The Scalea-Palmi stage of the Giro d’Italia arrives today about a hundred kilometres from Pizzo (VV), a historic fishing and tuna processing centre in Calabria, where Callipo Spa, a Made in Italy group with nearly 110 years of activity, is headquartered.
A story that begins with tuna
A story that began back in 1913 when Giacinto Callipo founded Callipo Conserve Alimentari (with a production plant in Maierato) to hand-process tuna caught in the Mediterranean using the fixed tuna trap method, following a technique of Arab origin practised for centuries. Thus, Callipo holds the distinction of being the first company in Calabria, and among the first in Italy, to can the prized tuna.
In 1926, Giacinto Callipo was named Official Supplier to the Royal House. In the early 1960s, the historic Calabrian tuna fisheries in Pizzo closed, but the Callipo family remained faithful to the ancient Italian tradition and invested in processing selected Atlantic tuna.
Certifications and awards
Over the years, the company obtained prestigious certifications and awards. In 2019, it was included in Unioncamere’s Register of Historical Italian Enterprises in recognition of being in business for more than 100 years in the same commodity sector and passing on generation after generation a rich heritage of experience and critical entrepreneurial values. Since 2008, Callipo has diversified its business, opening new production chains and investing in tourism through the Popilia Resort, aiming to raise the quality of the area’s tourist offerings.
The fourth generation at the helm
Today, Giacinto Callipo Conserve Alimentari S.p.A, still headquartered in Pizzo, is led by Filippo Callipo, CEO, who represents the fourth generation of the family and who, in 2005, was named Cavaliere del Lavoro. The association he founded, “Io resto in Calabria,” aims to develop talent locally and prevent the flight of valuable resources abroad. The company also sponsors the Vibo Valentia volleyball team, which participates in the national championship representing Calabria. Today, under the slogan “Stories of the Sea,” Callipo sells its products in Europe and America, employs more than 300 people and has a turnover of millions of euros.
Congratulations to those who innovate and enhance the territory.
Read the story of Liquirizia Amarelli, another excellence of Calabria.