Francesco Fattori, CEO of the group: "We confirm ourselves as ambassadors of a modern Made in Italy, ready to seize the opportunities offered by markets with the highest potential, continuing to diversify our proposal of excellence even beyond gelato"
San Clemente - Rimini, 28 July 2025
Casa Optima, an Italian group active in more than 150 countries and owner of eight of the most popular and appreciated brands in the artisanal gelato, high quality confectionery and mixed drinks market, announces its results for the 2024 financial year, which showed revenues increasing to 260 million euros, up 11% compared to the previous year. The performance was underpinned by a strong volume increase and well-rounded growth, in line with the Group's Business Plan.
In FY2024 Casa Optima also strengthened its geographic expansion in international markets, while maintaining a strong industrial presence in Italy and reinforcing its leadership as a global centre of excellence for Made in Italy. Seventy per cent of sales were generated outside Italy, with significant performance achieved both in more mature geographies such as Europe and in emerging geographies such as the Middle East and Asia.
Francesco Fattori, CEO of Casa Optima, emphasises: "The year 2024 has seen our reality expand and consolidate as an international group capable of competing in the most dynamic markets, with an increasingly wide-ranging proposal and a vision oriented towards innovation and responsible growth. All this confirmed us as ambassadors of Italian excellence in the world, thanks to the presence in our perimeter of prestigious and historical brands that represent the authenticity and tradition of our country's craftsmanship, such as Mec3, Pernigotti Maestri Gelatieri Italiani, Giuso and Modecor. We have continued to invest in people, in the global expansion of our brands, and in the quality of our customer relationships. On the strength of a very positive first half of 2025, we are preparing to embark on a new phase of development with the international fund Terlos LLP and the other important new co-investors, ready to seize all the opportunities offered by the markets with the highest potential, while continuing to diversify our offer beyond gelato".
The increasing diversification of the portfolio has enabled the Group to further strengthen its presence in markets not related to gelato, the company's core business, establishing itself as a multi-brand model capable of intercepting new trends in out-of-home consumption. In 2024, the high quality pastry and mixed drinks sectors reached about 30% of the Group's total turnover thanks to the consolidation of the various 'Pastry' brands and the extension of the commercial presence in the beverage sector with the DOuMIX? brand in over 60 countries.
Innovation continues to be a key strategic axis for the Group, with an increasingly global plan reaching a record 11% of total sales 2024. This result confirms the strength and resilience of the development pipeline, capable of anticipating trends and generating ongoing value. At the same time, Casa Optima continued to focus on expanding its organisational structure. In the past financial year, investments in marketing increased by 15% compared to 2023, while the foreign sales network was strengthened with the addition of new sales figures dedicated to development in various foreign markets.
From a financial point of view, strong cash generation enabled the group to successfully complete a EUR 360 million refinancing transaction with Goldman Sachs during the year, aimed at supporting organic and inorganic expansion. Confirming the confidence in the growth path undertaken, an agreement was also signed in May 2025 for the transfer of ownership from Charterhouse Capital Partners to Terlos LLP, an international fund whose partners include Javier Ferrán, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Casa Optima, and the sovereign wealth fund of Abu Dhabi, which will be joined by the Singapore Sovereign Investment Fund (GIC). This transaction marks the beginning of a new strategic phase, aimed at strengthening the Group's competitive positioning and accelerating development opportunities in its key markets.
2024 also saw a strong focus on environmental, social and governance aspects. The group continued to implement its ESG 2030 Roadmap, confirming its goal of achieving carbon neutrality within the decade. Among the most significant projects was the expansion of the Optima Home Forest in collaboration with Treedom, which brought the number of trees planted in 12 countries around the world to 5,500. 100% of the electricity used in the Italian sites is now renewable, while the commitment to diversity, organisational wellbeing and supply chain sustainability continues.