People of Giacomazzi: Enrico
In this article we will have a chat with Enrico Giacomazzi , currently manager of the company founded in 1968 by his grandfather Giuseppe Giacomazzi.
Before getting into the heart of the interview, let's introduce and introduce our interlocutor.
Who is Enrico Giacomazzi?
Enrico represents the third generation at the helm of the family business , an artisanal bakery and pastry shop in the heart of Parma, which has always championed a strong philosophy of extreme care in the selection of raw materials and artisanal production methods , investing great energy in research and experimentation to create new products that are appreciated by customers.
Giacomazzi SRL is an artisan workshop where tradition, simplicity, and authenticity blend with creativity and resourcefulness, fueled by renewed passion and enthusiasm.
The interview
Enrico, would you like to tell us about your career path at the company and what you do today?
My journey with the company began in September 2004, starting in production and distribution in the bakery, an experience that allowed me to learn the production processes and learn how to organize logistics.
I currently work in the pastry department, organizing the work and always trying to improve and offer new products.
How would you define the last two years for your company?
I'd call the last two years crazy! It's almost impossible to make medium-term business development plans, and you have to be quick to change your strategies and adapt them on the fly.
How has your company responded to the consequences of the pandemic and recent events that have significantly increased the cost of raw materials? What choices have you made to address this challenging situation?
Regarding the pandemic, since we provide essential goods, we have not been subjected to the restrictions others have faced, and we have secured our stores and our staff with the necessary tools to limit the spread of the virus.
Regarding the increase in raw materials and energy costs, we were forced to increase the price of our products, thereby sacrificing our margins to avoid passing the cost surge on to the end consumer. We also optimized production by reducing electricity and gas consumption.
When did your online sales journey begin? Why did you choose to invest in e-commerce?
We embarked on the adventure of online sales at the end of March 2021 : we chose to invest in this channel to expand sales outside our province, both nationally and Europeanly, increasing the value of our company.
The RE-BREAD beer product is certainly something innovative for a bakery/pastry shop. How did this idea come about? Can you tell us a little about the history of this product?
The idea came to me while browsing through a business magazine where an article talked about the possibility of producing beer using stale bread, as the ancient Egyptians had already done.
I got curious and contacted some craft breweries in our area asking if they could produce the product for us.
Once we found the brewery we immediately got to work finding the right amount of bread to use to obtain a quality product… After a few attempts, our RE-BREAD beer was born.
We could say you're a historic, family-run company that's grown and is looking to the future with innovative investments (e.g., e-commerce and re-bread beer), right? Are there any other projects on the horizon?
Exactly, we are a family-run company constantly seeking growth and innovation.
Future projects will focus on converting our stores from traditional bakeries to fully-fledged "Bakeries," offering a service from breakfast to lunch, right through to pre-dinner aperitifs, with the option of consuming our sweet and savory products on-site, served by our staff.
People are the soul of the company: let's get to know them better!
This exchange with Enrico Giacomazzi isn't the only one you'll find on our blog: we have more discussions planned so you can get to know the company's people up close and personal and grasp every aspect of its essence. Don't miss them: stay tuned!
