The emergence of private-label products in Italy: the influence of Nelson Rockefeller’s managers on Esselunga
One of the key strategies – within the supermarket – was undoubtedly that of the own-brand range
Profile
An entrepreneur, historian, and President of the Guido Venosta Foundation, Giuseppe Caprotti held executive positions at Esselunga, ultimately serving as Chief Executive Officer. In April 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, he took on the leadership of the Foundation named after his maternal grandfather, Guido Venosta.
Read 43 articles about Giuseppe Caprotti
Is the Caprotti factory due to be demolished?
Dear Dr Caprotti, I was saddened to hear of the forthcoming demolition of the factory in Ponte, which your father set out to build and to which he devoted a significant part of his life. It is undoubtedly a place that, for many people, has meant much more than simply a ‘place of work’: it has been a professional and social hub, a place to meet and forge new bonds. It has certainly been a source of hope for a better future, both for oneself and for one’s family…
Giuseppe Caprotti and his studies: Paris and the significance of research
Do I want to spend long days surrounded by books and archive documents, on my own, seeing hardly anyone? Or do I want to work, engaging with the real world every day? The answer would come years later; I would have enjoyed teaching. But even the outcome of my experience ‘in the real world’, as Kundera writes, will not have been ‘a dream’: Esselunga was a great passion of mine; I enjoyed myself and, to use an Anglicism, I did ‘good things’.
The Caprotti family’s friends: Andrea Solbiati, the sportsman
Andrea Solbiati (1928–2014), heir to another Lombard textile dynasty, a great tennis player and a passionate football fan with a deep-rooted loyalty to AC Milan, was the man who introduced me to my childhood idols, starting with Gianni Rivera. In the late 1980s, together with Federico Castelbarco Albani, he founded the ‘Clubino’ football team, for which I played for more than 10 years. I still have the football books Andrea gave me, and they are particularly dear to me, just as he was – and still is.
The story of the family that created the Esselunga myth
After years of meticulous research and historical reconstruction, my new book Le Ossa dei Caprotti is out. At the centre of the narrative, the events of my family from the textile business at the beginning of the 19th century to the birth and development of Esselunga, debunking myths and legends
Elba Island, Tenuta delle Ripalte, the lost paradise of childhood
Shortly before the Second World War, Umberto Quintavalle, vice-president of Magneti Marelli and my maternal great-grandfather, bought the marvellous Ripalte estate on the island of Elba and turned it into a place of delight, especially for hunting, but also for relatives and friends to stay. When great-grandfather Umberto died in 1959, the property passed to one of his daughters, my grandmother Luisa Quintavalle, who was married in her second marriage to Marquis Nicolò Theodoli. With her, summer periods at Ripalte are one of the most beautiful childhood memories.
Claudio Caprotti: Italian supermarkets (Esselunga), training in America, shops in Tuscany, a success
Once he graduated, Claudio joined the company where his two older brothers, my father Bernardo and my uncle Guido, were already working. In an interview published in an American newspaper in 1968, the author describes him as one of the guys who 'did wonders' at the Italian Supermarkets.
Esselunga and e-commerce, or Esselunga at home
Stimulated by Mc Kinsey, we thought about e-commerce in 1999, a few months after Google was founded. This is discussed in ‘Le Ossa dei Caprotti’
Caprotti and the firm Ing. A. Morganti: the future of construction
Their speciality is prefabricated buildings. It was primarily for this reason that they came into contact with the Caprotti family, first for the Albiate textile factory, then for Esselunga, for whom they built many supermarkets throughout the country and a large part of the facilities at the Limito head office.
