Giuseppe Gallo, a bartender in London, was inspired to bring back forgotten liqueurs after realizing there were many other aperitivos to explore beyond Aperol and Campari. In 2016, he launched rosolio di bergamotto Italicus, using a family recipe with bergamot sourced from Italy. The brand has seen significant growth in the past few years, with an annual revenue of $15 million and presence in 40 countries.
Gallo’s goal is to innovate by creating new flavor profiles and quality products that respect the history and culture of aperitivos while appealing to modern consumers. Italicus has become a popular ingredient in cocktails at trendy spots like New York’s Gansvoort Hotel, where it is used in various classic recipes. Gallo emphasizes the importance of not duplicating existing products and focuses on developing unique liqueurs.
Gallo’s expansion strategy involves securing key markets in cities like New York, London, and Milan before moving on to others like Sydney, San Francisco, and Miami. While introducing new liqueurs into the market can be challenging, Italicus has been successful with its higher-priced products. Gallo’s business has reported healthy net margins of around 40%, which is higher than most food and beverage brands.
In 2020, Gallo partnered with Pernod Ricard, a major liquor conglomerate, to expand Italicus globally and boost sales. The partnership has been beneficial, with double-digit growth in most markets, particularly in the U.S. where Italicus is experiencing significant success. Gallo also launched Savoia Americano in 2021 to compete with red-style aperitivos like Campari, aiming to capitalize on the rising popularity of classic Italian cocktails.
Looking ahead, Gallo plans to further expand Italicus and Savoia into Asia, South America, and Canada while continuing to develop new liqueurs. He emphasizes the importance of timing in introducing products to the market, ensuring that they are relevant and the consumer is ready. Gallo’s vision for Italspirits includes launching additional carefully crafted liqueurs that resonate with a global audience and continue to redefine the aperitivo category.
