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INTERVIEW

EM: What is the challenge for the future?
CG: As for any company, growth is a necessary
objective—almost a destiny that we hope to achieve for
the benefit of the families whose livelihoods depend on
this business, as well as our stakeholders and partners.
But it must be sound, healthy and sustainable growth,
capable of providing security for everyone who is part of
our company. The human factor remains fundamental
and, in my opinion, can never be replaced by artificial
intelligence or technology. Technology must serve to
facilitate people’s work, improving its quality and speed.
Given the size Forma Italiana has reached, I also believe
the time has come to further structure our organisation.
In the near future, we will also appoint an HR Director, a
role that I now consider essential to support our growth.

EM: A question for a market expert: what weight
does “Made in Italy” carry today, at a time when
foreign competition is becoming increasingly fierce?
CG: Italy still has an extremely strong appeal for
consumers around the world. The Italian lifestyle
fascinates anyone who visits our country and comes into
contact with a world in which beauty, good taste and
culture are expressed through a savoir-faire capable of
creating products of excellence—from design to food
and, naturally, beauty as well. However, this does not
mean that we can rest on our laurels. In my opinion, we
We carefully analysed the market and identified a should support and protect our brands more effectively,
significant change in consumer habits. Especially in so that Made in Italy can establish itself even more
the post-Covid period, the average consumer has strongly in international markets. Perhaps we should
become much more price-conscious and less willing to look more closely at the example of our well-known
pay an unjustified premium. When we were contacted French cousins, who have always been very effective at
by the manufacturers of AHAVA, we were particularly promoting and protecting their own brands.
impressed by two aspects. The first is quality, also linked
to the production site located by the Dead Sea, where EM: Is small beautiful?
the local salts and water are used—elements that have Or perhaps a little less beautiful?
always characterised the brand. The second is the price- CG: Based on our experience, where growth began
to-quality ratio. A product does not necessarily have to with a company that still had family-run and artisanal
be very expensive to be perceived as valuable and to characteristics, I would say that today small is no
achieve a strong market positioning. AHAVA has already longer necessarily beautiful. The market has become
been successfully present in Italy for approximately ten too complex and competitive. There is no longer room
years through the major drugstore chain Tigotà, and for intermediaries or structures that are unable to
from September 2026 it will be distributed by Forma guarantee efficiency and speed. Today, the winners
Italiana. In agreement with the brand, in addition to are those capable of competing with major players,
maintaining its presence in the existing chain, we will supported by an adequate structure, expertise,
develop a selective distribution strategy through several technology and, above all, high-level performance.
perfumery chains, with a commercial policy designed Size, therefore, is not a value in itself. But when the
to compete in the entry-level segment. The retail price market demands speed, investment and increasingly
is now a fundamental lever, even when dealing with a sophisticated services, having an adequate structure
well-known and highly regarded brand such as AHAVA. becomes an essential condition for competing.
Claudia Stagno
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