THE FUTURE WE ENVISAGED E-commerce food today
E-commerce sustainability, personalisation and AI. The European GDPR should not be an excuse, Mario Gasbarrino: ‘if you want to commit suicide, don’t do e-commerce’. And Marco Biasin: ‘we need a single database’
The Caprotti family and the ‘Years of Lead’ (1960 – 1980) and Leo XIII
I remember the steel marbles and bolts thrown at the entrance of our school, the Leo XIII, run by the Jesuits and considered right-wing at the time. (...)". Just at school one day a mysterious phone call wanted to call me out of class, but fortunately I did not take the bait. I dread to think what would have happened if I had
Food eCommerce today as a result of an evolution not entirely foreseen
“49% of young people now consult ChatGpt for eCommerce and soon this trend will also reach Europe. Walmart has made a deal with OpenAi because they want to control the flow of information: lists, prices and more’. The future of eCommerce has arrived
The video of ‘The future they imagined, eCommerce food today’
Today, eCommerce food & grocery, although still representing a limited share of the overall turnover of food distribution, has in several cases reached economically sustainable models. This topic was discussed at the eCommerce Food Conference during a round table discussion between Giuseppe Caprotti and Mario Gasbarrino, two historical protagonists of Italian large-scale retail, moderated by Cristina Lazzati, director of Mark Up and Gdoweek
Caprotti, cars, drivers and my birth certificate
Automobiles soon entered Caprotti's life, from the very first still with tyres that were not dyed black, and with them the drivers: Giannetto, more than a century ago, and then 'el Gigèt' and 'el Silvèt', whom I also knew and who were even witnesses in my birth certificate.
The Caprotti family: my baptism, 1961
Our lives as children are entrusted from birth to 'young ladies', experienced nannies who look after us like second mothers. I like the German Waltraud, the first one: At home we call her 'Schwester' and you can even recognise her in my christening photos. Once she has left her job in our family to return home to Germany, she will send us a souvenir photo in a police uniform, with a German shepherd at her side
Caprotti’s ‘extended family’ between Albiate and Milan
There is a long list of closely trusted people with whom the families of yesteryear surrounded themselves and filled their homes, people who called their employers by name ('scior Bernardo', 'sciora Bettina', 'scior Peppin'), knew more about their lives sometimes than themselves, and were always there at every important family event, with pride and sometimes even emotion.
Around the Caprottis: the beloved villa in Albiate
Since the end of the 19th century, when the Caprotti family bought the villa, much of the family history passed through that house, and continues to do so. Many photographs recount it, many memories that have remained in the letters and in the souls of those who lived them, and bring back serene photos among the trees, the games in the courtyard, the animals that once were, even the old carriages that the family used for a long time, even after the advent of cars, and which still exist.
The joy of snow, always: for Milan-Cortina 2026
Since the 1920s at least, everyone in the family has been skiing, great-grandparents, fathers and grandchildren, boys and girls: from great-grandfather Umberto Quintavalle, who ended his life in a crevasse under the eyes of his grandmother Adele, to grandmother Luisa and her children, my mother Giorgina and uncle Beppo, from great-grandfather Giuseppe Venosta, President of the Sport Club Pirelli to grandfather Guido, from his brother Gigi Venosta, who in addition to skiing was also a national hockey player, to Gianni Albertini, husband of aunt Ida Quintavalle, who was also a masterful climber and Arctic explorer. And up to us, children of that passion that we still continue.
GDO, Sunday yes or no?
In a nutshell: Coop is calling for a law on Sunday closures (= everyone closed) because it is unable to establish itself as a market leader, like Mercadona in Spain
In Italy, small towns are emptying, even of shops: will Amazon Now provide the service in the future?
