What Colussi Spa does

Colussi S.p.A. is an Italian family-owned food company founded in 1791 in Venice, currently in its sixth generation of family ownership under Angelo Colussi. The company manufactures and markets traditional Italian biscuits, crackers, and pastries through a portfolio of heritage brands including GranTurchese (iconic frollino biscuit since 1955, with its own dedicated website), Zuppalatte (original dry biscuits since the early 1900s), Oswego, Nic Nac, Gran Variè, Baicoli, and Lingue di Gatto. The company is headquartered in Milan (Via G. Spadolini 5) and operates its primary production facility in Petrignano d'Assisi (Umbria), with production leveraging advanced process control, sensor technology, and artificial vision systems alongside traditional recipes such as stone-milled flour processing and a five-layer dough puffing technique for Zuppalatte.

The business model is straightforward consumer packaged goods (CPG) revenue: one-time sales of branded biscuit and bakery products through traditional Italian retail (supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores) plus direct-to-consumer e-commerce via company-owned websites. Distribution is primarily domestic Italy with some international reach. The company targets broad Italian families and households for breakfast and snacking occasions, with secondary segments for children (Nic Nac) and on-the-go consumers (Sempre con Te line). Pricing is not publicly disclosed but products are sold in standard CPG package sizes (250g-650g).

Colussi emphasizes traditional Italian recipes combined with sustainability commitments: 97% of raw food materials are sourced from Italian-headquartered suppliers (2022), 77% of primary paper packaging is FSC-certified (2024), 99% of packaging is recyclable, 100% of Italian production electricity has been renewable since 2019, and the company was among the first Italian biscuit makers to eliminate palm oil. The company holds a long-standing partnership with Banco Alimentare (since 2017) for food donation, with over 3.5 million servings donated cumulatively as of 2024. Marketing relies on traditional channels including social media (Facebook, Instagram), toll-free consumer service (Numero Verde), WhatsApp support, and promotional contests. The company has no public listing, no disclosed external investors, and no disclosed revenue figures; subsidiary So.Gest.I. S.r.l. handles IT and data management for the group.

Name

Colussi Spa

Legal name

Colussi S.p.A.

Website

https://colussi.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1791

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Colussi S.p.A. is an Italian family-owned food company founded in 1791, manufacturing traditional biscuits, crackers, and pastries under heritage brands like GranTurchese and Zuppalatte, distributed through Italian retail and e-commerce to households nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Packaged Bakery and Biscuits

NAICS

Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing (311821), Cookie, Cracker, and Pasta Manufacturing (31182), Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118)

SIC

Cookies & Crackers (2052), Bakery Products (2050), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Cookies, Biscuits & Crackers Manufacturing (AFAKAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crackers, Biscuits & Grain Snacks Manufacturing (savory biscuits, crispbreads) (AFAKABAH), Pastry, Cakes & Tortes Manufacturing (AFAKAAAB), Cookies, Biscuits & Crackers (CRADABAD)

Keywords

• Italian biscuits manufacturing
• Dry biscuits production
• Crackers and rusk
• Traditional Italian pastries
• Branded packaged bakery

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano Marittima

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Biscuit and bakery product sales: Colussi generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of a wide range of biscuit, cracker, and pastry products through retail distribution channels across Italy and internationally. Product lines include dry biscuits, pastries, crackers, rusk, and specialty items.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Colussi S.p.A. manufactures and sells branded Italian biscuits, crackers, rusk, and traditional pastries through Italian retail and direct e-commerce. Its portfolio spans dry biscuits (GranTurchese, Zuppalatte, Oswego, Nic Nac, Gran Variè), pastries (Baicoli, Lingue di Gatto), crackers and sliced rusks, plus specialty lines (Gran Dispensa, Sempre con Te). Production is concentrated at the Petrignano d'Assisi facility under the family-owned Colussi Group, with recipes emphasizing Italian sourcing, palm-oil-free formulations, and heritage recipes dating back to 1791.

Product overview

Colussi Spa is an Italian food company founded in 1791 in Venice, specializing in biscuits, crackers, and pastries. The company operates as a single-brand portfolio with multiple product lines: GranTurchese (iconic dipping biscuits with dedicated website), Zuppalatte (original dry biscuits since early 1900s), Biscotti Secchi (Oswego, Nic Nac, Gran Variè), Pasticceria (Baicoli, Lingue di Gatto), Gran Dispensa (wholegrain biscuits), Sempre con Te (portable breakfast biscuits), and Crackers Sfogliate e Fette (crackers and sliced biscuits). Products feature Italian ingredients including Italian flour, fresh Italian eggs from cage-free hens, fresh Italian milk, and no palm oil (except Nic Nac and Gran Variè).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GranTurchese: The iconic Colussi frollino biscuit perfect for dunking in milk, launched in 1955. Has its own dedicated website and brand identity at granturchese.it.
• Zuppalatte
• Sempre con Te
• Gran Dispensa
• Oswego

