Fondazione Barilla
Fondazione Barilla is an Italian non-profit foundation (est. 2009, Parma) that researches and disseminates knowledge on food, health, and sustainability through the Food Sustainability Index, free culinary training for disadvantaged youth, public educational campaigns, and EU consortium projects.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersParma, Italy
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Fondazione Barilla does
Fondazione Barilla is an Italian non-profit scientific research foundation established in 2009 (originally as the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition, converted to a foundation in 2014) and headquartered in Parma, Italy. The foundation studies the relationship between food, human health, and environmental sustainability through a multidisciplinary scientific approach, translating research findings into public-facing educational content and programs.
Its core outputs span four interlocking product lines. First, the Food Sustainability Index is a research platform developed since 2016 with Economist Impact that analyzes food systems across 78 countries through 38 indicators and 95 sub-indicators, distributed to policymakers, researchers, and institutions. Second, editorial products include Il Libro del Risparmio (a 2023 publication containing 120 anti-food-waste actions, with a 2025 second edition and a national Grand Tour installation tour) and 100 Food Facts (a 2023 consumer guide). Third, La Scuola di Fondazione Barilla is a free 8-week professional culinary training program for economically disadvantaged youth, delivered through four editions since 2022 with internship placements at partners including Esselunga and Megamark, complemented by the Saranno Cuochi documentary on Rai2. Fourth, the digital education project Noi, il cibo, il nostro Pianeta is distributed to schools in collaboration with Civicamente. The foundation also participates in three EU-funded consortiums (SkillED, Su-Eatable Life, Climate Smart Chefs) and operates an active social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and LinkedIn.
The foundation operates a non-commercial model funded by the Barilla Group family sponsorship (with Guido Barilla as Chairman and Paolo Barilla and Matteo Pauri as Vice-Chairmen) and supplemented by EU grant participation. It has 19 employees and is GDPR-compliant under EU Regulation 679/2016. Strategic advisory input comes from Prof. Riccardo Valentini (2007 Nobel Peace Prize co-recipient via IPCC), Carlo Petrini, and Paolo De Castro. Pricing for end beneficiaries is free across all programs; the business logic is mission-driven awareness and education rather than revenue generation.
Fondazione Barilla firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fondazione Barilla
- Legal name
- Fondazione Barilla
- Website
- https://fondazionebarilla.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Fondazione Barilla is an Italian non-profit foundation (est. 2009, Parma) that researches and disseminates knowledge on food, health, and sustainability through the Food Sustainability Index, free culinary training for disadvantaged youth, public educational campaigns, and EU consortium projects.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fondazione Barilla industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Non-profit food sustainability research and education
- akta.pro primary industry
- Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nutrition & Diet Education (Meal Planning, Macros, Healthy Cooking) (EDAAAHAA), Nutrition & Dietetics Services (EDALAFAH)
Keywords
Where Fondazione Barilla is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Parma
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Fondazione Barilla business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation Activities: Fondazione Barilla is a non-profit scientific research organization established in 2009. The foundation does not operate a traditional revenue model but rather focuses on disseminating knowledge through publications, educational programs, and awareness campaigns funded by the Barilla Group.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Multi-year contract | Free professional culinary training program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Fondazione Barilla product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fondazione Barilla is a non-profit scientific research foundation that studies the relationship between food, health, and the planet and translates findings into educational programs, digital publications, and free professional training. Its offerings include the Food Sustainability Index research platform (covering 78 countries), the Il Libro del Risparmio digital guide with 120 anti-food-waste actions, the La Scuola free culinary training program for disadvantaged youth, and digital educational content for schools.
Product overview
Fondazione Barilla is a non-profit scientific research organization (established 2009) that operates as a think tank and educational foundation focused on the relationship between food, health, and the planet. The organization offers multiple interconnected products and programs: the Food Sustainability Index (research platform analyzing 78 countries' food systems), Il Libro del Risparmio (digital savings guide with 120 anti-waste actions), La Scuola (professional culinary training school for disadvantaged youth), Noi il cibo il nostro Pianeta (digital educational project), Food Facts (science-based advisory publications), video recipe content, and various European research/education projects. These offerings work together to translate scientific research into practical tools for citizens, educators, and food industry professionals to promote conscious food choices and sustainable food systems.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Families can save over €500 per year by preventing food waste
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Fondazione Barilla
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Fondazione Barilla technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Fondazione Barilla partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CivicamentecoreCivicamente is a digital education development company that collaborates with Fondazione Barilla on the Us, Food, Our Planet educational project, providing digital didactics tools for teachers and students.
- Economist ImpactcoreFondazione Barilla collaborates with Economist Impact to develop and publish the Food Sustainability Index, analyzing food systems of 78 countries through environmental, economic, and social indicators. The partnership creates a globally recognized benchmark for food sustainability research.
