Since 1935 (the year of its foundation) Igor Gorgonzola has worked tirelessly to raise the quality of this Italian gastronomic excellence, thus guaranteeing customers from all over the world a unique culinary experience.
Gorgonzola is more and more requested on the Italian tables of the great restaurants but also and above all of the « housewife » of Shanghai, Sidney or New York.
Internet has been a very strong channel of knowledge for fans of the top Italian specialties. Hundreds of videos of great chefs have told and retold historical but also innovative recipes with gorgonzola.
The popularity of this historic Italian cheese and the relative increasing demand for orders from every corner of the world has led to a strong modernization of the sector.
Two key factors have made Igor a leader in the industry in terms of turnover and production excellence, namely the introduction of Industry 4.0, and an expansionist policy through strategic acquisitions.
In 1996, the headquarter was moved to Cameri, in the province of Novara, in a plant equipped with an innovative production plant that allows to produce more than 4 thousand wheels per day.
During the course of its history, Igor has become a strong entrepreneurial group by acquiring two historical artisan dairies, Pal and Clin, and a company, Ballarini, that takes care of the maturing phase.
Igor has not only focused on business acquisitions, but has also invested in the expansion of its headquarters, which after 5 expansions, today occupies a production area of 50 thousand square meters.
A new production plant has also been installed under the banner of Industry 4.0.
Thanks to the new technology, the machinery communicates remotely with the producers who are also able to recognize the type of milk arriving from the 180 farms (between Piedmont and Lombardy). The machines analyze the characteristics of the product that will be used in the most correct way according to the destination. The machines, all connected, are also able to quickly reprogram themselves in order to modify the recipes to be put into production, thus improving productivity, ductility and precision to obtain premium quality.
The company founded by Natale Leonardi in Mezzomerico (a small town in the province of Novara) is now in its third generation and the family administers and remains in charge of the company.
It was Fabio Leonardi (CEO) who recently announced the important acquisition of Si Invernizzi.
An operation strongly desired by the two families Leonardi and Invernizzi at the head of two companies with over 100 years of history each and with a passion for Gorgonzola.
Today Igor produces Gorgonzola with two automatic industrial plants in Cameri and two multi-purpose 3,000 liter artisan plants, Pal in Valsesia and Clin in Cameriano. With the acquisition of Si Invernizzi we will add an artisanal processing with a 700 liter boiler with delicate curd cavitation, unique in the industry.
Manuele Crupi, Legal & Marketing Manager, underlines another factor of the market that the company has been able to seize before the competition from the market becoming undisputed forerunner « Modern consumers are increasingly looking for healthy and genuine products but without neglecting the quality ».
« Hence the decision to propose to the market an organic gorgonzola, Bioagricert certified. Another great success came with the product « Blu di capra Igor », a blue cheese, made with the same production method as gorgonzola, but with 100% Italian goat’s milk. In addition, all of our Gorgonzola is certified NATURALLY LACTOSE-FREE by AILI (ASSOCIAZIONE ITALIANA LATTO-INTOLLERANTI) ».
Crupi emphasizes: « We have also started a SUSTAINABILITY project with several goals already achieved, such as the ISO 50001 certification on energy efficiency and the certification of ANIMAL WELFARE IN FARMING, and many more to be achieved: we are working on a totally compostable packaging with the slogan « SALVIAMO I MARI (SAVE THE SEA) ».
Matteo Donelli
International manager and journalist, he has held the role of president and vice-president of companies in the USA, China and Brazil on behalf of an Italian company. Journalist for Emilian and national newspapers, he is author of the books « Orientarsi in Cina » and « Brazil, storie dell’altro mondo ».