Bianchi –
The Fifth Generation
An Interview with Luca and Dario Bianchi
Dario Bianchi (left) and Luca Bianchi (right)
Freshest Food: You are now the fifth generation of Bianchi in the company. Did you even have a choice? Or is it not automatic in a family business that the next generation eventually takes over?
Dario: We addressed this topic within the family relatively early, back when we were in high school, and we continued to discuss it throughout our business studies. We always had a choice; our fathers always said we didn’t have to if we didn’t want to. But we are approaching it cautiously, also wanting to see how we both function together when we suddenly spend the entire day together.
FF: Is it not also a burden to take on the legacy of your fathers and grandfathers?
Luca: Of course, on the one hand it is a tremendous opportunity we are receiving here, and on the other hand it is also a tremendous challenge and a great deal of responsibility that comes with this task. I would not call it a burden, but we are aware of the responsibility, and we are extremely excited about what is to come.
FF: You have experienced the company since childhood, then studied business. How do you view Bianchi from the perspective of a business student?
Dario: As a child, I naturally idealized the business, thought everything always ran perfectly, and now that we have joined, there are indeed processes that we would like to modernize at some point. But we were never so naive as to believe that we could now implement the theoretical knowledge and the business models learned during our studies one-to-one.
Luca: There is indeed a significant difference between theory and practice. You enter a company and are immediately thrown into the deep end. You start again at zero. The market is far more competitive than we had imagined, then there is the product know-how—the business degree does not help you much there, or with purchasing, all those parameters—that only comes with experience. We still have a long way to go. But we are naturally excited about that as well.
FF: What fascinates you about the industry?
Dario: It is very fast-paced, very competitive; every customer must be treated in such a way that they are happy to return tomorrow. The price competition is also enormous. You must always stay on the ball, can never rest on your laurels. We do not sell products with a patent or anything that only we offer. This competition impresses me.
Luca: I find food as a product extremely fascinating; it is something we can truly stand behind, something we ourselves enjoy consuming. When I think of our colleagues from university who went into consulting, selling various services there, I find it wonderful that we can sell something tangible, something people need every day.
FF: Now you are also from a generation in which more and more people are vegans. Do you have to constantly apologize to them for selling animal products?
Dario: I enjoy these discussions; I also understand if someone wants to live vegan—that is a decision everyone must make for themselves. Bianchi places great emphasis on sustainability, on species-appropriate husbandry; we are in a position where we can advocate for this.
Luca: We also have many vegetarian products in our range. We naturally embrace this trend, that is clear. At the same time, we only work with producers who adhere to all these current standards. Our customers know and appreciate this as well.
FF: Is the political dimension perhaps greater in this industry than in other industries?
Luca: Food is a very emotional product. Many people are also not sufficiently informed; they think every tuna is on the WWF red list. But there are so many different tuna species, and we truly ensure that we only purchase certified products. Especially in our private circles, we constantly have to provide education. It is a sensitive topic. In our daily business, however, we see that most of our customers understand this, and that they are our customers not least because of this.
FF: What are your personal favorite products from Bianchi?
Luca: I love our dry-aged products; they are truly exceptional. There is a story behind them with our own aging room with the salt wall; you can also develop products yourself here. They look beautiful, are also something for the eye, something for the palate—I am very happy to take them home privately as well.
Dario: I particularly like our Produit Régional line that we have built up, where we operate our own farms in Appenzell together with partners, for example, or our Alpstein poultry, or calves from CO2-neutral breeding. The entire regionalization of production gives me tremendous satisfaction. We can have a very concrete positive influence on societal developments.
FF: That is also an advantage of your generation. You grew up with this awareness. Your grandfathers might not understand that.
Dario: Our fathers are already appropriately aware today as well. But unlike us, they had to learn it first. In the beginning, everyone thought the topic of sustainability and regionality was just a marketing gimmick, that you simply had to do it for that reason. But I believe today everyone sees that it makes sense.
FF: Are there nevertheless products you would like to carry?
Luca: We already have over three thousand products in our range, so it is difficult to name something spontaneously right now.
Dario: A few products come to mind, but they are currently not within our core competency; we would first have to build up the appropriate know-how. But I am thinking, for example, of spices or nuts, where you could trade almonds like on a stock exchange.
Luca: It is also a continuous development. When you see what we have built up in recent years with Italian cheese, for example, where we are now the burrata supplier for almost the entire Switzerland. Or Taleggio, Parmesan, or other Italian cheeses that we import directly—that is a tremendous success. When you see that, it also gives you courage to tackle new ideas. Dario and I currently manage the bakery market and have seen that this segment requires an enormous amount of almonds and nuts. Ideas do come to mind then, perhaps to do something in this area at some point, to build up competency there. But these are currently still thought experiments—that if we already deliver the tuna or salmon, perhaps we could also deliver the nuts.
FF: Each generation also develops the company further. The move to Zufikon, or now the dedicated biodiesel tank that supplies fuel for the vehicle fleet—these are all expansions, also further developments of the philosophy.
Luca: It is certainly not our ambition to simply manage the legacy at some point. We will certainly give thought to what we can contribute at the appropriate time.
Dario: But it is also a question of patience; we do not feel we need to turn everything upside down. First, we must now acquire expertise, learn how everything works. But we are already making one note or another; somehow it is also our task as juniors to have new ideas and bring fresh perspectives.
FF: Now your bosses are simultaneously your fathers. That does not always make it easier. Are there not also conflicts when you discuss your ideas over dinner?
Dario: Of course there are discussions. We are always welcome to contribute. In the end, however, our fathers naturally always decide. But we are happy to challenge them from time to time.
Luca: There are ideas that immediately fall on fertile ground and are then implemented. But there are also ideas where we realize in these discussions that they are not so good after all, and we drop them again. These exchanges with our fathers bring us tremendous value. We learn a great deal every day.
FF: Where do you see Bianchi in the future?
Luca: I believe that socio-demographic development will present a major challenge. Will there always be enough high-quality food for the ever-growing population? Which products will be consumed in the future? How will they be consumed? I believe we will have to address such questions; we must find answers.
Dario: Technology is also changing rapidly. That will also affect delivery, for example. Blockchain is another topic that concerns us.
In the end, however, it is always about customer satisfaction. That is our standard. We want to continue to be the company with the most satisfied customers in the future. Regardless of how the framework conditions change.