- Italian Red CrosscoreCollaborates with Fondazione Barilla in selecting young participants for La Scuola, helping identify economically disadvantaged youth who would benefit from free culinary training.
- Community of Sant'EgidiocoreCollaborates with Fondazione Barilla in selecting young participants for La Scuola, focusing on youth from challenging backgrounds who share a passion for cooking.
- EsselungaminorMajor Italian supermarket chain that supports internships by welcoming La Scuola students and employing them within their facilities during the internship phase.
- MegamarkminorItalian retail group that supports internships by welcoming La Scuola students and employing them within their facilities during the internship phase.
- Climate Smart Chefs ConsortiumcoreEuropean project (2021-2024) promoting the transformation of European food systems through educational programs revealing the link between diet, health, and environment.
- Su-Eatable Life ConsortiumcoreEuropean project (2021-2022) addressing sustainable eating and food consumption patterns across European countries.
- SkillED ConsortiumcoreErasmus+ funded project (2020-2023) providing tools, activities, and training programs for educators to teach about food and climate impact relationships in secondary schools.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fondazione Barilla competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EAT Foundation: Global non-profit focused on transforming food systems through science-based targets and the EAT-Lancet Commission. Direct peer given shared focus on food-health-planet research and global policy influence.
- EUFIC (European Food Information Council): Belgium-based non-profit providing science-based food information to consumers and educators across Europe. Direct peer on food science communication and consumer education mission.
- Food Tank: US-based non-profit think tank focused on sustainable agriculture, food policy, and food systems research. Direct peer given shared research-publication-and-advocacy model, though US-based with different geographic focus.
- Slow Food: Italy-headquartered international food sustainability NGO promoting responsible food choices and biodiversity. Direct peer given shared mission, Italy base, and even overlapping leadership (Carlo Petrini sits on Fondazione Barilla's board while leading Slow Food).
- Global Alliance for the Future of Food: International foundation collaborative of foundations working to transform food systems globally. Direct peer in foundation-to-foundation food sustainability research and advocacy, though structured as a coalition rather than single organization.
- Mediterranean Diet Foundation: Spain-based foundation promoting Mediterranean diet principles and scientific research. Direct peer given overlapping mission on Mediterranean diet advocacy and food-health research, though Fondazione Barilla has a broader sustainability scope.
Broad incumbents
- Rockefeller Foundation Food Initiative: Major philanthropic foundation with significant food systems investment focused on equity, regenerative agriculture, and nutrition. Comparable as a large foundation working on food systems transformation, though much larger scale.
- World Resources Institute (WRI): Large global research organization with a substantial Food Program addressing food security, sustainable agriculture, and food loss and waste. Comparable on global food sustainability research scale and policy influence, though WRI operates across many environmental domains.
- World Food Programme (WFP): UN agency addressing global food security and nutrition. Adjacent in food-security mission and nutrition education, but operates at vastly larger scale as an intergovernmental organization rather than an NGO foundation.
Others
- Barilla Group: The world's largest pasta company and primary sponsor of Fondazione Barilla. Not a peer in mission but a closely related for-profit entity whose strategic priorities and family ownership directly drive the foundation's funding and continuity.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Fondazione Barilla social profiles
Digital presenceFondazione Barilla compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Fondazione Barilla financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fondazione Barilla leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Fondazione Barilla funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fondazione Barilla M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fondazione Barilla
What does Fondazione Barilla do?
Fondazione Barilla is a non-profit scientific research foundation that studies the relationship between food, health, and the planet and translates findings into educational programs, digital publications, and free professional training. Its offerings include the Food Sustainability Index research platform (covering 78 countries), the Il Libro del Risparmio digital guide with 120 anti-food-waste actions, the La Scuola free culinary training program for disadvantaged youth, and digital educational content for schools.
Is Fondazione Barilla a public or private company?
Fondazione Barilla is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Fondazione Barilla founded?
Fondazione Barilla was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Fondazione Barilla based?
Fondazione Barilla is headquartered in Parma, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Fondazione Barilla make money?
One revenue line is on record: foundation Activities.
Who are Fondazione Barilla's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EAT Foundation, EUFIC (European Food Information Council), Food Tank, Slow Food, Global Alliance for the Future of Food and Mediterranean Diet Foundation. Broad incumbents are Rockefeller Foundation Food Initiative, World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Food Programme (WFP). Barilla Group is listed as an others.
Does Fondazione Barilla have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fondazione Barilla.
What industry is Fondazione Barilla in?
Fondazione Barilla's product category is Non-profit food sustainability research and education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAKAH, Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs, with a secondary code of EDAAAHAA, Nutrition & Diet Education (Meal Planning, Macros, Healthy Cooking).