Private company

Besana

Italian company based in San Gennaro Vesuviano, founded in 19211

The Besana Group is a company that produces, processes and commercialises nuts and dried fruit. It has various production plants in Italy and abroad (over 2,000 in total). Thanks to their strong relationships with the primary food industries, the group achieves a turnover of about €115 million., with 75% of their production being exported from Italy.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1921Founded1

The Besana Group is a company that produces, processes and commercialises nuts and dried fruit. It has various production plants in Italy and abroad (over 2,000 in total).2

The story

In 1921, Emilio Besana and his brother Vincenzo founded "Emilio Besana & Co.", a name which was turned into "Besana Group" 80 years later. The company became a major force within the market place within a short period of time.

In the 1930s the Besana brothers expanded to America and into the Far East. A new plant was built in San Gennaro Vesuviano, which is still the main site of the Besana Group to this day.

Throughout its history the Besana Group has been known to invest in the most up to date equipment available at the time. On top of that, it has always been a major employer within the Campania region.

From the 1950s to the 1960s, Besana Group expanded its product range, starting with almonds from the Italian regions of Apulia and Sicily in the 1950s, then in the early 1960s with Brazil nuts, Pecan nuts, dried fruit, seeds, pistachios, pine kernels, Macadamia nuts, and finally the snack lines.

From the 1970s the company's market share continued to strengthen both nationally and internationally.

1989: Besana UK. Limited opens - to introduce processed products to UK (multiples) and Northern Europe (multiples and processing sector)

1988: partnership with Uno Moc, an organisation for both fresh and processed products

2000: partnership with "Almaverde Bio", a consortium for the promotion, production and sale of organic produce.

Read the full text

2002: partnership with Mediterranean Fruit Company (M.F.C), a consortium promoting the Italian fruit and vegetable sector outside the Italian market.

2003: partnership with "Made in Blu Trading", a consortium promoting Italian high quality produce outside the Italian market.

From Wikipedia’s article on Besana Group, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Timeline

  1. 1921Founded Founded in Naples1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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