sold in a distinctive cylindrical shape under Riserva Esclusiva.
• Taleggio D.O.P. Typical soft PDO cheese under the Giovanni Colombo brand with an intense flavor, thin natural pink rind and compact paste with sparse flakes.
• Cremificato Gorgonzola Dolce D.O.P. Exclusive-formula PDO Gorgonzola Dolce under Giovanni Colombo brand, known worldwide for its creamy texture and sweet flavor, with combined soft paste and blue-green mold veining.
• Gorgonzola Piccante D.O.P. PDO blue cheese under the Giovanni Colombo brand with characteristic spicy flavor and crumbly paste with typical mold marbling.
• Quartirolo Lombardo D.O.P. Fresh PDO cow's milk table cheese under Giovanni Colombo with soft texture, sweet flavor with slight sour note, becoming more aromatic as it matures.
• Mascarpone Cream cheese obtained from milk cream processing under Giovanni Colombo, with a creamy, soft, spreadable structure and sweet, delicate taste.
• Ricotta (Giovanni Colombo) Fresh and light whey cheese under Giovanni Colombo, made from whey and cow's milk with a homogeneous appearance, white milk color, and sweet milk flavor.
• Scamorza Stretched curd cheese under Giovanni Colombo, available in white and smoked varieties with ocher exterior, straw-colored interior, and compact, elastic texture.
• Caprini (Goat Cheeses) Goat cheese line including Camembert, Saracino, Collesardo, and Sirbone varieties with flavor profiles that vary by aging period, marketed as natural energy with low cholesterol content.
• Pecorini Stagionati (Aged Sheep Cheeses) Aged sheep milk cheeses under Riserva Esclusiva with strong, assured taste, including PDO and traditional varieties aged from 2 months to over 6 months.
• Ricotta Salata Salted ricotta table cheese under Riserva Esclusiva, also usable grated on pasta, made from sheep's milk whey with a compact texture.
• Auricchietto Sweet lactose-free, preservative-free stretched curd cheese under the Auricchio brand, made from premium quality milk and packaged in protective atmosphere.
• Inforna e Gusta Single-portion recipe of Provolone Dolce in an exclusive terracotta bowl, designed to be warmed and eaten as a winter dish showcasing Auricchio Provolone Dolce.

Quantifiable outcome

• World leader in Provolone manufacturing
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Granarolo: Italy's largest dairy cooperative and a direct multi-brand competitor. Granarolo produces a broad portfolio of Italian cheeses (Parmigiano Reggiano, mozzarella, fresh cheeses) and operates at comparable scale with similar distribution across Italian and international retail — overlapping directly with Auricchio's categories and customer base.
• Zanetti S.p.A. Historic Italian cheese company producing DOP and specialty cheeses including Taleggio, Gorgonzola, and Grana Padano. Zanetti's portfolio, focus on protected-designation cheeses, and multi-decade heritage make it a direct peer in Auricchio's core Italian DOP cheese segments.
• Caseificio Gennari: Specialist Italian Parmigiano Reggiano producer with strong international export presence and direct-to-consumer channels. Highly comparable to Auricchio's Riserva Esclusiva Parmigiano line and the Cascine Emiliane subsidiary, sharing a focus on premium aged Italian cheese exports.
• Igor S.r.l. Leading Italian Gorgonzola DOP specialist, serving as a direct competitor in the same DOP category where Auricchio holds the consortium presidency. Overlaps with the Giovanni Colombo brand and Cremificato Gorgonzola Dolce D.O.P. line.
• Ambrosi S.p.A. Italian specialty cheese maker with a heritage brand and DOP/IGP portfolio including Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, and Provolone. Comparable to Auricchio in product mix, premium positioning, and global export strategy.
• Latteria Soresina: Italian dairy cooperative producing a wide range of cheeses (Provolone, Taleggio, Gorgonzola, Asiago, Parmigiano) with strong export focus. Directly comparable to Auricchio in DOP cheese breadth and Italian heritage positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Parmalat (Lactalis Group): Italian arm of global dairy giant Lactalis, producing milk, mozzarella, and other cheeses at much larger scale. Overlaps with Auricchio in Italian retail cheese (mozzarella, fresh cheeses) but operates as a broad incumbent with extensive private-label and mass-market presence.
• Lactalis Group: World's largest dairy company, owner of Parmalat and many Italian and international cheese brands. Competes with Auricchio across multiple categories globally and represents the dominant private-label and branded incumbent pressure on specialty Italian cheese.
• Bel Group: Global branded cheese company (Laughing Cow, Babybel, Kiri, Boursin) with significant Italian and European operations. Overlaps with Auricchio in processed and specialty cheese categories, though Bel's distribution model and brand portfolio are significantly broader and more international.
• Saputo Inc. Global dairy major with Italian and European operations including specialty and Italian-style cheeses. Comparable in scale and category breadth, and a relevant competitor for Auricchio's international distribution ambitions, particularly in the U.S. through the Ambriola subsidiary.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=F3Zy592GtRA

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Auricchio