Created and launched Altograno, an innovative new food -tech ingredient brand
Securing €80M+ in funding for global expansion, +55% uplift in brand preference, and 5+ signed customer partnerships
The Challenge
Casillo, a European leader in grain milling innovation, had developed a proprietary process to preserve more protein and fiber in flour. The result was a nutritionally superior, sustainable wheat ingredient — but it came without a market category.
The challenge was dual: launch a new B2B2C ingredient brand and simultaneously create a premium wheat segment in an entrenched commodity industry. We needed to de-risk the go-to-market, craft a compelling story of health and taste, and position the new venture for global scale — from Italian pasta giants to US wellness brands
The Approach
To tackle this strategic and creative lift, I led a multidisciplinary team across 5 groups in 3 countries. Our holistic approach combined consumer insight, business strategy, and brand design.
Key actions included:
Ethnographic & Quantitative Research: Engaged over 10,000 consumers across EU and US to identify unmet needs, segment targets, and quantify value perception.
Opportunity Framing: Used JTBD and demand-centric analysis to identify three primary segments most likely to adopt a better-for-you flour.
Brand Platform Development: Defined vision, mission, values, and brand promise to distinguish Altograno from Casillo and anchor the newco.
Name Creation & Testing: Generated 400+ names → shortlisted 3 → tested with 800 participants → selected Altograno based on resonance and recall.
Visual & Verbal Identity: Crafted “The Heart of Wheat” concept and deployed it across the logo, packaging, environments, digital, and trade.
GTM Strategy & Partner Readiness: Enabled commercial rollouts with tier-1 pasta brands, secured co-investment, and developed a launch roadmap
The outcome
Altograno launched as a premium, health-forward flour brand — immediately differentiated in both B2B and consumer channels.
+55% increase in brand preference versus standard offerings
€30M in expansion funding secured
5+ partnerships signed with global pasta and pizza manufacturers
Category-defining strategy now replicated for new verticals
Project Snapshot
Client: Casillo Group
Industry: Food & Agriculture / Consumer Packaged Goods
My Role: Program Manager Principal, Innovation Strategy & Brand Design Lead