'In our industry, there are some brands that, at the end of the day, overwhelm a category' - Disaronno Group CEO Marco Ferrari speaks to Global Drinks Intel - Part I

‘In our industry, there are some brands that, at the end of the day, overwhelm a category’ – Disaronno Group CEO Marco Ferrari speaks to Global Drinks Intel – Part I

Last updated: 06/10/2026 at 4:51 AM

By Olly Wehring

29 June 2026

11 Min Read

‘We’re spending big money for a company our size to acquire brands that haven’t been booming in recent years, because they weren’t a top priority for their previous owner, given their big portfolio.’

At the start of October, Marco Ferrari will celebrate the third anniversary of starting his current role as CEO of Disaronno Group. The company today has changed somewhat from the company he joined, not least in name. Earlier this month, Ferrari (below) sat down with Global Drinks Intel editor Olly Wehring to talk through Disaronno's name change from Illva Saronno, the group's management of its namesake liqueur brand and the perils and pitfalls of working in ice cream.You’ve worked in the alcohol industry for 30 years. What has been your journey?I started with Martini and Rossi, which was pa