January 3rd- The Italy-based Della Toffola Group, a well-known leading designer and manufacturer of processing equipment and complete line solutions for wine and beverages, has appointed Antonino Li Brizzi as the new CEO for their North American branch, Della Toffola USA.
In naming Antonino Li Brizzi as CEO, the Group brings a youthful visionary to Della Toffola USA and his passion for meeting customers, listening to their needs and translating them into solutions that help build their profitability. Li Brizzi’s experience in sustainability, innovation and service for the food and beverage industry will be instrumental in making Della Toffola USA the go-to solution for small and large wine and spirits producers.
Prior to Della Toffola, Li Brizzi’s broad background as entrepreneur, certified project manager and product development expert led him to Tetra Pak, a world leader in food processing and packaging solutions. Eight years ago, it also led him to the US when he assumed responsibility for Tetra Pak’s International and North American sales in the food and beverage industry, across many product categories including wine and spirits.
“When I was offered the opportunity to live and work in the United States, I never imagined it would become my home,” says Li Brizzi, who became a US citizen this year. “I like the business culture in this country, the importance given to relationship and trust, and how open-minded American producers and consumers are toward innovation at every level. I see innovation and entrepreneurship in so many beverage start-ups in the US—countless new products and brands all aiming to deliver new experiences to consumers through healthier and more sustainable products, from low- and no-alcohol wine to crafted spirits and RTD canned cocktails.”
Li Brizzi joined Della Toffola USA as the Managing Director for North America, which includes the US, Canada and Central America, operating from his offices in Santa Rosa, California and Mexico City. After nine months of immersing himself in the company’s business before taking the reins as CEO, Li Brizzi embraces the opportunity to offer Della Toffola’s clients its comprehensive equipment portfolio and to build a local service-oriented culture.
“It’s a great challenge, and what’s happening with our company offers so much opportunity for our clients and our employees,” says Li Brizzi. “I want to foster an organization of people who share strong core values. Loyalty, transparency and treating our colleagues and customers as you would treat your family—these are the things that matter. As we move from an equipment provider to a solution provider, we will hold to these values in all our relationships.”
As has been true in the past, Della Toffola USA’s future will remain rooted in its partnerships with wineries in California and throughout North America. Li Brizzi places great value on relationships, especially with those he considers part of his new family. Growing up in Sicily, surrounded by family and the Italian love of food and wine, placed family and community at the center of his worldview. It was perhaps inevitable that this rich blend of community and culinary would lead him to the US wine industry, where relationships lie at its heart, and its products grace the tables of so many gatherings of friends and family.
“I feel I’m stepping into a new family – the wine industry,” says Li Brizzi, “I’m still meeting our clients for the first time and letting them know that our goal is to work even more closely with them in the future.”
ABOUT DELLA TOFFOLA GROUP
Founded in 1958, the Della Toffola Group is a world leader in the designing and manufacturing of machines and automated lines across a range of beverage sectors. The group is active in bottling, water treatment and packaging systems, as well as in the alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage markets including water and dairy products. Della Toffola Group is headquartered in Trevignano, Italy, operates 12 production plants and 8 commercial branches in the most renowned global wine regions such as France, Spain, UK, Romania, USA, Australia, Argentina, Chile and Mexico. Della Toffola Group has 1,000 employees, and its products are distributed throughout the world, with approximately 80% of sales achieved internationally. In September 2020, Della Toffola Group was acquired by an investment subsidiary of Investindustrial VII L.P. (“Investindustrial”). Thanks to the investment from Investindustrial, Della Toffola Group is expanding both organically as well as through add-on acquisitions (6 completed since 2021), maintaining its strong local roots and strengthening its positioning in existing markets, while also entering new business segments as well as expanding its local manufacturing presence into geographies with high potential.
Some of Della Toffola Group’s most recent acquisitions include Frilli, a leader in distillation machinery and plants; Bertolaso, a leading brand in automated bottling systems andApe Impianti, known for its high-quality end-of-line machinery and packaging systems for wine & spirits. The merging of these companies under the Della Toffola Group umbrella deepens the end-to-end solution the Della Toffola USA team can offer their wine and spirits customers across North America, from filtration to bottling and packaging. It also enables the company to increase its focus on providing comprehensive local service to all aspects of its customers’ machines and systems.
