A travel through time
A great trip started with just one step. Discover from his humble beginnings to his world fame.
1865
Francesco Bertolli was born in 1865 in Lucca (Tuscany). Francesco Bertolli and his wife, Caterina, open a small grocery store beneath their home, selling only the best quality regional wines, cheeses, olives and olive oil.
1875
Italian emigrants in America find themselves missing the food of their heritage. They ask Francesco Bertolli to send boxes of his famous olive oil. Making the Bertolli brand the pioneer of history of olive oil in the USA.
1890
Bertolli brand was exported to new places. From Australia to South America to Africa, customers around the globe enjoyed the taste of Tuscany.
1900
Bertolli olive oil products are linked to the beauty of the Italian lifestyle through advertising an emotive connection which continues today.
1945
Our history of olive oil continues following World War II, the Bertolli company became a trendsetter by investing heavily in advertising the Bertolli name as a “brand”, something rather rare in Italy at that time.
1950
In the early 1950´s, glass bottles were introduced, with the slogan “Buy what you see”. Before that, olive oil was packaged in metal cans and drums. The Bertolli company was the first in the history of olive oil to identify on the label the important health benefits of olive oil for consumers. It was also the first to introduce different types and flavours of olive oil for the American market.
2000
The communication of the 2000s has kept the taste of familiarity and everyday life. This is thanks to the collaboration of Italian celebrities, the secret Agent Bert -how he is always ready to solve problems in the kitchen with Bertolli olive oil- and more recently with the representation of the three different “personalities” of Mild, Rich and Bold oils.
2015
Bertolli celebrates 150 years of Francesco Bertolli’s history of olive oil full of tradition and flavour, launching an olive oil limited edition inspired by its original ads design.
Present
Bertolli is the world’s # 1 Olive oil brand, and is present in more than 40 countries.