History

Cereal Docks acquires a 70% stake in Quality Corn Group, a Spanish group and a European leader in corn processing for the food industry. Through this transaction, Cereal Docks strengthens its production and commercial platform dedicated to corn, a strategic gluten-free cereal. The company specializes in corn selection, storage, and milling, offering a broad product portfolio that includes pre-cooked, raw, and nixtamalized corn flours for the bakery, snack, and brewing markets, popcorn kernels, as well as toasted corn for crunchy snacks and specific varieties for tortillas, nachos, and Tex-Mex products.

At Porto Marghera, the new underground pipeline connecting the production plant on Via Banchina Molini directly to the coastal storage facility on Via Righi becomes operational. The 3.1 km-long infrastructure eliminates more than 10,000 road transports per year, reducing CO₂ emissions by approximately 28 tonnes annually. The project significantly improves the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of the Group’s logistics at the Port of Venice’s main agro-industrial hub, strengthening its strategic role for agri-food supply chains.

Cereal Docks announces the acquisition of Prista Commerce, a Bulgarian company active in sunflower seed processing. The transaction strengthens the Group’s international presence and forms part of the 2025–2027 Industrial Plan, aimed at expanding the range of ingredients for the food industry and supporting growth in international markets. Prista Commerce operates a plant in Ruse, in the Danube Plain, and specializes in the processing of dehulled sunflower seeds for the production of protein flours and hulled sunflower seeds for a wide range of food applications.

Cereal Docks inaugurates a new district heating plant in Camisano Vicentino, powered by a high-efficiency thermal plant integrated into the production facility. The 1.7 km network, with a capacity of 1.7 MW, supplies heat to public and community facilities in the area—including a nursing home, kindergarten, primary school, church, and the Casa del Sogno community—ensuring average tariff savings of around 30%. The project represents a concrete model of synergy between industry and the local community and reinforces the Group’s path toward energy self-sufficiency, sustainability, and public benefit.

Cereal Docks launches the institutional campaign “Gli Ingredienti” to celebrate the company’s first 40 years. The campaign highlights what lies “behind” many food and pet food products: care, safety, quality, sustainability, and guaranteed traceability, all stemming from strong relationships with the agricultural world, the expertise of Cereal Docks agronomists, and other key players in the supply chain. Cereal Docks is, in fact, the safe and traceable ingredient behind many of the products we consume every day.

The Cereal Docks Group celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2023 with three special events dedicated to colleagues, customers, and institutions to commemorate this significant milestone and reflect on the upcoming challenges facing the Italian agri-food system. The three-day event, titled “The Ingredients that Fuel Our Future,” was held in the beautiful setting of the H-Farm Campus, a unique space for sharing and collaboration among students, professionals, and entrepreneurs, and particularly a hub for nurturing young talent.

Cereal Docks Group becomes a purpose-driven company, turning into a Benefit Corporation. The new brand identity is presented as is the rebranding of two business units: Aethera Biotech (formerly Dembitoech) and Nateeo (formerly Cereal Docks Food).
Acquisition of the Cereal Docks Organic facility of Roverchiara (VR) is completed and the new logistic hub in via dell’Innovazione in Camisano Vicentino becomes operational.

In the pandemic year, the Group consolidates its leadership in the processing of oily seeds, cereal trading, and in the market of high added value ingredients.

Cereal Docks Spa purchases an industrial area in Summaga di Portogruaro, strengthening the role of Portogruaro as a strategic, Group logistics hub.
Mantegna Academy, the Group’s business school, launches the Carta Bianca (art in the company) project and the Campus project for students doing their Master’s thesis in the company.
Cereal Docks Organic starts managing the Roverchiara (Verona) facility, using it to produce oil and organic oil-cakes, textured vegetable protein and micronised flours for food.

35th anniversary: the new headquarters of the Cereal Docks Group is inaugurated in via dell’Innovazione in Camisano Vicentino and Cereal Docks Group Lab becomes operational. Cereal Docks is an industrial partner, with Amadori and Finiper Group, of FoodForward, an acceleration program for innovative projects and start-ups in the food and retail sectors, coordinated by Deloitte.