Smart Production and Harvesting: Strategic Agreement Between Diagram Group, AOP Romandiola, and Its Member OP Granfrutta Zani

Advanced land management, crop monitoring, weather forecasts, and irrigation—everything needed for sustainable farming will soon be easily accessible through a digital portal.These are some of the key features of the agreement between Diagram Group, Italy’s leading agritech hub, and AOP Romandiola, represented by Granfrutta Zani of Faenza (RA), which has launched a research project funded by the European Union (Reg. EU 2021/2115) to develop an innovative platform dedicated to contributing members.

Granfrutta Zani, specialized in the production of strawberries, apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, apples, pears, persimmons, and kiwis, with a turnover of approximately €112 million in 2023, will offer its members a Member Portal. This digital tool will manage all data related to chemical and quality analysis of soil and products, delivery documentation, agronomic and administrative information, and certification-related content.

Diagram Group’s platform will process this data to provide personalized technical recommendations, helping to make farming more sustainable, particularly in the areas of crop protection, irrigation, and nutrition. Farmers will be able to receive these recommendations directly on their smartphones via a dedicated app.

The agreement stems from the all-around commitment of Granfrutta Zani, an agricultural cooperative and recognized Producer Organization based in Faenza (RA), which manages 2,800 hectares of crops and distributes one million quintals of fruits and vegetables annually. Granfrutta Zani supports its members through its Agronomic-Quality and Certification Technical Office, which also manages harvesting, storage, and packaging of fresh produce.

Roberto Mancini, CEO of Diagram Group, expressed his satisfaction with the agreement:
“We are extremely pleased with this collaboration with AOP Romandiola and Granfrutta Zani. This agreement marks a major step forward in innovation and sustainability within the agricultural sector. Thanks to our portal, members will have access to accurate, real-time information to optimize the management of their crops, improve product quality, and adopt more environmentally friendly farming practices. We firmly believe that technology is key to making agriculture more sustainable and competitive, enabling the conservation of precious resources like water, and reducing the need for treatments. These benefits also result in fewer trips through the fields with agricultural machinery, which in turn helps protect the soil.”

Lorenzo Donati, Technical Manager of AOP Romandiola and Head of Sustainability and Innovation at Granfrutta Zani, stated:
“This collaboration represents a significant step forward for our producer members. Through the Member Portal, we aim to provide our producers with an innovative tool to support the management of their farms and crops, offering strategic agronomic information in real time. Our goal is to ensure, with the support of our technicians, that the technology is applied with the right level of maturity and expertise, so it can truly generate value across the entire supply chain.” He added, “The integration of Diagram Group’s technologies with our experience in the fruit and vegetable sector allows us to improve production efficiency, reduce waste, and promote more sustainable agricultural practices, equipping our producers to face today’s challenges—like climate change and market competitiveness.”

Diagram was established in 2024, following the transformation of Ibf Servizi, a leading group in precision agriculture solutions, after its acquisition by the Nextalia fund. Thanks to a focused M&A strategy and strong commercial development, the company quickly became a leader in Italy and Europe in providing precision agriculture services and developing farm management software.On December 21, 2024, the official signing—subject to the approvals required by Italian and European regulations prior to finalization—was completed between Nextalia and BF, the current shareholders of the Diagram Group, and CDP Equity and Trilantic Europe, who, together with BF as a reinvesting party, will proceed with the acquisition of 100% of the group’s shares.As a leading provider of precision agriculture services, technological solutions, and professional software applications for the agricultural sector, Diagram serves a client portfolio spanning over 3 million hectares in Italy and more than 500,000 hectares internationally. The company employs around 1,000 people, including both staff and collaborators, across multiple locations in Italy and the United Kingdom.

Granfrutta Zani, founded in 1972 and a member of AOP Romandiola, operates five production facilities between Faenza and Ravenna. Its grower members are located throughout Italy, with collection centers in regions including Lazio, Campania, Basilicata, and Calabria, ensuring timely collection and service across the country. With the capacity to distribute one million quintals of fresh fruit and vegetables annually, the company has a major impact on markets across Italy and internationally, reaching Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas with its fresh produce.