Our distributors – such as Selex and Conad – who operate consortia, and thus are unable, with some exceptions, to offer a widespread e-commerce and delivery service for basic food and household products throughout Italy – risk having to leave space and opportunity to Amazon Now over time
Le Ossa dei Caprotti” presentation – Chiari (BS) 8 November 2025 – Rassegna della Microeditoria Italiana
This video documents the presentation of my book Le Ossa dei Caprotti held on Saturday 8 November 2025 in Chiari (BS), as part of the Rassegna della Microeditoria Italiana. In the dialogue with Claudio Baroni, I recount the origin of the book, the work on the sources and the reasons that led me to reconstruct a family history marked by myths, conflicts and complex generational transitions
San Benedetto – The Food Fact: a lawsuit filed with the sole purpose of intimidating and silencing those who criticise power
In Italy, all too often, judicial institutions are used with those who have fewer resources. It usually starts with a very often specious letter from the criminal prosecutor, simply to try to silence those who are annoying
Social media, Father Christmas syndrome and Le Ossa dei Caprotti
I am not, a ‘target’, a bank counter, a post office box or Father Christmas. Nor am I a punching ball on which to unload one’s anger with impunity
Le Ossa dei Caprotti’ presentation – Soroptimist, 29 October 2025
I really stopped. During that long difficult period we talked about earlier, I stopped completely. It was a time of silence, of isolation. But then, with the end of the court case and Covid, I chose to look forward. I decided to see the Covid crisis as an opportunity to help. From there my personal rebirth and my work in the Guido Venosta Foundation was born
Albiate: sold-out visit to Villa San Valerio, Giuseppe Caprotti as cicerone, 6 September 2025
Thanks to Francesco Perego and the Piero Gatti Association, which had hosted the presentation of my book Le Ossa dei Caprotti in Albiate, new historical content was discovered about the Villa San Valerio and the chapel of San Valerio, formerly the Oratory of the Immaculate Conception
Giuseppe Caprotti’s social commitment to Esselunga. People and Solidarity
Esselunga supported social, environmental, cultural and scientific research projects, involving customers with the Fìdaty Card, allowing them to donate points converted into contributions that the company doubled.
Giuseppe Caprotti’s social commitment to Esselunga. The people: Esselunga’s Employees
"Human resources are 'the pillar' on which our success is based and it is stated that teamwork 'is the basis for achieving results'. This is why, for example, 'Esselunga encourages its employees to work in groups in which everyone expresses their potential within shared objectives'. Source: Esselunga Social Report 2003
Giuseppe Caprotti’s social commitment at Esselunga: caring for the environment, for people
The one related to care and concern for the environment is a project that goes back a long way, to the 1980s, the first years I spent at Esselunga, and began with organic and natural products in general. It is also the project I am most fond of because it had a soul, a social purpose, as well as a business purpose.
Giuseppe Caprotti’s social commitment at Esselunga. The people: the customers
How, with the involvement of staff and customers, we went from the quality and convenience of the Americans and my father to 'total quality' and a true love affair with Esselunga customers
Giuseppe Caprotti’s social commitment at Esselunga. The people: the suppliers
From payments to new rules, suppliers are seen as key partners in Esselunga's 'virtuous circle' (staff - customer - supplier).
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
Caprotti and the Coop: Turiddo Campaini, an ‘enemy’ and a master
'The experience in Florence is a great school for me also because the opponent we faced was, at the time, one of the most efficient and competitive: the Unicoop administered and managed by Turiddo Campaini. An aggressive Coop with a strong local policy, efficient and market-oriented. Tuscan products are the norm but there is no shortage of Chinese ones, for the large community distributed between Prato and Campi Bisenzio
Giuseppe Caprotti and his book Le Ossa dei Caprotti in Barolo
Presented in the winery L’Astemia Pentita, the tale of the family that changed Italians. A big thank you to Sandra Vezza for insisting that I talk about Le Ossa dei Caprotti in her winery and to Marcello Pasquero with whom I had a very pleasant conversation
Giuseppe Caprotti – biography
I was born in Milan on 15 December 1960, the son of Bernardo Caprotti and Giorgina Venosta. After several experiences abroad, I joined Esselunga Spa, of which I became CEO. Today I am an Entrepreneur, President of the Guido Venosta Foundation and an author.
Giuseppe Caprotti – FGV, the new commitment
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Guido Venosta Foundation finances the purchase of equipment (e.g. masks) or specialised machinery, and projects such as scientific research on vaccines, the setting up of intensive care units in hospitals, and the 'Solidarity Taxi' in Milan.
Giuseppe Caprotti – FGV and Covid: the ‘Taxi Solidale’ project
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the FGV finances the 'Solidarity Taxi' for the free transport of elderly people and citizens with severe difficulties in general, who can thus leave their homes for various essential activities.
Giuseppe Caprotti – FGV and Covid: the ‘IEO-COVID FREE’ project
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, FGV is one of the funders of the IEO (European Institute of Oncology) in Milan for extensive serological tests that will later be used for a clinical trial whose concluding paper, published in October 2021, demonstrated the efficacy of anti-Covid vaccines.
