Ballarini has existed since 1889 and was curiously born, if I'm not mistaken, for the manufacture of bird cages...what do you think have been, in summary, the really important milestones of the company, the happy insights, the important transformations?
The company was founded in 1889 as a small metal tool workshop by Paolo Ballarini. In 1931 the Ballarini catalog offered 2,000 references including tableware, utensils and cookware. Lhe first and fundamental strategic choice that will indelibly mark the destiny and current success of the company is faced in the 1960s, years in which the company decides to converge all production into only nonstick pans and other utensils. In 1980, the license agreement with Du Pont to supply nonstick coatings was signed. It is safe to say that the technology and innovation that Ballarini has brought to the industry stems from this strategic choice: the nonstick world has allowed the development of robotic, state-of-the-art equipment that would otherwise never have ''entered'' an aluminum processing factory. In other words,Ballarini, on the basis of this conversion of production, in the 1960s, to nonstick pans and cookware only, has reached its present size and technological and innovative achievement. Certainly a 'very important strategic choice was the development of in-house research laboratories, which allowed the company to develop a whole series of bravetti. Mention is made in this regard of the thermopoint that allows significant energy savings and the extension of the life of the nonstick utensil. The company has always believed and invested in human resources, The ownership is family, the organization is managerial, structured in business and profit areas. This has enabled Ballarini to conquer all countries in the world. It is present with its products on all five continents.
Italy: 26%
Germany: 30%
Other E.U.: 25%
U.S.: 5%
Middle East: 2%
Rest of the world: 12%.
Fundamental has been the company's strong belief regarding the brand communication project, the purpose of which is to strengthen its positioning as a modern interpreter of quality cuisine. For example, from this project was born the Circle of Quality, a club formed by gastronomes, chefs, tasters, but also artists, writers, and scientists that organizes exhibitions, events, and meetings for the promotion of culinary culture on a wide scale. Better and better products and thoughts for those who love good food and fine dining. One of the latest steps to complete our production chain was Ballarini's entry into the professional sector. We realized that this sector almost completely lacked innovation and reliable, long-lasting quality to professional nonstick cooking tools. The professional nonstick item has always been a commercialized one; Ballarini, a leader in the application of nonstick coatings, has developed a program of 5 truly professional coatings for the horeca world. It seems a paradox, but the professional nonstick utensils that existed on the market until before Ballarini's entry had significantly inferior performance to the high-end nonstick utensils on the home market. The technology in the application of nonstick has occurred in the home and not in the professional sector; in many other sectors, however, the opposite has been true, that is, the professional segment has always been the driving force for the standard one (e.g., automotive sector).
How did the idea of entering the professional sector come about ? Since you started the Professional line, what has changed in your conception of work, production lines and how has the market responded? Can you tell me today how Ballarini Professionale, a little over three effective years into the business, is positioned in the Italian and international markets? Which countries do you see as those of the future?
The decision to enter the professional sector was dictated by needs to complete and develop our production reality. As anticipated in the final part of the first answer, we filled a hole present in the market: for the first time in the professional sector, real professional coatings are made available to the market, not commercialized but applied by a manufacturer who certifies their quality and controls their application at all stages. This was a major investment, the creation of a real business branch with a production sector and specifically dedicated people. The response of the market was very positive, and in a short time many of the most important interlocutors in the domestic and international market gave us confidence. The countries in which we currently operate with satisfaction are definitely Italy, but we export a lot abroad and the major reference countries are Germany, dope we operate with a dedicated branch, Spain, France, the Netherlands, all Eastern countries, Turkey and soon an important partnership in America will be active.
You have sought the advice of Eugenio Medagliani to refine your production and market positioning, and this attests to the professionalism with which you have decided to approach this market segment. How was your relationship with the "guru" of the subject ? What did you like most about the person and the relationship ?
It is a long time that my family has known Mr. Eugenio, and since the beginning of the professional project we have talked and discussed with him a lot of details and contents that are present in our project today. We can say that thanks to his help we have refined and perfected our project. Eugenio Medagliani is a person who has unlimited cultural background, which he makes available to everyone without any avarice, a typical gift of people of solid substance. The latest collaboration, with Mr. and Mrs. Medagliani, has led to the development of a line with clear nonstick ( Kerastone White), not ceramic (ceramic is not suitable for catering), which has just been launched on the market. With such a clear nonstick, it is possible to better control the cooking degree and color of certain ingredients, such as sauces, butter..... It had long been Mr. Eugenio's insistence on the need d such a coating.
To tell about the whole Ballarini Professionale product catalog, we can refer surfers to the consultation of your site, but what are the professional lines you focus on the most ? What new products and projects ?
All professional lines are important, as a professional kitchen needs more materials and forms of tools. The ballarini professional project has 15 lines, more than 800 items,150 shapes, and 5 types of truly professional nonstick coatings. Surely the most relevant novelty that our project brings to the market is the series of nonstick lines, where we truly provide professionals with an unprecedented wealth of technology and innovation.
Your distributors like RG Commerciale have to propose to the restaurant world a relatively young company, explain its features, its peculiarities, they have to transfer all your knowledge to the end user, but we also know that many restaurateurs rely completely on the retailer, they trust him, his suggestions and his word... To help your distributors optimize their proposal, is there anything you would like to tell the many restaurateurs who read us ? When a chef, especially a young chef, picks up a pot, pan, casserole or saucepan, what is the first thing he or she must observe to understand the quality of the product in front of him or her?
Certainly a key role is played by the communication that Ballarini makes available to its partners. You need to collaborate with your customers, organize events to make them know and try the product. Ours is an industry where the difference and quality can be touched by trying the tool. Advice to buyers? Buy cooking tools that are really produced by manufacturing plants, which certify their quality control at all stages of the production chain. Definitely pay attention to the country of production of the product; "made in Italy" is definitely a guarantee of greater reliability.
Do you believe in the future of the barchef profession ? Of a place that began as a bar that seeks a transformation and an adjustment to retain a midday audience that does not want to feed only on sandwiches? To all bar operators who wish to offer something more to their customers, without making an excessive financial commitment to transforming their premises and unable to create a true kitchen service, what do you recommend?
The habits of households have changed. We know the reasons for this. Family members spend most of their time away from home for work reasons, related to schedules and distances. Not least is the change inherent in the new role of women in today's society. Hence the rise in importance of this new service entity that is aptly named the "BarChef trade." Today the "classic" bar is changing its role, and this phenomenon is particularly evident in large urban centers. People are no longer satisfied with the classic sandwich but want, even if in a limited period of time, a more satisfying and, I would say, healthy service. It is therefore because of the evolution of this situation, our particular attention to the "Barchef" in which we see a new possible figure of the end customer, very important, and which will certainly have a greater and increasingly organized future development. We very much believe in this evolution and therefore, hence, our work accordingly aimed at providing the new entity "BarChef" with all those tools necessary to provide an increasingly qualified service to the citizen
For more information:
www.ballarini.it
Interview by Monica Palla
