Bertolli
An Italian-origin food brand best known for olive oil, pasta sauces, frozen meals, spreads, and related products.
Last updated August 31, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Bertolli is an Italian-origin food brand whose identity was built around olive oil and later expanded into pasta sauces, frozen meals, spreads, and other prepared foods. The business began in Lucca, Tuscany, in 1865, when Francesco Bertolli and his wife, Caterina, sold wine, cheese, olives, and olive oil. Olive oil eventually became the brand’s defining product and helped make Bertolli one of the best-known Italian food names in international markets. The brand remained under family management for more than a century. In 1972 it was acquired by Alimont, a company associated with the Montedison group. Alimont was subsequently renamed Alivar and later came under Società Meridionale di Elettricità, an Italian state-owned conglomerate. Bertolli was reorganized with other food labels into Cirio Bertolli De Rica. Following the breakup and sale of that group, Unilever acquired Bertolli in 1994 from Fisvi, a financial company involved in the earlier restructuring. Under Unilever, Bertolli became a broader consumer-food platform. In addition to olive oil, the name was used for pasta sauces, frozen meals, and spreads. Unilever later separated the brand’s businesses among different owners and licensees as part of a strategy to dispose of non-core food operations. In 2008, it sold the olive-oil business to Grupo SOS, now Deoleo, for £500 million. The transaction also included several related Italian oil businesses and a production facility in Inveruno, near Milan. In 2012, Unilever sold the Bertolli frozen-food business to ConAgra Foods. In 2014, Mizkan Holdings acquired Unilever’s North American Ragú and Bertolli pasta-sauce operations for US$2.15 billion and obtained the Bertolli trademark, which it licensed to other operators. The brand has since operated as a multi-category, multi-license food label rather than as a single vertically integrated company. Deoleo has been associated with Bertolli olive-oil products, Conagra with frozen meals, Upfield and later Flora Food Group with spreads, and Enrico-Glasbest with certain European pasta-sauce and mayonnaise activities. Mizkan remains the trademark owner. This structure means that product range, manufacturing, packaging, and availability can differ substantially by country. Bertolli is generally positioned around Italian culinary heritage, accessible premium quality, and convenience. Its principal consumer associations are olive oil for cooking and dressing, pasta sauces for home meals, and ready-to-serve frozen dishes. The brand has also faced scrutiny over olive-oil labeling and quality claims. A 2018 settlement concerning the phrase “Imported from Italy” led to changes in labeling, bottle design, testing, harvest-date disclosure, and shelf-life practices. Despite the fragmentation of its ownership and licensing arrangements, Bertolli remains an internationally recognized food brand with roots in Italian olive-oil commerce.
History
Bertolli originated in Lucca, Tuscany, in 1865. Francesco Bertolli and his wife, Caterina, began as food merchants selling wine, cheese, olives, and olive oil. The business developed a strong association with olive oil, eventually turning Bertolli into an internationally recognized brand in the category. Its historical identity is tied to Italian food culture, although products sold under the name have long been manufactured and distributed through different companies and markets. The Bertolli family controlled the company until 1972, when it was acquired by Alimont, part of the Montedison group. Alimont later became Alivar and was subsequently taken over by Società Meridionale di Elettricità, an Italian state-owned conglomerate. SME reorganized Bertolli and other food businesses into the Cirio Bertolli De Rica group. During the breakup of that structure, Fisvi acquired the business, and Unilever purchased Bertolli from Fisvi in 1994. Unilever expanded the use of the Bertolli name beyond olive oil. Pasta sauces, frozen meals, frozen desserts, and spreads became important parts of the portfolio. The brand’s ownership then became increasingly divided. In 2008, Unilever sold the olive-oil operation to Grupo SOS, which later became Deoleo. The deal included the Bertolli olive-oil business, the Italian Maya, Dante, and San Giorgio oil businesses, and a plant at Inveruno in Lombardy. Unilever retained or controlled other Bertolli categories for a period, but later sold or transferred them to separate operators. The