Romana Tamburini is the most representative businesswoman of italian tradition according to EY

Lavezzola (RA), 1 December 2023 –From pasta maker to the first lady of fresh pasta ‘Made in Romagna’ and winner of the “Entrepreneur of the Year” award in the “Italian Tradition” category: Romana Tamburini, president of Surgital Spa, was awarded the prestigious prize by Ernst & Young during the ceremony held in Milan on the evening of November 29 at Palazzo Mezzanotte. For 25 years, the prize has shone a light on business figures who have contributed to the growth of the country through their commitment and creativity.

She was selected among a large number of candidates and what convinced the panel of judges, who voted unanimously, was the story of a woman who has succeeded in combining her love of her country and good food with the ability to generate economic and social value for the company that she founded and for her local area. Romana Tamburini’s story is one of a tenacious businesswoman who successfully overcame traditional conventions and set up a 45-m2 artisan workshop to make tortellini in 1980 in Lavezzola, a small town in the Ravenna area. Here, she put her managerial skills to good use, together with her husband, Edoardo Bacchini, with whom she forged a personal and professional partnership that is still going strong today.

“It is with great pleasure and pride that I receive this award that the EY panel of judges has given to me in recognition of my personal story as a businesswoman which I hope will serve as an incentive for new generations – said Romana Tamburini – and not only that, I think it is particularly important because it honours the Italian tradition, a value on which I founded my company and of which I have always felt like an interpreter, together with my family and all my collaborators. A precious asset that gives us a unique hallmark around the world – one that we are called upon collectively to preserve, protect and maintain while looking to the future.”

Laboratorio Tortellini SRL was set up in 1990, the first industrial site with a production area of 1,000 square metres, followed in 1995 by Surgital, wholly controlled by the Bacchini family. In the space of a few years, it became the first Italian company to produce fresh frozen pasta, thanks to the brilliant intuition she and her husband had of using the most natural method of preservation there is: cold. Unique, cutting-edge technology that has allowed it to enter kitchens around the world and conquer international markets by exporting to 60 countries worldwide.

The award received from EY confirms how Signora Tamburini, a volcano of ideas and initiatives, but also a pragmatic and empathetic person, alongside her company, Surgital, combines what best represents Made in Italy: the culture and roots of a tradition, a common and distinctive heritage, plus a precise and constant drive towards innovation and sustainability, that is essential to guarantee the future for coming generations.