Once upon a time there was the “Pasta Combattenti” factory in via Ghisleri. Now in its place there is the Esselunga supermarket building and apartments between via Ghisleri and via Rialto. Once upon a time, one of the most important factories in Cremona stood here, with pasta sold throughout Italy, with advertising entrusted to the great graphics of Boccasile (1950) and even with Mina (“Crazy weathervane”) present at Carosello. The “Pasta Combattenti” factory was founded in Cremona in 1921 by former combatants of the First World War. Kim breadsticks were also famous. which arrived on the tables of all Italians in the 1960s. The Maffezzoni property has always been close to Cremonese sport. Guido Maffezzoni was president of Cremonese from 1956 (when he took over from Arturo Soncini) and led the grey-red club for many years, until 1967 when Domenico Luzzara arrived (until 1999). Basketball also had Pasta Combattenti among its sponsors: the team then played in the gym (former church) in via Chiara Novella and managed to reach Serie A in 1960 which it had to give up due to corporate difficulties.
But what destroyed the Combattenti was perhaps the largest fire ever in the city. At 1.15pm on 24 January 1987 the factory burned down Pasta Fighters, between via Ghisleri and via Rialto. For three days the firefighters remained on site with their vehicles. All production lines in the four halls were destroyed. The damages amounted to ten billion lire. The pasta factory was founded in 1921 as a cooperative of pasta makers who were former combatants and veterans of the First World War. The boom occurred in the 1960s with the Kim breadsticks production line. Then the crisis, the transfer of the business after the fire to the Cooperativa Cerealicola della Lomellina which moved the company to Corte de’ Frati. In 2006 it was acquired by Newlat Spa, already owner of the Pezzullo (Eboli) and Guacci (Campobasso) pasta factories. The former Combattenti area was purchased by the Cremonese cooperatives who then sold it to a real estate company. The Esselunga commercial and residential complex was built in place of the factory.
In the photos the Pasta Combattenti factory and offices, then the Boccasile posters, the abandoned factory and the demolition after the big fire