frozen-food operation was sold to ConAgra Foods in August 2012. In May 2014, Mizkan Holdings acquired Unilever’s North American pasta-sauce business under the Ragú and Bertolli names for US$2.15 billion. The transaction gave Mizkan ownership of the Bertolli trademark and led to licensing arrangements involving ConAgra, Deoleo, and Unilever. When Unilever spun off its spreads business as Upfield in 2018, Bertolli spread products moved into that company’s portfolio and licensing structure. In 2021, Unilever divested its European Bertolli pasta-sauce and mayonnaise operation and license to Enrico-Glasbest. This history left Bertolli as a global trademark used by multiple food companies rather than a unified producer. Deoleo became associated with the olive-oil business, ConAgra with frozen meals, Upfield and later Flora Food Group with spreads, and Enrico-Glasbest with certain European sauces and mayonnaise products. Mizkan is the trademark owner. Product availability and formulation consequently vary by geography. Bertolli also encountered controversy over olive-oil authenticity and origin labeling. A 2010 University of California, Davis study listed Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil among products whose extra-virgin designation was questioned. In 2018, Deoleo agreed to a US$7 million settlement of claims concerning the “Imported from Italy” wording and the maintenance of extra-virgin quality through packaging and shelf life. The company agreed to restrict the origin claim, use darker bottles, strengthen testing, disclose harvest dates, and shorten best-before periods. The episode contributed to closer public attention to the distinction between Italian branding and the actual origin of olives used in blended oils.
- 2021
European sauces and mayonnaise divested
[1]Unilever transfers its European Bertolli pasta-sauce and mayonnaise business and license to Enrico-Glasbest.
- 2018
Spread business moves to Upfield
[1]The Bertolli spreads business moves to Upfield following Unilever’s spreads spin-off.
- 2018
Olive-oil labeling settlement
[1]Deoleo settles claims concerning Italian-origin wording and extra-virgin quality practices and agrees to packaging and disclosure changes.
- 2014
Mizkan acquires North American sauce operations
[1]Mizkan Holdings acquires Unilever’s North American Bertolli and Ragú pasta-sauce operations and obtains the Bertolli trademark.
- 2012
Frozen-food business sold to ConAgra
[1]ConAgra Foods acquires the Bertolli frozen-food business.
- 2008
Olive-oil business sold to Grupo SOS
[1]Unilever divests the Bertolli olive-oil business and related Italian oil operations to Grupo SOS, later Deoleo.
- 1994
Unilever acquires Bertolli
[1]Unilever purchases the brand from Fisvi after the restructuring of Cirio Bertolli De Rica.
- 1972
Family ownership ends
[1]Alimont, associated with the Montedison group, acquires the Bertolli company.
- 1865
Bertolli is founded in Lucca
[1]Francesco and Caterina Bertolli establish a food-trading business in Lucca, Tuscany, selling produce including olives and olive oil.
Products and positioning
Italian culinary heritage with accessible premium positioning, emphasizing olive oil expertise, everyday cooking, convenience, and broadly distributed packaged foods.
Olive oil
Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The brand’s core category and most enduring association. Bertolli extra-virgin olive oils are marketed for cooking, dressing, and finishing dishes. Product composition and sourcing vary by market, and the category became the subject of scrutiny concerning origin claims and the preservation of extra-virgin quality.
Olive oil
Bertolli Olive Oil
A broader olive-oil range positioned for everyday cooking and food preparation. Depending on the market, the range may include different blends and grades of olive oil distributed through Deoleo or other licensees.
Pasta sauce
Bertolli Pasta Sauces
Jarred and packaged sauces sold under the Bertolli name, extending the brand from cooking oil into complete Italian-style meal preparation. North American sauce operations became part of Mizkan’s business, while European operations later followed a separate licensing and ownership path.
Frozen foods
Bertolli Frozen Meals
Convenience foods sold in categories including Meals for One, Meals for Two, and desserts. The frozen-food business was sold by Unilever to ConAgra Foods in 2012.
Spreads and margarine
Bertolli Spreads
Butter-alternative and spread products using the Bertolli name. The business moved to Upfield after Unilever separated its spreads operation in 2018; Upfield is now known as Flora Food Group.
