“There are stories that deserve to be told, stories of dreamers who, starting from nothing and with little means, have created successful entrepreneurial realities.”
1978
1995
2000
2007
2009
2020
Everything started like this
Antonio Albano was twenty-seven years old in 1976, he was a successful sales agent, and sold confectionery products for a listed company. When he talks about his 70s, that nostalgic smile appears on his face, which brings back the pages of the calendar, thus allowing himself a calm memory. 1976 is also the year in which a mole appears on this canvas. Due to an accident, he is forced to leave his job for months. It is from this moment that his life changes direction, the company for which he works does not support him during his absence. He understands that he has to start from scratch; a very hard blow, to the heart, but also to household economies. “I start from scratch” is, in fact, the title of the story of Antonio Albano, the founder of Alba Tramezzini.
THE IDEA
During one of his trips Antonio lands in Milan, he meets a local entrepreneur who packs vacuum-packed toast. He immediately grasps the merit of the project and therefore decides to introduce Milanese products into the Taranto trade. However, the enthusiasm quickly fades: something in the packaging of the toast doesn’t work, the product doesn’t last, it doesn’t store well. After 4-5 months the local market closes its doors, Antonio is back on his knees. The Milanese entrepreneur, partly to repair the damage, calls him to him, invites him to go up to the North to work with him, but his solid roots do not allow him to leave his homeland and he remains in Taranto.
However, he asks the Milanese entrepreneur for a pair of work equipment, he wants to “physically” make the sandwiches and toasts himself. He rents a room of just 60 square meters, puts in a makeshift bench, a small oven, and a slicer.
1978
ALBA TRAMEZZINI IS BORN
Antonio Albano’s stubbornness allows him not to give up but to start again stronger than before. He decides that he would produce those products himself. This is how his dream begins, in a workshop of just 60 m2.
Furthermore, he himself created the first company logo, an “A” in the center of a sun rising in the sea and a seagull next to it. It is the first logo of the “Alba” company. A romantic and far-sighted vision of that dream that began to take shape.
THE 80s
INNOVATION
At the beginning of the 1980s, after starting production, it slowly began to enter important companies and military environments. But the road is still uphill, because Taranto is a difficult city and its business, with this new guise, does not take off.
But the word “surrender” is not part of Antonio Albano’s vocabulary. Through a friend he arrives in Genova and meets an entrepreneur who produces sandwiches. He learns everything he can from him, observes him, listens to him, steals the secrets. Maybe this is the turning point. It was precisely at the beginning of these years that he moved to a 230 square meter space in via Maturi, also in Taranto. It always has its own brand, and now, it also has a new, good, innovative and quality product, the Tramezzino, for which it produces most of the raw materials, from bread to mayonnaise.
1985 – THE TURNING POINT
In addition to being the only one to produce the sandwich in all its components, it is the first in Italy to package it automatically, thus guaranteeing a certified product, which beats the competition. After many climbs and many disappointments, the descent finally begins. And, in fact, the market opens its doors to him. It is the first real sigh of relief, after long nights spent kneading, slicing, making the products and delivering them.
1990
GROWTH AND RECONVERSION
After almost 10 years the company moved to Talsano, a hamlet of Taranto, to a 400m2 premises. It’s the early 90s, the production improves and expands: sandwiches, pizzas, focaccias and tramezzini, all packaged, but with a short shelf life of around 3 days which limits their large-scale distribution.
It was the 1997
The disappearance of compulsory military service deals a heavy blow to Alba Tramezzini, which has become the largest supplier to military environments.
For the first time Antonio thinks about letting go. This is where the eldest son Mimmo comes into play, he is not even twenty years old, but he studies the sector, enters into the specifications of the market and understands that a new experiment must be carried out, the conservation in a protected atmosphere one, to create a product with a longer shelf-life and which gives the possibility of expansion and distribution on new markets. The company starts a reconversion using new innovative technologies that allow the product to be preserved for even more than a month. This will be the extra something that will give the winning boost to his father’s dream.
