A Boston contingent, many from the North End, gathered on Tuesday at the Italian Consulate to celebrate the 150 year old Italian story of olive oil maker Filippo Berio.
Salov North America CEO Marco De Ceglie told the group about the legacy of Filippo Berio from Lucca, Italy. Its namesake founder, and subsequently the Fontana family, grew the company to a worldwide brand, especially as olive oil become the foundation of Mediterranean cooking. Salov North America imports and markets Filippo Berio brand olive oils made by its Italian parent company, Societa per Azioni Lucchese Olii e Vini (SALOV).
Shown in the photo, Consul General of Italy Niccola de Santis (right) and State Senator Joe Boncore (center) were presented with a special batch of L’olio d’oliva Originale di Filippo Berio by CEO Marco De Ceglie as part of the 150th Anniversary awards. Among its chartable initiatives, Filippo Berio is a major sponsor of the St. Anthony’s Feast in Boston’s North End.
My memories about Filipo Berio Olive Oil revolve about my memories of Velia and Carlos Tosi who are among the first importers and supporters on the produce. Their success enabled them t o be the first Italian family to own property on Louisburg Square. They also were supporters of many Boston special; events an d formerly “Yankee” controlled cultural organizations.