Callipo's story ____________________________________________

Founded in Pizzo in January 14th 1913, today Giacinto Callipo Conserve Alimentari SpA is managed by the 4th family generation.

At the beginning of sixty Filippo Callipo (II generation), assisted by his son Giacinto, moved the production plant nearby the old “Tonnara Angitola”, not far from Pizzo.
In that site, was commercialized tuna and other products like olives from Marocco, mackerel in brine (from Holland and Marocco), codfish from northen european countries; canned roasted peppers and canned salted anchovies were prepared too.

With Giacinto, the third generation of Callipo, the Company points the efforts on the olive oil tuna production.

On the 1972 Giacinto Callipo decides to be assisted on the company’s management by his son Filippo (IV generation) who undertakes the exclusive management on the 1981. He moved the Company to the current site of Maierato-VV (1988), few kilometres far from Pizzo.

Our Company became the first producer in Calabria and among the first in Italy to process the highly acclaimed Mediterranean tuna.

Production began by manufacturing quantities which overdiid fresh tuna consumption. At the beginning it was a seasonal activity,as it was used only product harvested by local tunny-fishing nets during spring-summer period.

Nowadays, Callipo’s facility, headquartered in Maierato (VV), occupies an area of 34.000 square meters, 9000 sq. mt of which houses the technologically advanced machineries and industrial equipments. With more than 190 workers, and a production capacity of about 15.000 tons per year, Callipo sells 92% of its production in Italy while the remaining 8% is sold either in European Countries such as Austria, France, England, Germany or in Canada, Australia, USA and Japan.

Since the beginning, the Company obtained a lot of recognitions and it reached important goals:

• In 1926 the Company was awarded the “Royal Establishment Patent” from the Royal House;
• In 1994 Callipo met U.S. FDA requirements to export in United States;
• In January 1996 (well within the time frame established by the EEC), the HACCP self-checking system has been in operation;
• In May 1996, during CIBUS (Internation food Exhibition) in Parma, Callipo tuna fillets in glass-jar were awarded the prestigious A.I.D.A. oscar for product attractiveness, cretivity and immagination;
• In February 1997, Callipo was one of the first firms operating in fish preserves field, to achieve Quality System Certification: ISO 9002;
• In October 2001 the Company obtained by DNV (Det Norske Veritas) the 1st Italian Product Certificate in Tuna preserves field.
• In December 2003 Quality System Certification ISO 9002 was brought into line with VISION 2000 rules which are customer satisfaction oriented.
  Moreover, Callipo was the first Company in Italy to achieve the important CUSTOMS RELIABILITY CERTIFICATE, released by Customs Agency on December 2003. It certifies the maximum level of reliability, the 4th , and testifies efficiency, correctness and constituency which characterize our Company’s business management in Italy and abroad.
• On March 2005 obteined by DNV (Det Norske Veritas) two new and important quality certifications recognized at international level, Standard BRC “Global Standard-Food” and Standard IFS “International Food Standard”, which have the main target to improve and encourage food safety during the processing steps.