Dif Distribuzione Italiana Food, a network specialising in the distribution logistics of food products at controlled and ambient temperature, announced on 21 January 2026 in Montoro that it has completed the acquisition of the Coldline network. The transaction involves the entry into Dif Network of the companies previously affiliated with Coldline, thereby strengthening territorial coverage across Italy’s main agri-food districts, increasing the number of participating operators and enhancing proximity to production sites.
Dif Network, now part of Gruppo Torello, operates as the coordinating body for a network of transport companies specialising in food and beverages. Originally established as a groupage distribution system for temperature-controlled food products, the network focuses on the integrated management of fresh, frozen and ambient flows and, since 2014, has represented Gruppo Torello’s arm dedicated to food distribution and last-mile delivery. Its main operational headquarters are located at the Piacenza logistics hub, alongside a long-established presence in Montoro, the Group’s headquarters, and an extensive footprint across several Italian regions.
The network structure includes 46 affiliated companies and eight Torello branches dedicated to distribution, with three strategic hubs located in Piacenza, at the Bologna Interporto and in Caserta. This is complemented by a network of 54 collection points that ensures nationwide coverage, from single pallets to more structured flows. Integration with the activities of Gruppo Torello and Gts further strengthens operational capacity, providing access to more than 300,000 square metres of warehouse space and an intermodal road–rail system with connections extending beyond Italy.
Within this framework sits the acquisition of Coldline, a business distinct from the similarly named manufacturing company active in professional refrigeration. The Coldline network acquired by Dif operates in fresh and frozen logistics and brings operational expertise and territorial coverage that are expected to strengthen temperature-controlled food distribution. The addition of Coldline affiliates is expected to reduce transport distances, improve flow organisation and increase responsiveness in collection and distribution phases, delivering benefits in terms of punctuality, reliability and service efficiency, as well as a positive impact on sustainability through fewer kilometres travelled and better load optimisation.
In terms of services, Dif manages the entire logistics chain, from collection at producers through cross-docking at hubs to distribution and last-mile delivery to large-scale retail and organised distribution, the normal trade and the Horeca channel. This offering is complemented by the No Limits project, launched between 2024 and 2025, which extends the distribution of ambient and temperature-controlled food products to major European markets, even starting from a single pallet, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized exporters. The network also holds authorisations for the management of customs and excise warehouses for spirits and wine, reinforcing its role as a logistics provider for producers and importers.
Dif states that the network’s evolution will be supported by investments in information systems, aimed at harmonising operational processes and strengthening traceability across the entire cold chain. The company has identified improved flow control and service quality as priorities, in compliance with food safety standards, also through solutions geared towards collaborative logistics and road–rail intermodality.
According to Umberto Torello, sole director of Dif Distribuzione Italiana Food, the transaction represents an integration consistent with the network’s history, which has been built by entrepreneurial families investing in food logistics while sharing common objectives and values. Antonio Cuozzo, director of Dif Network, highlighted that the entry of new affiliates makes it possible to work immediately on service improvement, leveraging existing expertise and strengthening the network’s positioning in fresh logistics in Italy, with an operational extension towards major European destinations.
