LAGOSTINA : 125 YEARS OF ITALIAN MASTERY

For 125 years, Lagostina has placed Italian excellence at the service of the pleasure of cooking and sharing. The brand celebrates expertise that combines heritage, premium innovation and sustained growth. Cristina Santucci, Director of the Lagostina Group, explains how the company, now part of Groupe SEB, continues to embody the Italian art of living through high-end collections combining technological innovation, design and durability.

What are the foundations of Lagostina’s identity?

Cristina Santucci – Lagostina is a true part of Italy’s heritage. Founded in 1901 in Omegna, the brand began by manufacturing tinplate cutlery. Over the decades, thanks to unique industrial expertise and passionate, inventive teams, Lagostina has developed its expertise to create cookware collections designed for everyday cooking, moments shared around the table and special occasions alike. A key milestone came in 1933, when Lagostina introduced stainless steel into its production. Since then, stainless steel has become a cornerstone of the brand’s identity, giving rise to cookware – frying pans, saucepans, woks and more – that combines outstanding cooking performance, preservation of the taste and quality of food, and exceptional durability. Lagostina has been part of Groupe SEB since 2005, while retaining its identity, its factory in Italy and its Italian expertise. Becoming part of a French group has given us a broader, long-term perspective.

It seems that the brand has suffered from a lack of visibility in France recently. Why is that?

C.S. – Structurally, we needed to re-establish our roots in Italy, and that is what we did by bringing the management of the brand back to our teams at the very heart of the country, as close as possible to Italian culture and our production. From there, we built the brand’s vision for the years ahead in several stages. The first stage, in 2024, was an overhaul of our platform and brand identity, incorporating both our DNA and the needs of our consumers. The second stage focuses on rolling out this platform consistently across all our touchpoints. Finally, in June 2025, we launched our brand website and rolled out a powerful and engaging communication strategy, both brand-led and endorsed by our community of chefs and consumers.

How is Lagostina developing today?

C.S. – The brand is experiencing rapid international growth, driven by three key markets. At the end of 2025, we closed the year up 23% compared with 2024, with Italy up 30%, France up 25% and Canada up 10%. In a changing market, both in terms of consumer dynamics and the competitive environment, we have succeeded in finding the right value proposition for our consumers and continue to invest to make our products accessible to as many people as possible. One key step in this development, for example, was the launch of our French e-commerce website in 2025, following the success of the website in Italy.

Is France an important market for Lagostina?

C.S. – France and Italy are home to some of the world’s finest gastronomy: together, they enrich one another. By embodying maestria italiana in cucina, Lagostina conveys this warmth and an approach to cooking that is instinctive, traditional and precise. From a business perspective, France is the brand’s second-largest market after Italy and ahead of Canada, and has been growing steadily since 2022. We closed 2025 with revenue up 25% compared with 2024, and 2026 is continuing along the same trajectory. Most of the products offered by the brand, rooted both in everyday cooking and in Italian culinary specialities, share the same characteristics: they are made from stainless steel, safe, high-quality and designed to last. With broad distribution both through physical channels, including electrical specialists and department stores, and online via our own websites and third-party sites, this makes them an obvious choice for discerning consumers.

What about the brand’s environmental impact?

C.S. – Since 2021, Lagostina has been committed to responsible production and to decarbonising its Italian production site. More specifically, between 2021 and 2024, the factory’s carbon intensity was reduced by 40% through various initiatives, while CO₂ emissions fell by 41.6% between 2021 and 2025. The factory has reduced its water consumption by 57% by creating automated closed-loop systems to recycle and reuse water throughout the industrial process. In terms of electricity, the site is equipped with 2,500 photovoltaic panels designed to provide almost one-third of its electricity needs. Combined with reduced gas consumption, this approach enabled Lagostina to cut its energy consumption by 17% between 2021 and 2024. From the consumer’s perspective, we offer products designed to last, thanks to high-quality stainless steel. The stainless-steel cookware produced in Omegna comes with a 25-year guarantee and is designed to be up to 97% recyclable. Finally, 90% of the stainless steel used to manufacture our products is recycled stainless steel.

To celebrate Lagostina’s 125th anniversary, you are unveiling a limited edition. What does the “Accademia Limited Edition” collection represent?