Products and services

• GranTurchese Iconic Colussi frollino biscuit created in 1955, designed specifically for dipping in milk, featuring a distinctive reticulated round shape inspired by a Roman stamp found in Pompeii. Available in Classic, Cocoa & Chocolate, Integral with Chocolate Drops, Zero Added Sugars, Merendaaa with Fresh Cream & White Chocolate, and Merendaaa Cocoa & Chocolate Drops variants. The GranTurchese brand has its own dedicated website at granturchese.it.
• Zuppalatte Original Colussi dry biscuit produced since the early 1900s, with delicate and timeless flavor and a signature five-layer dough puffing process. Available in Classic, Caffè & Cereali, and 3 Spighe (stone-milled buckwheat, millet, and spelt) variants.
• Oswego Classic Italian dry biscuit brand with origins in late 1700s London, originally paired with Oswego Tea, brought to Venice by Giacomo Colussi. Known for slow, careful baking in coal-heated ovens. Available in Classic (with a claimed -35% saturated fats) and Zero Added Sugars (with a claimed -60% saturated fats) variants.
• Nic Nac Fun, crunchy dry biscuits featuring playful characters that animate family breakfasts, designed to appeal to both children and adults through recognizable character branding and kid-friendly formats.
• Gran Variè Assorted dry biscuits combining simplicity with variety for breakfast, packaged in a 650g format with approximately 147 biscuits, with a claimed -40% saturated fats.
• Baicoli Traditional Venetian biscuit specialty originating from 1911 when Angelo Colussi opened his first factory in Venice. The name derives from the Venetian dialect meaning 'small fish'. Made with butter, oat fiber, whole milk powder, and malt barley extract.
• Lingue di Gatto Cat's Tongue biscuits with over 100-year history, inspired by Capostipite Angelo Colussi's trip to France. Made with 6% butter, oat fiber, and egg whites from cage-free hens. Available in 135g format.
• Gran Dispensa Product line featuring authentic recipes made with selected ingredients following Colussi tradition. Includes variants Con Uova e Latte Freschi (with fresh eggs and milk), Con Gocce di Cioccolato (with chocolate chips), Con Farina Integrale (with wholemeal flour), and Con Riso Croccante (with crispy rice).
• Sempre con Te Product line designed for on-the-go breakfast consumption — at home, in the office, or traveling — with simple and good recipes prepared with quality ingredients according to Colussi tradition. Variants include Con Latte e Avena, Con Gocce di Cioccolato, and Integrali con Chicchi di Orzo.
• Crackers Sfogliate e Fette Crackers and sliced biscuits (rusk) product category. Includes Sfogliate Classiche (with 10% extra virgin olive oil), Sfogliate con Erbette dell'Orto (with thyme, marjoram, sage), Fette Classiche, Fette Integrali, Crackers con Sale di Sicilia, Crackers non salati, and Crackers Integrali (with sourdough).
• Zuppalatte 3 Spighe New 2025 variant of the Zuppalatte dry biscuit line featuring stone-milled buckwheat, millet, and spelt flours processed via ancient stone-grinding technique, with a claimed -65% saturated fats compared to the average of best-selling dry biscuits.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of food raw materials sourced from Italian-headquartered companies (2022 data)
• +8 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Banco AlimentarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Since 2017, Colussi Group collaborates with Banco Alimentare (Italian Food Bank) to reduce food waste and support people in difficulty. As of 2024, total donations amount to over 3.5 million servings (1.5 million servings in 2024 alone). Products that cannot be sold commercially but remain fit for human consumption are donated, converted to portions per LARN guidelines defined by the Italian Society of Human Nutrition.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Loacker: Italian/South Tyrolean family-owned wafer and biscuit manufacturer. Closely comparable to Colussi as a heritage Italian biscuit maker with multi-brand portfolio and international distribution.
• Barilla Group: Italy's largest pasta and biscuit manufacturer, owner of the Mulino Bianco, Pan di Stelle, Baiocchi, Pavesi, and Ringo biscuit brands. Directly competes with Colussi across the Italian biscuit category with significantly larger scale and broader international reach.
• Gentilini: Italian biscuit maker founded in 1890, known for shortbread and dry biscuits. Comparable to Colussi as a long-established Italian biscuit manufacturer with traditional recipes and retail distribution.
• Pladis Global (Balconi): Global biscuit company whose Balconi brand is well-established in Italy. Direct competitor in the packaged biscuit category with comparable product formats and retail distribution.
• Vicenzi: Italian family-owned biscuit and pastry maker (Millefoglie, Grisbi, Cioccovenchi). Comparable to Colussi as a heritage Italian biscuit company serving both domestic and international markets with branded products.
• Saiwa (Mondelez International): Italian biscuit brand (Grisbi, Fonzies) owned by Mondelez International. Directly competes with Colussi in the Italian biscuit market through well-established local brands.

Broad incumbents

• Ferrero: Italian family-owned global confectionery giant with significant biscuit operations (Nutella Biscuits, Kinder). Adjacent Italian CPG incumbent with overlapping sweet-biscuit categories and similar heritage-driven brand strategy.
• Nestlé Italia: Italian arm of global CPG leader with biscuit and breakfast cereal products (e.g., Nescau, Fitness). Overlaps with Colussi in Italian breakfast and snacking categories as a broad incumbent.
• Dr. Oetker: German-headquartered baking and dessert company with Italian operations. Comparable as a broad incumbent in packaged baked goods and biscuits, though focused more on baking aids and frozen desserts than pure biscuits.
• Mondelez International: Global confectionery and biscuit giant, parent of Saiwa in Italy. A broad incumbent in the same packaged biscuit category with multinational scale advantages over Colussi.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ColussiGranTurchese.official
• Instagraminstagram.com/colussigranturchese

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Colussi Spa