Giancarlo Fancel, president of Genagricola: finance and agriculture, production and real estate

Today, investments in agriculture and wine are both for business and prestige on the entrepreneurial level, since wine is the sector that boasts one of the largest added values, and in terms of assets, land values are growing rapidly, especially in the most prestigious areas. This is the road that Genagricola, agricultural division of the Generali Group, and the largest Italian agricultural firm, with more than 14.000 hectares of land (8.000 in Italy, the rest in Romania), of which over 900 are vineyards, and 7 cellars in different Regions, has taken. The Generali Group has been investing in agriculture since 1851”, explained the president of Genagricola, Giancarlo Fancel, to WineNews, “including the reclamation of Ca’ Corniani, the largest private one in Italy. Today, there is a change in perspective, characterized by improving this enormous heritage that we have”. Agriculture, Fancel explains, is important for Generali, both from the viewpoint of assets and production, above all, arable land and wine, even though a minor item in the group's turnover (50 million euros for Genagricola, 15 from wine). And, new investments in wine are not excluded. “Let's look at the most suitable areas. We are in Friuli, in Veneto, and in Piedmont, where, though, we are missing Barolo. If the right opportunity comes along, we will evaluate it”.