Itala Pilsen and Padua: a love story

Padova - Caffè Pedrocchi

June 27, 2016

Set up on the occasion of the relaunch of Itala Pilsen, a historic Paduan brand, this exhibition traces the stages of the entrepreneurial adventure that local notable Arrigo Olivieri undertook. After the difficult years of the Great War, he began to produce a beer with an authentic character like that of his fellow citizens.

And so Itala Pilsen was born in 1919.
The history of the company and of the Itala Pilsen brand appears to be closely connected to the use of the city’s water resources and its human and economic assets. This journey was reconstructed in a path set up at the historic Caffè Pedrocchi in Padua, a prestigious setting renowned as one of the city’s temples of entertainment and cultural consumption.

The original heart of the factory, built at the end of the 19th century between via Calatafimi and San Fermo, extended to via Borromeo, perfectly fitting into the splendid town made up of noble palaces and historic shops. Beer production continued in the city until 1973, although bottling was moved after a special plant was built in the industrial area in the early 1960s. In 1970, beside that facility, the company’s new owner Birra Peroni built the new factory, which still exists today.
In Padua, production of Itala Pilsen resumes, in its birthplace. Today it represents a manufacturing showpiece in the Veneto region, thanks to its winning combination of innovation and tradition.