“Le Ossa dei Caprotti” the difference between journalistic reporting and history

Between journalism, political non-fiction and history, the difference, in my opinion, lies in the research, which in the latter, is much more in-depth and is based, first and foremost, on the study of documents and archives. But the added value of this book was also the contribution of people who worked or were close to Esselunga, a company with much more widespread entrepreneurship than you might think

Giuseppe Caprotti and the history of Arabica coffee, Yemen’s treasure

The popularity of coffee consumption in Yemen began in the 15th century and until the end of the 17th century the world's coffee supply came almost entirely from there. Among the traders dealing in coffee was Giuseppe Caprotti who was in contact with my great-great-grandfather Giuseppe Beppo Caprotti, known as Beppo

Esselunga Sottocasa, small shops, big opportunities: why invest in the proximity format

Proximity shops are perfectly suited to the Italian urban structure: in smaller towns they are the only truly sustainable solution, while in large cities, such as the centre of Milan, the smaller format is often the only logistically and economically viable option

Esselunga’s operating result

One of the many stories that have circulated about me is that I would have brought Esselunga poor financial results for 2003 and that this would have led to my removal. Nothing could be more untrue. If you look at the numbers, you can see that the 2003 Ros, compared to that of the early 1990s, was decidedly better, thanks in part to careful management of contracts with suppliers (see the example of Barilla) and to the negotiations carried out in the ESD Centre

The Caprotti family at a distance: Luigi and Giuseppe Caprotti, explorers and traders in Sanaa (Yemen), 1880 – 1918

The brothers Luigi and Giuseppe Caprotti were born in a suburb of Besana Brianza (MB) in the mid-19th century. Luigi was the first to arrive in Yemen, settling in the capital Sanaa. Among the very few Westerners resident, he was the first to establish fruitful contacts with the local population, which his brother Giuseppe continued for over 30 years after his death