Condiments
Bertolli Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise products sold under the Bertolli name in selected European markets. Unilever divested the European pasta-sauce and mayonnaise business and license to Enrico-Glasbest in 2021.
Controversies
2018
Settlement over origin and quality representations
Deoleo agreed to a US$7 million settlement resolving claims that Bertolli olive oil was misleadingly described as imported from Italy when olives could originate in several other countries, and that packaging and shelf-life practices could affect extra-virgin quality. The company agreed to restrict the origin wording, use darker bottles, strengthen testing, disclose harvest dates, and shorten best-before periods.
2010
Extra-virgin olive-oil quality study
A University of California, Davis study listed Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil among products whose extra-virgin labeling was questioned based on the study’s testing.
Brand decisions
2021
European sauces and mayonnaise divestmentM&ABackground
Unilever continued to reorganize and divest parts of its European food portfolio.
Action taken
Unilever transferred its European Bertolli pasta-sauce and mayonnaise business and license to Enrico-Glasbest.
Aftermath
European products under the Bertolli name became associated with a further separate operator while Mizkan retained trademark ownership.
2018
Changes to olive-oil labeling and quality controlsStrategyBackground
A class-action case challenged Bertolli’s Italian-origin wording and alleged that packaging and shelf-life practices could compromise extra-virgin quality.
Action taken
Deoleo agreed to remove or restrict the “Imported from Italy” wording, use dark green bottles, apply stricter testing, disclose harvest dates, and shorten best-before periods.
Aftermath
The settlement imposed new labeling and quality-assurance commitments for the affected products.
Settlement amount. US$7 million (2018)
2014
Mizkan acquisition of North American saucesM&ABackground
Unilever agreed to sell its North American pasta-sauce operations, including the Ragú and Bertolli brands.
Action taken
Mizkan Holdings acquired the operations and obtained the Bertolli brand and trademark, with licensing arrangements for other Bertolli businesses.
Aftermath
Bertolli became a trademark owned by Mizkan but used across a network of category-specific licensees.
Transaction value. US$2.15 billion (2014)
2012
Sale of frozen-food operationsM&ABackground
Unilever sold selected Bertolli food categories as it streamlined its portfolio.
Action taken
The Bertolli frozen-food business was sold to ConAgra Foods.
Aftermath
ConAgra became responsible for Bertolli frozen meals and desserts in the relevant markets.
2008
Divestment of the olive-oil businessM&ABackground
Unilever was disposing of food businesses considered outside its core portfolio.
Action taken
Unilever sold the Bertolli olive-oil business and related Italian oil operations to Grupo SOS, later Deoleo.
Aftermath
The olive-oil business became associated with Deoleo, while other Bertolli categories remained with separate owners or licensees.
Transaction value. £500 million (2008)
Recent events
- 2021
Unilever divests European Bertolli pasta-sauce and mayonnaise operations[1]
M&A
Unilever divested its European Bertolli pasta-sauce and mayonnaise business and associated license to Dutch food manufacturer Enrico-Glasbest.
- 2018
Bertolli spread business moves to Upfield[1]
M&A
Following Unilever’s separation of its spreads business into Upfield, Bertolli spread products and associated licensing were managed by the new company.
- 2014
Mizkan acquires North American Bertolli pasta-sauce business[1]
M&A
Mizkan Holdings agreed to acquire Unilever’s North American Ragú and Bertolli pasta-sauce operations for US$2.15 billion, including the Bertolli trademark and related licensing rights.
- 2012
Unilever sells Bertolli frozen-food business to ConAgra Foods[1]
M&A
ConAgra Foods acquired the Bertolli frozen-food business, including frozen meals and desserts sold under the brand.
- 2008
Unilever sells Bertolli olive-oil business to Grupo SOS[1]
M&A
Unilever sold its Bertolli olive-oil business, together with related Italian oil brands and the Inveruno facility, to Grupo SOS, now known as Deoleo.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/bertolli · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled