Shareholder meetings unanimously approved the merger by incorporation. Producers of the historic Imola cooperative will become part of Agrintesa’s membership base. Employment maintenance for employees guaranteed. Aristide Castellari, president of Agrintesa: “Operation in line with the virtuous aggregation that has always characterized us.”

 

The Extraordinary Shareholders’ Meetings and the Delegates’ Meeting unanimously approved the merger: as of June 1, 2025, Ortolani Cofri, a cooperative already a member of the OP of Apo Conerpo and Conserve Italia, will officially be part of Agrintesa; legally, the merger will be completed in July. This concludes the incorporation of the historic Imola-based organization, founded in 1893 and deeply rooted in the territory, into Agrintesa, a leading national cooperative in the fruit, vegetable and wine sector. More than a hundred producers from Romagna, with a total cadastre of more than 300 hectares of orchards, will become part of the social base of Agrintesa, which will also absorb the employees of the Imola plant.

“As early as last fall,” comments Aristide Castellari, president of Agrintesa, “Ortolani Cofri had expressed its willingness to start a collaboration for the management of the autumn-winter campaign’s productions. From that moment, a discussion began that led, in the following months, to the definition of a shared merger project now fully approved by the members of both cooperatives. Ortolani Cofri’s production base will be part of a structured system that can offer guarantees of continuity, development opportunities and a wide range of production proposals. For Agrintesa, this is an operation in the wake of the virtuous aggregation that is part of our DNA, in line with what we have achieved in recent years, but it means, at the same time, strengthening our presence in the Imola area, welcoming agricultural companies that share our vision and values, with the aim of generating new synergies and creating more and more value for our members’ product.”

 

For Ortolani Cofri, this is a forward-looking choice, matured in a complex production context that has challenged the economic sustainability of the sector. “With this operation,” says Gabriele Cristofori, president of Ortolani Cofri, “we are guaranteeing a future for our social base and our employees; the trend of production in recent years, hit hard by extreme climatic events and new pests, has forced a strategic rethink. With Agrintesa we find a shared history and belonging within Apo Conerpo, solidity, vision and tools to face the challenges of the market and give continuity to a cooperative history of more than 130 years.”

 

On the operational level, integration is already underway: “All employees and members of Ortolani Cofri have been welcomed into Agrintesa,” explains general manager Cristian Moretti. “Employment maintenance has been guaranteed for those who have chosen to continue their path in the cooperative. Our agronomists are already at work with the new members to accompany them in varietal and production diversification projects, with the aim of supporting and encouraging the development of their companies. The Imola plant will be used for conferring and storage, while processing will take place in our specialized centers according to the different species conferred. For us, the entry of Ortolani Cofri represents an important sign of trust and sharing of our cooperative vision, oriented to the centrality of the member, the best valorization of the product and the ability to respond to the market, in the present and in the future.”