L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano G iovanni Rana is a prominent I t a l i a n f o o d brand known for its fresh pasta, with a history that dates back to the 1960s. The brand was founded by Giovanni Rana, born in 1937 in Verona: his culinary journey began at a young age, working in his family's bakery, but the turn- ing point came when he rec- ognized a market need for high-quality, fresh pasta and began producing tortellini by hand and selling it door-to- door on his bicycle in the early 1960s. His commitment to using the finest ingredients a n d t r a d i t i o n a l m e t h o d s quickly earned him a loyal customer base: in 1962, he established his first artisanal pasta factory in San Giovanni Lupatoto, a small town near V e r o n a . T h i s m a r k e d t h e beginning of the Giovanni Rana brand, which has since grown into a global leader in the fresh pasta market. G i o v a n n i R a n a o f f e r s a diverse range of products, with a strong emphasis on fresh pasta: the product line includes various types of filled pasta such as tortellini, ravio- li, and agnolotti, as well as unfilled pasta like tagliatelle, fettuccine, and pappardelle. The brand is renowned for the variety of its fillings, which include traditional Italian i n g r e d i e n t s l i k e r i c o t t a , spinach, mushrooms, truffles, and various meats. In addi- tion to pasta, Giovanni Rana h a s e x p a n d e d i t s p r o d u c t offerings to include sauces, ready meals, and meal kits. Giovanni Rana's commit- ment to quality and innova- tion has driven its success in the competitive food market: the brand's fresh pasta prod- ucts are widely available in supermarkets and specialty stores across Italy and inter- nationally, where Giovanni Rana is well-known. World e x p a n s i o n s t a r t e d i n t h e 1990s, when the company first entered the French and German markets, becoming very successful. By the early 2000s, Giovanni Rana had established a significant pres- e n c e a l s o i n t h e U n i t e d States, opening a produc- tion facility in Chicago in 2012 to cater to the North American market. T h e c o m p a n y ' s g l o b a l sales have been bolstered by strategic partnerships with major retail chains and a strong focus on marketing and brand visibility: Giovan- ni Rana's products are now s o l d i n o v e r 5 0 c o u n t r i e s worldwide, with annual sales reaching impressive figures. The brand's ability to adapt i t s o f f e r i n g s t o m e e t t h e tastes and preferences of dif- ferent markets has been a key factor in its international suc- cess, which was based on both quality products and a carefully planned and execut- ed expansion process. I n E u r o p e , G i o v a n n i Rana's fresh pasta products are particularly popular in countries with a strong culi- n a r y t r a d i t i o n , s u c h a s France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The brand has also made significant inroads into Eastern Euro- pean markets, where con- sumers are increasingly seek- ing high-quality, convenient meal solutions. In North America, Gio- vanni Rana has capitalized on the growing demand for pre- mium, fresh pasta products. The brand's Chicago facility has played a crucial role in establishing a foothold in the US market, enabling it to c o m p e t e e f f e c t i v e l y w i t h domestic and international p a s t a b r a n d s . G i o v a n n i R a n a ' s p r o d u c t s a r e n o w available in major grocery c h a i n s s u c h a s W a l m a r t , Kroger, and Whole Foods, as well as specialty food stores. The brand's presence in Asia and the Middle East has also been growing steadily. In these regions, Giovanni Rana has introduced its products through partnerships with local distributors and retail- ers, adapting its marketing strategies to suit local tastes and preferences: undoubted- ly, the brand's emphasis on quality and authenticity has helped it to stand out in these diverse and competitive mar- kets. Giovanni Rana's journey from a small artisanal pasta maker in Verona to a global leader in the fresh pasta mar- ket well represents the spirit of Made in Italy, as well as t h e b r a n d ' s d e d i c a t i o n t o quality, innovation, and tra- dition. By consistently deliv- ering high-quality products and adapting to the needs of consumers around the world, Giovanni Rana has built a strong international presence and has been enjoying con- tinued success in global mar- kets, a factor that under - s c o r e s i t s r e p u t a t i o n a s a purveyor of fine Italian cui- sine, beloved by pasta enthu- siasts everywhere. W e all know t h a t l i f e j a c k e t s are a cru- cial device for water safety, but not many among un may be aware that their origins are ancient and ... Italian. The concept of buoyancy aids can be traced back to ancient times, with one of the earliest accounts involving the Roman scholar and soldier, Pliny the Elder, who docu- mented how Roman soldiers used inflated animal skins to s t a y a f l o a t w h i l e c r o s s i n g rivers, highlighting an early understanding of flotation principles. The Renaissance period b r o u g h t f u r t h e r a d v a n c e - ments, notably through the g e n i u s o f L e o n a r d o d a V i n c i : among his myriad i n v e n t i o n s , L e o n a r d o sketched designs for a buoy- ant vest made of reed tubes, intended to keep a person afloat. While it's unclear if these designs were ever con- structed, Leonardo's work u n d e r s c o r e s t h e e v o l v i n g knowledge of buoyancy and personal flotation devices dur- ing that era. Moving forward to the 18th and 19th centuries, the life jacket saw practical and effec- tive developments: the life buoy, a ring-shaped flotation device, became widely used on s h i p s . H o w e v e r , t h e t r u e transformation came with the creation of the first modern life jacket, often credited to Captain John Ross Ward in the mid-19th century, which utilized cork for buoyancy: cork was lightweight, buoy- ant, and readily available, making it an ideal material for this purpose. T h e e a r l y 2 0 t h c e n t u r y marked significant advance- ments in materials with the i n t r o d u c t i o n o f k a p o k , a fibrous substance derived from the seeds of the kapok tree. Kapok's lightweight, buoyant, and water-resistant properties made it an excellent choice for life jackets. This period also saw standardiza- tion in life jacket designs and regulations mandating their presence on commercial ves- sels. Technological progress in the mid-20th century led to the development of foam- based life jackets, as closed- cell foam provides improved b u o y a n c y , d u r a b i l i t y , a n d comfort. The advent of inflat- able life jackets offered a compact, reliable alternative, combining ease of storage with effective buoyancy. Modern life jackets well represent the importance of ongoing innovation: today, the use of advanced materials, e r g o n o m i c f e a t u r e s , a n d enhanced safety measures, including automatic inflation mechanisms, reflective mate- rials, signaling devices, and i n t e g r a t e d G P S s y s t e m s , improved even further the essential life-saving character- istics those Roman soldiers discovered some two thou- sand years ago. A modern life jacket (Photo: Svetap/Dreamstime) A selection of Giovanni Rana products in a supermarket (Photo: Tanya Keisha/Dreamstime) Did you know that the first life j a c k e t w a s i n v e n t e d b y t h e Romans? Giovanni Rana: from Verona to the world IMPRESA ITALIA MADE IN ITALY TOP BRANDS BUSINESS & ECONOMY

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