Lo Crik Crok plant in Pomezia, the historic heart of the historic crisps brand "Either they do Crik or they do Crok“, is on the verge of closing. At almost 75 years since the birth of the company, the production lines are almost at a standstill, working days have been drastically reduced and the extraordinary redundancy fund promised to employees has never been paid. In the silence of the machinery, what remains is the concern of over 90 workers and their families, now without income for months.
The request for a new preventive agreement, the second in less than ten years, presented to the Court of Velletri, represents the last hope to avoid definitive closure. But without timely measures and concrete interventions, Crik Crok risks following the fate of many other Italian excellences overwhelmed by unresolved financial crises.
The unions' complaint: "A human crisis before an industrial one"
The situation in Pomezia is no longer sustainable and the trade unions Fai Cisl, Flai Cgil and Uila Uil have raised the alarm. families involved are exhausted and the workers, many of whom are still in the workforce, do not have received neither salaries nor social safety nets. The organizations speak openly of a social emergency and ask for a change of direction. “It is no longer just a matter of saving jobs but of preventing the disappearance of a productive reality with a strong industrial and social value for the territory” explain the unions. The request is simple: immediate payment of the CIGS (Cassa Integrazione Guadagni Straordinaria) by INPS, recognition of outstanding dues and a credible industrial plan. In the absence of concrete answers, even the symbolic red bag risks disappearing from shelves forever.
A relaunch that never took off
In December 2023, a new industrial plan was presented with triumphal tones in the presence of the Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida and Mayor of Pomezia Veronica Felici. There was talk of foreign markets, innovation and valorization of Made in Italy. But reality soon denied the announcements between financial obstacles, lack of investments and uncertain management and, thus, the relaunch ran aground.
The current president, Francesca Ossani, has thus filed a new request for composition, with the purpose of find an investor capable of guaranteeing production continuity. According to rumours, there would be interest from an Italian food group, but no concrete negotiations have been made official. And time is running out.
A brand symbolizing Made in Italy
Crick Crok it's not just a commercial name, but a piece of Italian pop cultureThe 80s commercial asking “Crik or Crok?” has remained in the collective imagination, as have its iconic products, present for decades at every birthday party and afternoon at the cinema.
Founded in 1949 by Carlo Finestauri with the name Ica Foods, the company was among the first in Italy to produce chips inspired by the American model, introduced by the US military who landed in Anzio. The plant in Pomezia, on the Pontina road, has long represented a example of integrated supply chain from potato processing to the distribution of the finished product.
In the 80s and 90s, Crik Crok dominated the market with snacks that became cult, such as the Puff and heart-shaped chips. After a stint under the multinational United Cookies, returned to the founding family. But already the decline began in the 2000s, due to the drop in consumption and the crisis in traditional distribution.
In 2015, an initial bankruptcy procedure was initiated. Three years later, the business unit was acquired by Francesca Ossani, an entrepreneur also active in the hotel sector, with the aim of relaunching the historic brand.
Innovation rewarded, but not enough
In recent years Crik Crok has focused on innovation to relaunch, introducing gluten-free products, exotic flavours such as lime, ginger or cream & onion and modern packaging in cardboard tubes. Among the most popular innovations, the “handmade” chips with balsamic vinegar, awarded in 2022 as excellence of Made in Italy. The company was present in 25 foreign markets and had over 150 employees, but the attempt at renewal was not enough. The intensification of international competition, the increase in costs and a discontinuous governance have progressively eroded margins and competitiveness. The lack of an industrial partner and the financial imbalances accumulated over the years have brought the crisis to a point of no return.
Crik Crok and a still uncertain fate
The ball is now in the court of the Court of Velletri, called to decide on the admissibility of the preventive settlement. The approval could open a window of opportunity, allowing the entry of new capital and the rescue of the plant. But without employment guarantees and without immediate interventions, the worst-case scenario remains possible.
Only a green light to the plan, accompanied by a credible industrial project, will be able to offer a chance for continuity. Otherwise, Crick Crok, a symbol of Made in Italy food and of a popular and productive Italy, risks ending up in the archives. And with it, a piece of Italian history.
