Disaronno Owner Illva Saronno Expands Italian Portfolio With Acquisition of Engine Gin
Italian spirits brand Engine Gin has a new owner: Illva Saronno Holding S.p.A. (Photo: Engine Gin)
Italian multinational company Illva Saronno Holding S.p.A. has completed its acquisition of Engine Gin. As reported by Ruetir on Sunday, this strategic move follows the company’s initial investment of 25% in Engine in 2021, coupled with a global distribution pact.
Illva Saronno, owner of iconic Italian liqueur Disaronno, aims to fortify its standing in the gin sector through this acquisition, aligning with its commitment to presenting top-tier products on a global scale.
Engine is an Italian gin brand that was established in 2021 by Paolo Dalla Mora of Dalla Mora & Partners. The brand draws inspiration from 80s nostalgia, incorporating motifs of oil cans, fuel and motorsport fervor. Engine’s unique concept is also reflected in its packaging, as its gin is sold in tin cans rather than traditional glass bottle presentations. Produced in Piedmont, the spirit offers a blend of Sicilian lemon zest, Alta Langa sage, licorice, juniper and damask rose. Read our review of Engine Gin here.
Illva Saronno’s CEO, Aldino Marzorati, expressed delight in assimilating Engine into the firm’s diverse portfolio.
“We are happy to announce the total acquisition of the Engine company which, with a 100% Italian brand, integrates perfectly into our consolidated portfolio,” Marzorati shared, per Ruetir. “The choice to acquire Engine is an integral part of our corporate strategy, which aims to offer excellent products globally.”
“Engine is a company that caters to an international audience, positioning itself with a distinctive product in the gin landscape, and we are excited to bring it to the 160 countries in which we are present. Today it enters the Illva Saronno Holding family, a young company, synonymous with innovation and quality, which we are sure will contribute to strengthening our positioning based on an increasingly differentiated and premium portfolio.”
Meanwhile, Engine’s founder hailed the acquisition as a realization of his entrepreneurial dream, expressing confidence in Illva Saronno’s ability to propel Engine’s unique products to 160 countries.
“For me it’s a dream that has come true, I started as a startupper at forty, after a career as a manager in large companies, from an idea in a garage,” Mora expressed, according to Reutir. “I launched the first can in Italy in May 2019, in April 2021 it became a small successful multinational, present today in over 30 markets. It is the dream of every marketing man to see his strategies consolidated on a global level and it is the dream of every startup entrepreneur to achieve a successful exit.”
“Engine is made by a team that has put passion, vision and fuel into it,” he continues. “I am convinced that the friends of Illva are the best choice to continue the global consolidation of this exceptional work, with a plan that will see it present in 160 countries in a few years. And I am also proud that among the various expressions of interest received, Engine continues its journey in Italian hands.”
“I will be a husband and father, I must give back to the family the time, patience and love they have given me over the years, and from today I will deal with venture capital in the world of food & beverage,” Mora added. “Never was the payoff more fitting: Engine #fuelthedream.”
Illva Saronno plans to uphold global distribution, collaborating with Velier for domestic distribution in Italy.
In September 2023, Illva Saronno purchased a majority stake in Sagamore Spirit, a well-regarded rye whiskey distillery based in Baltimore, Maryland. This acquisition marked the company’s initial foray into the American whiskey space, similar to how the acquisition of Engine represents its entry into the juniper spirits market.
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