Music, culture, innovation and of course- food! It was all part of the international fanfare as the first products by Andriani rolled off the assembly line in London Wednesday. Hundreds of dignitaries from Ontario and Europe were on hand as Italian food producer, Andriana, maker of Felicia brand gluten-free and plant-based products, held the official opening of its first North American production facility, located on Innovation Drive in east London. “Today we are celebrating much more than the opening of a new plant. It’s the beginning of a new chapter,” said Carlo Stocco, Andriani’s Managing Director for North America. The plant is a $55 million investment by the company. It is more than 61,000 square feet in size. And that makes for a lot of pasta, said Andriani President and CEO, Michele Andriani. “If you produce 24 hours, 320 days, per year, etcetera, you can reach a capacity of 14-thousand tonnes of pasta. Just as a number… 14-thousand tonnes,” he exclaimed, while showcasing the Swiss-made machinery that will help produce the food. “And the consumers are changing, looking for quality for sure, and also more nutrients,” said Stocco. Located in the heart of the southern Ontario farm belt, the location gives the company easy access to everything it needs to make its products. The plant gives the company a foothold into the North American Market, but also cement’s London’s position as an agri-food hub. “We’re ready to be aggressive on attracting agri-food and food manufacturers to our city,” declared London Mayor Josh Morgan in his address to the international crowd. “And Andriani just adds another layer of innovation and global quality production,” said Kapil Lakhotia, president and CEO of the London Economic Development Corporation. Among the guests at Wednesday’s opening, Italy’s Ambassador to Canada, Alessandro Cattaneo, who heaped praise on the economic partnership. “How great our ambitions are when we really strive for the best of quality, when we strive for excellence,” said Cattaneo. The company says the plant will employ 40 people by the end of the year.
