Crosta Mollica will merge with the Nestlé-backed European Pizza Group (EPG) to form a €1bn (£900m) pizza giant.
After months of speculation over a sale of Crosta Mollica by its private equity owners, the rapidly growing challenger brand said it would instead merge with EPG in a partnership retaining both companies’ ownership.
EPG faced down competition from rival bidders thought to include Premier Foods to complete the merger.
Crosta Mollica chairman David Milner will become group CEO for the combined entity, while the CEOs of Crosta Mollica and EPG – Tom Sirett and Matthias Casanova respectively – will continue in their roles.
Both companies will operate as standalone businesses for the immediate future, with EPG focusing on the production of its Wagner and Buitoni pizza brands.
Crosta Mollica’s rapid rise under Milner and Sirett has seen retail sales increase by 71.7% to £100.6m on volumes up 63% over the past year [NIQ 52 w/e 14 June 2026] as consumers increasingly shop for premium products from food retailers rather than restaurants.
The company was awarded Food Brand of the Year at The Grocer Gold Awards 2026.
EPG, meanwhile, has said its own sales had accelerated since it demerged from Nestlé in September 2023, with the Wagner and Buitoni taking increased market share in core European markets. It owns factories in Italy and Germany.
“Wagner and Buitoni are strong brands with excellent positions across Europe,” said Milner. “Bringing them together with Crosta Mollica creates a highly complementary portfolio.
”Our focus will be on building on the strengths of each business, while using the scale and capabilities of the combined group to accelerate growth. We have outstanding brands, talented people and a strong platform from which to take the business forward.”
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