MILAN, Italy – In line with its commitment to being a leading producer, and with the aim of supporting the customers in its portfolio in responding effectively to the need of extending their range, Gruppo Gimoka has announced the acquisition of Univerciok, the long-established producer of out-of-home instant drinks, having its headquarters in Merlino (Lodi, Italy).
This will increase the Group’s business opportunities as its traditional cafeteria offer will be integrated with complementary products in order to meet new consumer trends in a more timely manner, as these are changing rapidly, also due to new trends that appear on the market.
This challenge is faced by all Ho.Re.Ca operators: bars and other catering establishments and, not least, the Group’s private brand customers.
Founded in 1983, Univerciok has always stood out, thanks to its philosophy of implementing high quality standards, achieved through the careful selection of raw materials, stringent control of the entire production chain and constant innovation. Univerciok’s Hot Products range comprises more than 50 chocolate products, a wide menu of ginseng drinks and 24 fine tea blends, in addition to a broad selection of instant flavoured coffees and other instant drinks. Amongst its Cold Products, cold coffee cream, freeze-dried fruit slushies and milk shakes stand out.
Massimo Faravelli, CEO Gruppo Gimoka commented on the operation as follows: “In performing this operation, we primarily took into consideration the need to complement our offer for our key accounts – both branded and private label companies – and their need to extend their ranges. Univerciok’s know-how and products seamlessly integrate with our offer and this will enable us to help our customers seize new market opportunities even more effectively.
Univerciok can rely on the solidity of Gruppo Gimoka, which will provide important resources to boost research and development in terms of structures, instrumentation and industrialisation in order to continue to innovate its offer. The Univerciok network will work independently from Gruppo Gimoka, continuing to follow its current distribution policy that will focus on products which are complementary to coffee consumption in bars”.
Another strength of Gruppo Gimoka is its continuous search for top quality and maximum level of food safety, thanks to careful controls in all the supply chain phases: from defining the project to product development, from the study of sensory profiles to the implementation of the highest quality process standards, achieved through rigorous quality control. Thanks to this philosophy, the Group has recently been awarded a BRC Score AA Grade.
The choice of carrying out an acquisition, rather than collaborating on a simple partnership basis, allows Gruppo Gimoka to bring “Univerciok” on board in a more comprehensive manner, integrating it into its chain control systems, thus ensuring the same high standards of quality and safety, which will be offered to the market.
Another similarity between the two firms and which can now be further enhanced is their focus on organic substances, in implementing “green” practices and fostering sustainability and liability. In fact, in recent years, Univerciok has also developed free-from, Vegan and Green & Organic lines. All the raw materials used in the products of the organic range are certified and produced using methods that have a very low environmental impact, and great attention is paid to safeguarding the systems and natural cycles of the environment.
The acquisition of Univerciok thus strengthens the growth strategy put in place over the years by Gruppo Gimoka, with the aim of expanding its portfolio by integrating brands that are highly innovative in their respective market segments, with a particular focus on sustainable companies.
Gruppo Gimoka
Established at the beginning of the 1980s, thanks to the insight of its founder Ivan Padelli, Gruppo Gimoka has quickly become one of the most renowned coffee roasting companies in Italy, in terms of processed green coffee. The Group controls the entire value chain: from raw material supplies to carrying out the delicate roasting and grinding phases, followed by packaging and encapsulation.
The core business is divided into two business units: a ground and grain coffee unit and a single-pack unit. Thus, the company has developed specific skills, both in terms of technology and manufacturing quality, thanks to which it is now a privileged partner in developing private label projects with leading international firms.
Thanks to the know-how it has acquired over the years and large, ongoing investments in its industrial and distribution segments, Gruppo Gimoka is present in the Professional sector (Ho.Re.Ca., OCS and Vending) and home sectors, with its own brands and through private Italian and international brands.
Univerciok
Univerciok, a renowned chocolate and instant product brand, was established in 1983 as a family business and, over the years, it has continued to grow, making a name for itself as a producer of soluble and semi-finished confectionery product ranges, combining innovative techniques and craft methods with the aim of offering premium quality products.
The raw materials are carefully selected throughout the world and the manufacturing processes are closely monitored and controlled at every stage: the finished product is packaged and distributed only if it meets the company’s rigorous quality standards checked by the quality control department.
Innovation and the ongoing search for new products to offer on the market have always been one of the major strengths of Univerciok, which therefore manages to offer top quality at a competitive price. Several years ago, the company developed a line of syrups “Sublime 1983”, which is greatly appreciated by international operators working in the mixology market segment.
