Giuseppe Caffo was born June 16, 1865, in Santa Venerina, in the province of Catania, to Venerando and Maria Russo, both agricultural laborers.

In 1915 he purchased his first distillery, named “Caffo Giuseppe fu Venerando – alcohol and tartar distillery.” The”initial activity was aimed at the production of alcohol and wine-making derivatives, but over time, through progressive research into natural raw materials, he began to develop recipes for liqueurs made from aromatic and medicinal herbs, which quickly met with market favor.

The success of the first productions led Giuseppe to involve three of his five sons-Santo, Sebastiano and Giuseppe-who together started the “Distilleria F.lli Caffo.”

Of the brothers, Sebastiano was the one who most closely followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming in turn an expert master distiller and contributing greatly to the growth of the family business.

In 1952 the Caffo family received a proposal to take over a distillery in Limbadi, in the province of Vibo Valentia, a few kilometers from Capo Vaticano. This Calabrian locality was identified as a strategic location, destined to become the Group’s historic headquarters, on which the brothers decided to focus their entrepreneurial efforts.

This arrangement remained unchanged until 1966, when the company was dissolved following Santo’s death and Joseph’s move to Australia. The leadership of the company then passed to Sebastiano, who was joined by his son Giuseppe Giovanni, known as Pippo, the current president of the group.

From that time, the Limbadi distillery became the main production center. And it was here, in the 1970s, that the liqueur dedicated to Capo Vaticano was born: the famous Vecchio Amaro del Capo. An innovative product for the time, it was composed of some 29 herbs, roots and fruits of the Calabrian territory, characterized by a sweetish note, then unusual for traditional bitters.

Throughout the twentieth century and to the present day, the company has continued to expand, diversifying production with brandy, grappa and other liqueurs, acquiring historic brands and strengthening its presence in international markets, while at the same time maintaining strong ties with the territory and traditions.

You can consult the birth certificate on the Ancestors Portal: Archivio di Stato di Catania > Stato civile della restaurazione > Santa Venerina > 1865

The original is kept at the State Archives of Catania