Our History

Everything started with the dried, roasted olives!

My family business began the process of aging and drying fresh olives in the 1960s, following the local tradition of my hometown in Castel Madama. Since then, our town has become famous in the Roman market for our delicious DRIED ROASTED OLIVES.

First pouch produced without my logo

While en route to Rome just days before Christmas 1966, delivering batches of DRIED ROASTED OLIVES, a groundbreaking idea struck me, reshaping my business entirely. At the time, my clients frequently voiced frustration over the time-consuming task of preparing 400/500 grams paper cornets for their customers. Recognizing this pain point, I envisioned a game-changing strategy: providing pre-packaged formats, ready for sale, ensuring freshness and quality. Back home, I collaborated with a typography-savvy friend to craft the design. Within weeks, I began distributing the first meticulously packed, weighed, and manually sealed pouches, proudly bearing my company's name. This innovative approach not only added value to my products but also left both myself and my customers thoroughly satisfied.

The first logo, or brand as it used to be called in the early days

In the early days of my company, the market was highly competitive, prompting the need for a distinct image to set my products apart and make them easily recognizable to customers. The first Ficacci logo, born after numerous sketches and drafts, featured essential elements—most notably, olives, and, in line with the customary style of those years, my initials ..RF.

First vacuum packed olives in brine

Following the concept of the first logo and the introduction of the vacuum packing process, I decided to create a range of new products. The aim was to put a spotlight on the olives, foreseeing market trends and enhancing the product thanks to the introduction of a transparent package. The vacuum process allowed us also to create longer shelf life products. Relevant innovations for when olives were simply packed in bags and sealed with a knot or a plain seal.

My wedding

And one fine day the big step, I marry the woman without whom my professional and personal projects would have been impossible to carry out. Before the Lord we have become a family and in the company we have always been a close-knit couple with objectives and goals to be achieved together. It was certainly my winning choice, even for my professional life!

Umberto, the eldest son

About a year after my wedding, which marked one of the most beautiful days of my life, my firstborn, Umberto, came into the world. We chose to name him after my father, a heartfelt tribute to the past. I quickly realized that, from that moment onward, my life would undergo a profound transformation. Amidst diapers and sleepless nights, my journey into parenthood unfolded.

Guido... the right arm

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress… working together is a success” this sentence by Henry Ford best represents what happened in 1975. In the life of an entrepreneur, the skill of identifying the right collaborators stands out as one of the most demanding decisions. During that pivotal period, I had both the intuition and luck to recognize, among the numerous occasional collaborators, a young individual who had the potential to become my trusted right-hand. From that moment onward, the collaboration with Guido commenced, and to this day, it consistently proves to be a winning choice. Beyond the professional realm, our connection swiftly evolved into a sincere friendship.