C.S. – With “Accademia Limited Edition”, we wanted to pay tribute to 125 years of Italian mastery. This collection embodies everything that has defined Lagostina’s DNA for generations: the excellence of stainless steel, attention to the smallest detail and the pleasure of cooking with beautiful objects designed to last. Its copper-effect handles and brushed stainless-steel finish give it a warm, contemporary and decidedly high-end appearance. Behind this elegance lies all the brand’s technical expertise. Thanks to “Lagofusion” technology and its 5-ply construction, heat is distributed quickly and perfectly evenly, providing precise control over cooking and highly accurate results.

What does Lagostina aim to embody today?

C.S. – Lagostina embodies cooking to be savoured, shared and passed on. Honest cooking, where every gesture matters. The brand celebrates those who cook with precision, passion and high standards, without ever losing the pleasure of doing so. In this way, it expresses contemporary Italian Maestria: a way of cooking with expertise, mastery and an appreciation of beauty. Performance, design and durability serve everyday cooking techniques, helping everyone to cook with greater precision and pleasure. Because the difference between simply cooking and truly respecting the ingredients always begins with the right tool.

INTERVIEW – CHEF SIMONE ZANONI, LAGOSTINA AMBASSADOR

For Chef Simone Zanoni, Italian-style cooking is a way of life, an art of sharing, passing things on and celebrating every moment, as it always has been. Becoming a Lagostina ambassador is almost a childhood dream – and certainly a family story.

Your collaboration with Lagostina seems to go far beyond a simple partnership. What personal history connects you to the brand?

Simone Zanoni – Generally speaking, I like supporting brands that genuinely have a great story, and this is an incredible brand! In Italy, the quintessential gift given to newlyweds was a beautifully wrapped set of Lagostina saucepans for cooking at home. The idea was to give the newlyweds a little help as they began their new life together. I received the same gift on my wedding day.

But my real story with Lagostina began when I was very young. I can still picture my mother cooking with a pressure cooker, and I have always remembered the sounds of the steam beginning to escape from the pot; I can still hear them every day! Lagostina is precisely one of those brands that I saw grow up alongside me. I used to see famous personalities on Italian television advertising Lagostina. I had just started training as a cook – I was 15 or 16 and in my first years of study – and I said to my parents, “One day, I’ll be the one advertising Lagostina.” I saw it as a goal! Then, almost seven years ago, I started working with Lagostina, which has genuine Italian expertise: 90–95% of its saucepans and frying pans are still produced in Italy, where quality can still be achieved.

What are the strengths of the products?

S.Z. – Lagostina is stainless steel, stainless steel, stainless steel! For me, it remains the best material for cooking. I discovered how Lagostina works at the factory and was fascinated. Behind every product are women and men, sometimes families who have been there for several generations. These human values matter a great deal to me. Knowing that you are buying a saucepan designed to last a lifetime is essential.

So you believe in a way of life based on sharing and passing things on?

S.Z. – A quality saucepan can last for several generations if it is properly cared for. It is better to buy less, but buy better. A product should last while evolving with the way people use it. The “Saltapasta” is a good example. A few years ago, people did not toss pasta in the pan at home. Today, chefs and social media have made this technique widely accessible. Lagostina has successfully responded to this development with a “Saltapasta” that has become a genuine bestseller.

You also contribute your expertise as a chef to Lagostina’s technical development and innovation…

S.Z. – Absolutely, particularly when it comes to everyday use: understanding how we can make a product even more perfect or more robust. We want durability and something resistant, but we also need cooking efficiency, so finding the right balance is the most important thing.

What does the anniversary “Accademia Limited Edition” collection represent for you, and how do you contribute to the development of Lagostina’s collections?

S.Z. – I am lucky enough to have the entire “Accademia Limited Edition” collection at home, and I think it is magnificent. The copper handles give it incredible elegance, to the point where you want to serve the dishes directly at the table. Beyond its appearance, it provides very even heat distribution, which is essential in cooking. I also use several Lagostina collections in my professional kitchen. As a partner chef, I contribute to the development of future products by providing my perspective on everyday use, cooking quality, durability and robustness. It is this ongoing dialogue that enables Lagostina to continue developing its ranges while remaining true to its commitment to quality.

Source: Home Fashion News #62 – Sept 2026 / Translation: Leila Ahmad