Giuseppe Caprotti – FGV and Covid: donation of equipped workstations to the Policlinico di Milano
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, both as a private individual and as President of the FGV, I donate complete patient monitoring systems for 12 beds in the Intensive Care Unit at the Policlinico di Milano, which have helped to drastically reduce mortality since the beginning of the epidemic.
Giuseppe Caprotti – FGV, the new commitment: the ‘Triennale’ of Milan and young people
The first of the new FGV's cultural projects was the contribution to the 'Ri-Abitiamo Milano' project, developed by the Amici della Triennale, which under the leadership of Elena Tettamanti involved thousands of Milanese high school students in rethinking the places of their city in a sustainable way.
Giuseppe Caprotti – FGV, the new commitment: ‘Entra in Biblioteca con un click, History and Computer Science
The project of the 'Società storica lombarda' - of which I am a councillor -, 'Enter the library with a click', brings high school students closer to old books and documents to introduce them to the history of Milan and Lombardy, and uses both IT and direct consultation to do so.
History: values in action | Esselunga’s social responsibility
About Esselunga’s social balance sheet drawn up in 2003, well ahead of its time. And of €300 million turnover of ecological products, equivalent to 10% of food
Stalking in ‘Le Ossa dei Caprotti’ criminal cases lasting from 2004 to 2019
Stalking is constituted by a series of attitudes held by an obsessed individual, called a stalker, who afflicts another person, persecuting him/her, generating states of fear and anxiety, even going so far as to disrupt the course of normal daily life
Two mismatches in the Caprotti story: Januaria Piromallo, Marchioness of the Dukes etc., and Maria Cristina Busi Ferruzzi, ‘Princess of Coca-Cola
The story of Maria Busi Ferruzzi is reported in the book ‘Le Ossa dei Caprotti’ because it exemplifies how a supplier can become a servant. On Januaria Piromallo, Marchioness Capece Piscinelli di Montebello of the Dukes of Capracotta, on the other hand, I have drawn a pious veil
The emergence of private-label products in Italy: the influence of Nelson Rockefeller’s managers on Esselunga
One of the key strategies – within the supermarket – was undoubtedly that of the own-brand range
Is the Caprotti factory due to be demolished?
Dear Dr Caprotti, I was saddened to hear of the forthcoming demolition of the factory in Ponte, which your father set out to build and to which he devoted a significant part of his life. It is undoubtedly a place that, for many people, has meant much more than simply a ‘place of work’: it has been a professional and social hub, a place to meet and forge new bonds. It has certainly been a source of hope for a better future, both for oneself and for one’s family…
Giuseppe Caprotti and his studies: Paris and the significance of research
Do I want to spend long days surrounded by books and archive documents, on my own, seeing hardly anyone? Or do I want to work, engaging with the real world every day? The answer would come years later; I would have enjoyed teaching. But even the outcome of my experience ‘in the real world’, as Kundera writes, will not have been ‘a dream’: Esselunga was a great passion of mine; I enjoyed myself and, to use an Anglicism, I did ‘good things’.
The Caprotti family’s friends: Andrea Solbiati, the sportsman
Andrea Solbiati (1928–2014), heir to another Lombard textile dynasty, a great tennis player and a passionate football fan with a deep-rooted loyalty to AC Milan, was the man who introduced me to my childhood idols, starting with Gianni Rivera. In the late 1980s, together with Federico Castelbarco Albani, he founded the ‘Clubino’ football team, for which I played for more than 10 years. I still have the football books Andrea gave me, and they are particularly dear to me, just as he was – and still is.
The story of the family that created the Esselunga myth
After years of meticulous research and historical reconstruction, my new book Le Ossa dei Caprotti is out. At the centre of the narrative, the events of my family from the textile business at the beginning of the 19th century to the birth and development of Esselunga, debunking myths and legends
Elba Island, Tenuta delle Ripalte, the lost paradise of childhood
Shortly before the Second World War, Umberto Quintavalle, vice-president of Magneti Marelli and my maternal great-grandfather, bought the marvellous Ripalte estate on the island of Elba and turned it into a place of delight, especially for hunting, but also for relatives and friends to stay. When great-grandfather Umberto died in 1959, the property passed to one of his daughters, my grandmother Luisa Quintavalle, who was married in her second marriage to Marquis Nicolò Theodoli. With her, summer periods at Ripalte are one of the most beautiful childhood memories.
