Italian frozen-food maker Rispo Group is getting a new private-equity owner as Bluegem Capital Partners takes a majority stake.
Bluegem is acquiring the business from Europe Capital Partners in a deal that sees Rispo’s management also invest in the firm with an undisclosed minority interest. Financial terms were not revealed.
The Italian manufacturer makes products including arancini, olive all’ascolana and fiori di zucca for the retail, foodservice and B2B channels.
Bluegem estimates Rispo will generate revenue this year of more than €90m ($100.8m) and deliver EBITDA of around €14m.
Based in Maddaloni, Campania, the business owns the Rispo brand and also the Garbo, Gela and Panificio Villa lines produced at four factories in Italy. It supplies the local market and 15 other countries, employing around 250 people, according to a statement from Bluegem.
The investor added: “Bluegem’s ambition is to build on Rispo’s strong foundations to create a pan-European platform in premium frozen specialities.
“Together with the management team, Bluegem will focus on accelerating international growth, particularly in premium frozen pinsa/focaccia romana, where demand abroad is expanding rapidly, strengthening the commercial organisation, investing in product innovation and pursuing add-on acquisitions in Italy and across Europe.”
Franck Bocquet will continue as Rispo’s CEO, while former Campari and Bacardi executive Paolo Perego will be appointed as chairman. Ibrahim Najafi, Bluegem’s chief transformation officer and former CEO of ice-cream business Froneri, will also support the newly acquired company.
Bocquet said: “We are now well-positioned to accelerate our growth, both in Italy and internationally. Bluegem and Paolo are the ideal partners for this new phase, thanks to their in-depth expertise in food products, their proven track record in establishing international platforms, and their hands-on approach to value creation.”
Bluegem has around €1bn in assets under management and since 2025 has been minority owned by Lagfin, the Luxembourg-based holding company of the Garavoglia family behind spirits giant Campari.
Emilio Di Spiezio Sardo, the CEO of Bluegem, said “food and beverage is a strategic sector for us and Rispo is the ideal platform to execute this strategy”.
Its existing F&B investments include the Big Fernand burger chain, the Lateral Spanish restaurant group and the Nutrimuscle nutrition and sports supplements brand, according to the Bluegem website.