2000s
NATIONAL REALITY
A NEW ERA BEGINS
As they say – blood will tell – and the stubbornness, intuitive and commercial skills of Mimmo Albano lead Alba Tramezzini to assume national prominence in the production and packaging of tramezzini, sandwiches and ready-made snacks. New expansion, almost 900 m2.
In 2005
Also joining the team is Claudio, Antonio’s younger son, who from that moment will take care of all aspects concerning production and innovation, giving new impetus to the development of the Company.
2007
NEW HEADQUARTERS
In 2007 Alba Tramezzini inaugurated a new headquarters, more modern and technologically advanced. Production takes place in clean rooms, using structural and dynamic systems, in order to avoid any type of contamination.
The longer shelf-life of the products and the new production capacity allow Alba Tramezzini to broaden its distribution horizons.
2009
production increase
Thanks to important investments and the automation of most of the processes, the production capacity becomes approximately 50,000 pieces per production shift. All raw materials such as bread, mayonnaise and finished products are also produced in this new factory.
2013
NEW MICROWAVE PRODUCTS AND QUALITY CERTIFICATIONS
New milestone for the Albano family, the company celebrates its 35th year of activity and precisely on this occasion, a patented line of products to be heated in the microwave in a few seconds is presented in Turin during an important event , the result of 3 years of research and development. During this year the company created a new quality laboratory, obtaining two important international certifications:
– IFS (International Food Standards)
– BRC (British Retail Consortium Global Standard Food)
2014
VENDITALIA AWARD
During Venditalia, the most important showcase at a world level for the automatic vending sector, Alba Tramezzini receives the “Packaging for Vending” award, the first ever in this category thanks to the line of microwaveable sandwiches.
In the same year the company decentralized all its logistics for Italy and abroad to the new Verona platform.
2015
CONTINUOUSLY GROWING
In January 2015, the company acquired the production plants and the brand of the company – Idea Fresco Srl – from Monastier di Treviso, specialized in the production of Venetian sandwiches. 2015 sees Alba Tramezzini as a protagonist also during the Tutto Food Milano trade fair event in the EXPO version, an international showcase and an excellent opportunity for new businesses. A new challenge, just as the creators of this company like, which has been looking ahead for more than 40 years, its business aims at preserving its artisan roots but from an international and innovative perspective.
2017
NEW HORIZONS
2017 marks a new milestone in the history of Alba Tramezzini, the construction of a new factory for the production of breadings and a new 1500m2 factory dedicated exclusively to the production of bread products, which will be inaugurated in 2019.
2024
NEW AWARDS HAVE ARRIVED
During the Marca of Bologna, Alba Tramezzini receives two awards. The ADI Packaging Design Award 2024 for the packaging of the Microwaveable Burger, an award that aims to enhance the quality of the best Italian packaging products.
The other recognition comes from the IPLS – International Private Label Selection for the SandwichPRO selected among the best 5 “Ready-to-eat products and snacks“.
During the Cibus in Parma Alba Tramezzini was awarded again by the Salumi&Consumi Awards 2024 with the “Microwaveable Sandwiches” in the “Best self-service product packaging” category.
TODAY
SYNONYMOUS OF QUALITY
After more than 40 years of history and experience, with the Albano family still as the beating heart of the company, Alba Tramezzini products are distributed throughout the national market and in a large part of the European market countries, in various distribution channels and with various brands . Despite the great variety of products, we continually invest in quality and innovation, trying to anticipate and satisfy new consumption styles.
TOMORROW ?
WE HAVE assurance
Alba Tramezzini believes in the Italian food model that combines superior quality ingredients with simple recipes, offering unique experiences to the five senses. The sense of belonging to the territory, courage and intellectual curiosity inspire our way of being and identify the people with whom we continue to work.