Claudio Caprotti: Italian supermarkets (Esselunga), training in America, shops in Tuscany, a success
Once he graduated, Claudio joined the company where his two older brothers, my father Bernardo and my uncle Guido, were already working. In an interview published in an American newspaper in 1968, the author describes him as one of the guys who 'did wonders' at the Italian Supermarkets.
Esselunga and e-commerce, or Esselunga at home
Stimulated by Mc Kinsey, we thought about e-commerce in 1999, a few months after Google was founded. This is discussed in ‘Le Ossa dei Caprotti’
Caprotti and the firm Ing. A. Morganti: the future of construction
Their speciality is prefabricated buildings. It was primarily for this reason that they came into contact with the Caprotti family, first for the Albiate textile factory, then for Esselunga, for whom they built many supermarkets throughout the country and a large part of the facilities at the Limito head office.
THE FUTURE WE ENVISAGED E-commerce food today
E-commerce sustainability, personalisation and AI. The European GDPR should not be an excuse, Mario Gasbarrino: ‘if you want to commit suicide, don’t do e-commerce’. And Marco Biasin: ‘we need a single database’
The Caprotti family and the ‘Years of Lead’ (1960 – 1980) and Leo XIII
I remember the steel marbles and bolts thrown at the entrance of our school, the Leo XIII, run by the Jesuits and considered right-wing at the time. (...)". Just at school one day a mysterious phone call wanted to call me out of class, but fortunately I did not take the bait. I dread to think what would have happened if I had
Food eCommerce today as a result of an evolution not entirely foreseen
“49% of young people now consult ChatGpt for eCommerce and soon this trend will also reach Europe. Walmart has made a deal with OpenAi because they want to control the flow of information: lists, prices and more’. The future of eCommerce has arrived
The video of ‘The future they imagined, eCommerce food today’
Today, eCommerce food & grocery, although still representing a limited share of the overall turnover of food distribution, has in several cases reached economically sustainable models. This topic was discussed at the eCommerce Food Conference during a round table discussion between Giuseppe Caprotti and Mario Gasbarrino, two historical protagonists of Italian large-scale retail, moderated by Cristina Lazzati, director of Mark Up and Gdoweek
Caprotti, cars, drivers and my birth certificate
Automobiles soon entered Caprotti's life, from the very first still with tyres that were not dyed black, and with them the drivers: Giannetto, more than a century ago, and then 'el Gigèt' and 'el Silvèt', whom I also knew and who were even witnesses in my birth certificate.
The Caprotti family: my baptism, 1961
Our lives as children are entrusted from birth to 'young ladies', experienced nannies who look after us like second mothers. I like the German Waltraud, the first one: At home we call her 'Schwester' and you can even recognise her in my christening photos. Once she has left her job in our family to return home to Germany, she will send us a souvenir photo in a police uniform, with a German shepherd at her side
Caprotti’s ‘extended family’ between Albiate and Milan
There is a long list of closely trusted people with whom the families of yesteryear surrounded themselves and filled their homes, people who called their employers by name ('scior Bernardo', 'sciora Bettina', 'scior Peppin'), knew more about their lives sometimes than themselves, and were always there at every important family event, with pride and sometimes even emotion.
Around the Caprottis: the beloved villa in Albiate
Since the end of the 19th century, when the Caprotti family bought the villa, much of the family history passed through that house, and continues to do so. Many photographs recount it, many memories that have remained in the letters and in the souls of those who lived them, and bring back serene photos among the trees, the games in the courtyard, the animals that once were, even the old carriages that the family used for a long time, even after the advent of cars, and which still exist.
The joy of snow, always: for Milan-Cortina 2026
Since the 1920s at least, everyone in the family has been skiing, great-grandparents, fathers and grandchildren, boys and girls: from great-grandfather Umberto Quintavalle, who ended his life in a crevasse under the eyes of his grandmother Adele, to grandmother Luisa and her children, my mother Giorgina and uncle Beppo, from great-grandfather Giuseppe Venosta, President of the Sport Club Pirelli to grandfather Guido, from his brother Gigi Venosta, who in addition to skiing was also a national hockey player, to Gianni Albertini, husband of aunt Ida Quintavalle, who was also a masterful climber and Arctic explorer. And up to us, children of that passion that we still continue.
