Crosta & Mollica has agreed to merge with the European Pizza Group (EPG) in a transaction that creates a combined continental pizza manufacturer generating €1 billion in retail sales.
The transaction brings London-headquartered Crosta & Mollica, a fast-growing UK brand in premium supermarket pizza, together with EPG, the pan-European frozen pizza group formed in 2023 through a joint venture between Nestlé and private equity firm PAI Partners.
The combined entity will retain backing from the existing institutional shareholders of both businesses, including PAI Partners, European private equity firm Perwyn, Nestlé, and the companies' operating management teams.
The agreement follows several months of market speculation regarding an outright sale of Crosta & Mollica by majority owner Perwyn, which had drawn interest from competing trade buyers before the parties concluded an ownership-sharing merger structure.
Executive Leadership and Operating Structure
Under the terms of the merger, both businesses will maintain their existing operating models in the short term, functioning as standalone trading companies while pooling group-level scale.
David Milner, the current Executive Chairman of Crosta & Mollica, will step into the role of Group Chief Executive Officer of the combined entity.
Day-to-day operational leadership across each business unit remains unchanged:
Crosta & Mollica: Tom Sirett will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer, overseeing UK commercial operations and regional export distribution.
European Pizza Group: Matthias Casanova will continue in his role as Chief Executive Officer, managing continental manufacturing hubs and European retail partnerships.
"Wagner and Buitoni are strong brands with excellent positions across Europe. Bringing them together with Crosta & Mollica creates a highly complementary portfolio," said Group CEO David Milner.
"Our focus will be on building on the strengths of each business while using the scale and capabilities of the combined group to accelerate growth. We have outstanding brands, talented people, and a strong platform from which to take the business forward."
Commercial and UK Market Share
The merger follows a period of rapid retail expansion for Crosta & Mollica across the UK grocery sector.
Since Milner and Sirett joined the business in January 2024, the brand's retail sales have expanded threefold, rising from €90 million to €270 million. The growth trajectory established the brand as the second-largest pizza brand in the UK, culminating in its recognition as 2026 Food Brand of the Year by The Grocer.
Company filings for the year ending June 2025 showed turnover reached £67.6 million, up from £49.2 million in the prior period, alongside an operating profit increase to £7.6 million. While sourdough pizzas represent the commercial volume driver for the business, its portfolio spans ambient and chilled Italian categories, including flatbreads, pasta, pasta sauces, garlic breads, frozen desserts, and biscuits.
Industrial Capabilities and Footprint
For European Pizza Group, the merger expands its brand portfolio into the fast-growing chilled premium segment while leveraging the industrial footprint established when Nestlé carved out its European pizza division into a standalone partnership with PAI Partners in September 2023.
EPG manages two core continental household labels, Wagner and Buitoni, holding established retail presences across ten European markets, including Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, and Portugal. The group supports its continental distribution through dedicated manufacturing and dough-processing facilities in Italy and Germany.
Crosta & Mollica, which utilises certified Italian co-manufacturing partners to supply its "Made in Italy" production lines, will gain direct access to EPG’s pan-European route-to-market channels, accelerating its export penetration into mainland European supermarket chains where UK products currently account for approximately 20% of branded sales.
The consolidation lands amid structural shifts across European food consumption. As dining-out and home delivery costs have climbed, European consumers have increasingly turned to premium, restaurant-quality supermarket chilled and frozen foods as a cost-effective substitute for takeaway pizza.
By uniting mass-market frozen coverage through Wagner and Buitoni with the artisanal chilled positioning of Crosta & Mollica, the merged group secures a broad price-tier presence across European retail grocery cabinets.
.png)
