Perfetti Van Melle celebrates 80 years and pays tribute to its founders and the “bridge gum”

Perfetti Van Melle celebrated 80 years of history with a symbolic gesture for the company and the local area: the inauguration, in the immediate vicinity of the plant in Lainate, of Largo Ambrogio and Egidio Perfetti, a public space dedicated to the two brothers who founded Dolcificio Lombardo right here in 1946.

The naming represents a recognition with strong symbolic value: the founders’ name becomes part of the geography of Lainate, the city where it all began and with which Perfetti Van Melle has built, over eight decades, a bond shaped by people, work, growth and participation in community life.

The “bridge gum”

Over the years, what began as a local enterprise grew to become one of the leading international groups in the confectionery sector. It has been a journey in which innovation, industrial expertise and attention to consumers have accompanied the evolution of the company and its brand portfolio.

And it was precisely with a product launched seventy years ago that one of the most important turning points in this journey began. In 1956, ten years after the company was founded, the Perfetti brothers had the idea of bringing chewing gum to the Italian market, at that time a symbol of American culture. Thus Brooklyn, the famous “bridge gum”, was born, destined to become one of the most iconic products in the history of chewing gum in Italy.

A double anniversary

In 2026, therefore, the two anniversaries came together: 80 years of Perfetti Van Melle and 70 years of Brooklyn, two anniversaries that tell the same story of innovation and connection with people. To celebrate the historic brand’s birthday, during the event on 10 September, a new installation in front of the Lainate plant was also unveiled, inspired by Brooklyn’s distinctive packet and conceived as a tribute to a product that has entered the collective imagination of entire generations.

The comment

“The 80 years of Perfetti Van Melle represent, above all, a story of people, work and the ability to look ahead without forgetting where we started. Lainate is the place where this story began and continues to be a fundamental part of our identity. That is why seeing the name of Ambrogio and Egidio Perfetti today in a public space in the city has a special meaning for us: it is a recognition of our founders, but also of the generations of people who have helped to build this company,” said Corrado Bianchi, Managing Director of Perfetti Van Melle Italia.

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.