Barilla, the world’s largest pasta producer, is also the most well-reputed company in the food sector globally, according to a new report. A research firm called RepTrak, which publishes yearly reports on the reputations of corporations, based the findings from 211,000 responses to its own unique survey across 14 major economies, having collected the data at the end of last year.
Barilla ranks 25th in 2025, improving on 29th place in last year’s report. This puts the Italian company ahead of other global food brands like Danone (54th), the Kraft Heinz Company (62nd), and the Hershey Company (97th), all of which have slid from higher positions in the previous year’s ranking. Barilla is also joined by two other Italian firms, Ferrero and Lavazza, which rank 52nd and 45th respectively in the top 100 published by RepTrak. The report takes into account a number of factors in producing the ranking, including workplace, branding and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials and more.
Barilla’s humble beginnings stretch back to 1887, when Pietro Barilla opened a bakery in Parma, a city famous for products like prosciutto and Parmigiano cheese. Nearly 150 years, 9,000 employees, and 30 production sites later, it remains a private family-held business, run by Pietro’s great-grandsons Guido, Luca, and Paolo Barilla. Throughout the years, Barilla has kept up a commitment to maintaining its brand’s and its home country’s reputation for high quality food products.
Part of that effort can be seen in the company’s commitment to sustainable processes. Earlier this year, Barilla launched an academy devoted to the study of basil in Emilia-Romagna, centralizing knowledge from farmers and helping them reach new efficiencies while being mindful of soil degradation. The company has also added QR codes to its jars that can be scanned to trace its product from the fields to the store shelf.
