On World Bread Day, Oropan opens the doors of its Altamura plant

On the occasion of World Bread Day, celebrated today, Oropan opens the doors of its Altamura plant (Ba) and presents its sustainability report 2025.

At the event “Bread that generates value”, which will bring together representatives of institutions, the business, financial, labour and research sectors, Oropan will also illustrate the results achieved in the final year of its corporate sustainability strategic plan for the three-year period 2023-2025: employment up by 21%, approximately 33,3 million euros invested in research and development, expansion of the production base, digitalisation and energy efficiency, and a 70% reduction in emissions associated with waste management. These figures tell the story of a development model capable of combining competitiveness, care for people and environmental responsibility.

New projects in the local area

The day will also be an opportunity to present new projects dedicated to the community and local area, from the collaboration with the Carabinieri to prevent scams against elderly people, to the partnership with Fondazione Airc in support of research into gastrointestinal tumours, and the latest additions to the range of Forte fresh bread from a certified Iscc Plus sustainable supply chain. Activities also include workshops dedicated to the art of breadmaking, such as “Hands in dough”.

The comment

“On World Bread Day, we want to talk not only about the results achieved by our company, but above all about the value that Oropan’s growth can generate for people, the supply chain and the local area,” comments Lucia Forte, & CEO of Oropan. “Sustainability is an integral part of our business vision and of the choices that guide our development. Investing in innovation, quality, environmental protection and the enhancement of people means building an industrial model capable of competing in international markets, while keeping its roots firmly established and contributing to the growth of the entire ecosystem in which we operate.”

The sustainability report

Among the contents of the event is the presentation of the Bsustainability report 2025, through which Oropan reports on the results achieved and the objectives pursued as part of its sustainability activities. The document will provide a snapshot of the choices made by the company and the directions on which it should continue to work, with particular attention to the supply chain, corporate responsibility and the enhancement of people.

During the three-year period 2023-2025, Oropan allocated approximately 1,3 million euros to research and development, of which 407.000 euros in 2025 alone. During the same period, the company workforce grew from 162 to 196 employees (+21%), with the female presence recording an increase of 162,5%, accompanied by the elimination of female turnover. On the social front, more than 17.000 hours of training were provided during the three-year period, and almost one in two employees received a career advancement.

As part of its investment in research and development, Oropan decided to invest in a new and innovative refrigeration system, which uses special refrigerant gases designed to achieve a reduction in the climate footprint of 90% compared with systems that use more common refrigerant gases. The reduction in environmental impact will affect neither production continuity nor process stability or industrial capacity, which will remain unchanged, ensuring safety during installation and routine maintenance.

On the environmental front too, the results achieved in terms of reducing energy consumption and emissions, and the sustainable management of water resources, raw materials and waste, demonstrate the effectiveness of the measures undertaken: during the three-year period 2023-25, emissions associated with waste management were reduced by 70% and more than 43.000 kg of plastic were removed from primary packaging, helping to reduce the environmental impact of the products.

In this context, the production in Italy of the first fresh bread made from remilled durum wheat semolina 100% from Puglia, sourced from a certified Iscc Plus sustainable supply chain, is joined by new products and new formats of 500 g and 120 g. Consistent with this, the supply of semolina from the Iscc Plus supply chain increased by 85% compared with 2024, confirming the focus on sustainable and certified raw materials.

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.