Wine, banks, and finance: an increasingly close relationship, with many different nuances

For businesses, including wine companies, banks and finance are becoming increasingly important in one way or another. And they interact with each other in many different ways. With direct financing, for example, or with ad hoc products and services, as reported in two recent news items, one involving Piccini 1882, a historic Tuscan winery operating in many Italian regions, and a pool composed of Intesa Sanpaolo, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (Mps), and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, and, in the other, Terre Cevico, one of the largest cooperatives in Italy and Romagna, and Unicredit.
“Launching new products, opening branches in other countries with possible acquisitions, and providing greater support for activities through artificial intelligence. These are some of the development objectives of Piccini 1882, a historic Tuscan winery operating in many Italian regions, with a widespread distribution network throughout the country and exports to over 90 countries, which has concluded a €36 million financing operation with Intesa Sanpaolo, which also played a coordinating role, together with Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti”, explains a statement. “This transaction”, said President Mario Piccini, “marks the beginning of a new phase: we want to grow more quickly and be leaders in a constantly evolving market”, with Piccini 1882 CEO Davide Profeti emphasizing that the company is “ready to lead the change”.
UniCredit and Terre Cevico, on the other hand, “have signed a supply chain agreement to facilitate access for members of the historic Lugo wine cooperative to the resources made available by the bank to strengthen the development potential of the production chain, supporting investments that are functional to growth”. For this purpose, the two entities explain, “UniCredit provides specialized consulting, training, products, and specific solutions capable of covering liquidity needs throughout the supply chain to support investments aimed at technological adaptation and ESG transition processes. Added to this are the opportunities made available by the bank for companies interested in developing exports”. “The agreement signed with UniCredit”, said Franco Donati, president of Terre Cevico, a first-level cooperative group with 992 members, “is a tool for developing and supporting our supply chain. Without proper financial support, farms, especially those that are growing and have a strong entrepreneurial spirit, cannot evolve, and the less structured ones even risk going out of business. Our supply chain is a fundamental strategic asset that we must help to support and develop with a sense of responsibility. With this agreement, we are giving our members an additional opportunity. A balanced and solid membership base is essential for the future of the Cooperative itself, in a journey that must be undertaken together”. “The agreement signed with Terre Cevico, a historic producer of excellence in Romagna, is an example of our commitment to supporting the wine sector. Thanks to the widespread presence of Agribusiness managers and specialists throughout the territory, we are able to offer tailor-made solutions to the specific needs of agri-food businesses. In this way, we guarantee concrete support to a segment of excellence in Italian manufacturing, continuing to encourage investment and facilitating growth paths that leverage innovation and sustainability”, concluded Andrea Burchi, Regional Manager for Central and Northern Italy at UniCredit.