Italy: New licenses make Genoa warehouse unique

With its own almost 4,000 square meter warehouse in Genoa, a. hartrodt italiana guarantees its customers enhanced food safety and a more reliable supply chain. This is due to new certifications: "We recently obtained the license to receive EU wine, which is subject to Excise Duty," reports Lorena Figaro, Managing Director of a. hartrodt's Italian subsidiary. The family business also holds HACCP certification in Italy, "allowing us to store food for human consumption," she explains. There is also a license for the storage of pet food, "both of which have been granted by the health authorities".

Two important growth sectors in Italy

Food and pet food are growth sectors in Italy. According to the latest "Food Industry Monitor", the Italian food industry increased from 53 billion euros in 2012 to approximately 90 billion euros in 2023. Pet food exceeded 3 billion euros in 2023 – 13.4 percent more than in the previous year. Cat food accounts for 55.3 percent of the total market, while dog food represents 44.7 percent.

Regulatory requirements, safety standards, complex logistics 

"Handling, storage, as well as transporting pet food and food for human consumption come with specific challenges due to regulatory requirements, safety standards and complex logistics," explains Lorena Figaro. For both product groups, a. hartrodt italiana has separate storage areas in Genoa, including temperature-controlled zones. "Pick & pack and distribution for e-commerce require a high level of precision, especially when many items are involved," she says. In her view, the various licenses make "our warehouse truly unique in the Genoa metropolitan area". The "considerable" amount of bureaucracy effort was "definitely worth it".

In Italy, a. hartrodt is also an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) and holds important licenses for customs-, VAT- and tax warehouses (Magazzino Doganale, Deposito IVA, Deposito Fiscale), also for temporary storage (Temporanea Custodia A3).