IGOR Gorgonzola and the VanDrie Group sign a strategic agreement: “Dolce Vita Proteins” is born, the new company dedicated to the sale of premium whey proteins.

IGOR Gorgonzola , world leader in the production and marketing of Gorgonzola PDO, and the VanDrie Group , a Dutch multinational global leader in the veal sector and a leading operator in dairy ingredients, through its subsidiary Serum Italia, announce the establishment of Dolce Vita Proteins , a new company dedicated to the international marketing of premium protein powders made from Italian whey.

Established on 22 April 2026, the new company was created with the aim of valorising and distributing globally WPC 80 and WPI proteins intended for premium human consumption , produced at the new plant built by IGOR , with an investment of €70 million, located in Cameri in the province of Novara, in the same industrial area as its headquarters.

This new protein powder production plant, owned by IGOR, is one of the most technologically advanced production sites in Italy and among the most advanced in Europe. Designed to the highest standards of efficiency, food safety, and environmental sustainability, it represents a significant industrial investment, combining technological innovation, rigorous quality control, and a circular economy, fully leveraging an excellent raw material.

Through Dolce Vita Proteins, IGOR integrates its production expertise and the distinctive quality of its whey with the consolidated industrial and commercial experience and widespread international presence of the VanDrie Group in the dairy ingredients markets. This creates a highly specialized platform , focused on the premium segments of the global food and nutrition industry .

“With Dolce Vita Proteins, we are taking a strategic step in our family’s growth and industrial diversification journey ,” said Fabio Leonardi , CEO of IGOR. “The Leonardi family has always invested with a long-term vision, focusing on innovation, industrial solidity, and high-profile partnerships. The agreement with the VanDrie Group unites two family businesses that, for generations, have passed down the same shared values, a work ethic, and a long-term entrepreneurial vision .”

“The new company launched with the VanDrie Group, a leading international partner combining industrial expertise and in-depth knowledge of global markets, aims to establish itself as a global benchmark in the premium Italian whey protein segment, offering superior quality, preservative-free products made entirely on stainless steel facilities ,” concludes IGOR’s CEO.

With this transaction, the Van Drie Group strengthens its presence in the high value-added ingredients sector.

“We are proud to launch this collaboration with IGOR Gorgonzola, a recognized expression of Italian agri-food excellence worldwide,” says Herman VanDrie , CEO of the VanDrie Group. “Dolce Vita Proteins is the result of the integration of top-level production capacity and a consolidated global commercial structure . The international market increasingly demands premium, traceable, and sustainable proteins: this new company precisely meets this demand.”

«Thanks to one of the most advanced plants in Europe and to an Italian raw material of extraordinary quality, Dolce Vita Proteins has all the elements to become a strategic partner for the food and nutritional industry on a global level » , says Paulo De Waal, CEO of Serum Italia.

IGOR was assisted, for legal aspects, by the Cantore Law Firm.

The VanDrie Group relied on the advice of EY.

With the creation of Dolce Vita Proteins, IGOR Gorgonzola and the VanDrie Group consolidate a long-term industrial partnership based on innovation, technological excellence, and the creation of sustainable value on international markets.