Barilla the Most Respected Food Company in the World

NEW YORK - According to a survey by the Reputation Institute for the American business magazine Forbes, Google, Sony and Walt Disney have the best reputation in the world, but in the gastronomic sector, Parma's Barilla takes the top spot.

The survey, which analyzed 600 of the world's largest companies, found that the success of Barilla, Italy's largest pasta maker, was the result of the "positive association it created between its products, its communications and through involving consumers" and this can serve "as a solid platform to ensure its growth and success," Reputation Institute's Kasper Nielsen stated.

"Barilla has over the years built an excellent reputation with Italian families and, as seen in the Global Reputation Pulse 2010 survey, also enjoys an emotional link with families in markets in more developed countries," Nielsen added. Although Barilla took the 19th spot overall, it was the highest- ranked Italian company in terms of ‘good reputation' and the best- rated food company in the world. The survey questioned consumers in 24 countries and in all continents.

Those surveyed rated companies on the quality of products and services, the level of innovation, the quality of working conditions, overall management, financial performance and market leadership. The survey has been awardingItalian firms for the last few years. In fact, last year Italian confectioner Ferrero - makers of chocolate-nut spread Nutella, Ferrero-Rocher chocolates and tic-tac breath mints - was ranked as the world's most reputable company while Barilla was first in 2007.

The Barilla Group was established in 1877 with the opening of a small shop that made fresh pasta and bread. Today, it is one of Italy's most important food companies and a global leader in the pasta market. The firm owns 52 production plants (13 in Italy and 39 abroad) and exports in over 125 countries. It produces more than 2,700,000 tonnes of food annually and has a vast product line.

Also in the top ten this year were, respectively, BMW and Mercedes parent company Daimler, Apple, Nokia, IKEA, Volkswagen and Intel.

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