GDO, Sunday yes or no?
In a nutshell: Coop is calling for a law on Sunday closures (= everyone closed) because it is unable to establish itself as a market leader, like Mercadona in Spain
In Italy, small towns are emptying, even of shops: will Amazon Now provide the service in the future?
Our distributors – such as Selex and Conad – who operate consortia, and thus are unable, with some exceptions, to offer a widespread e-commerce and delivery service for basic food and household products throughout Italy – risk having to leave space and opportunity to Amazon Now over time
Le Ossa dei Caprotti” presentation – Chiari (BS) 8 November 2025 – Rassegna della Microeditoria Italiana
This video documents the presentation of my book Le Ossa dei Caprotti held on Saturday 8 November 2025 in Chiari (BS), as part of the Rassegna della Microeditoria Italiana. In the dialogue with Claudio Baroni, I recount the origin of the book, the work on the sources and the reasons that led me to reconstruct a family history marked by myths, conflicts and complex generational transitions
San Benedetto – The Food Fact: a lawsuit filed with the sole purpose of intimidating and silencing those who criticise power
In Italy, all too often, judicial institutions are used with those who have fewer resources. It usually starts with a very often specious letter from the criminal prosecutor, simply to try to silence those who are annoying
Social media, Father Christmas syndrome and Le Ossa dei Caprotti
I am not, a ‘target’, a bank counter, a post office box or Father Christmas. Nor am I a punching ball on which to unload one’s anger with impunity
Le Ossa dei Caprotti’ presentation – Soroptimist, 29 October 2025
I really stopped. During that long difficult period we talked about earlier, I stopped completely. It was a time of silence, of isolation. But then, with the end of the court case and Covid, I chose to look forward. I decided to see the Covid crisis as an opportunity to help. From there my personal rebirth and my work in the Guido Venosta Foundation was born
Albiate: sold-out visit to Villa San Valerio, Giuseppe Caprotti as cicerone, 6 September 2025
Thanks to Francesco Perego and the Piero Gatti Association, which had hosted the presentation of my book Le Ossa dei Caprotti in Albiate, new historical content was discovered about the Villa San Valerio and the chapel of San Valerio, formerly the Oratory of the Immaculate Conception
Giuseppe Caprotti’s social commitment to Esselunga. People and Solidarity
Esselunga supported social, environmental, cultural and scientific research projects, involving customers with the Fìdaty Card, allowing them to donate points converted into contributions that the company doubled.
Giuseppe Caprotti’s social commitment to Esselunga. The people: Esselunga’s Employees
"Human resources are 'the pillar' on which our success is based and it is stated that teamwork 'is the basis for achieving results'. This is why, for example, 'Esselunga encourages its employees to work in groups in which everyone expresses their potential within shared objectives'. Source: Esselunga Social Report 2003
Giuseppe Caprotti’s social commitment at Esselunga: caring for the environment, for people
The one related to care and concern for the environment is a project that goes back a long way, to the 1980s, the first years I spent at Esselunga, and began with organic and natural products in general. It is also the project I am most fond of because it had a soul, a social purpose, as well as a business purpose.
Giuseppe Caprotti’s social commitment at Esselunga. The people: the customers
How, with the involvement of staff and customers, we went from the quality and convenience of the Americans and my father to 'total quality' and a true love affair with Esselunga customers
Giuseppe Caprotti’s social commitment at Esselunga. The people: the suppliers
From payments to new rules, suppliers are seen as key partners in Esselunga's 'virtuous circle' (staff - customer - supplier).
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
Caprotti and the Coop: Turiddo Campaini, an ‘enemy’ and a master
'The experience in Florence is a great school for me also because the opponent we faced was, at the time, one of the most efficient and competitive: the Unicoop administered and managed by Turiddo Campaini. An aggressive Coop with a strong local policy, efficient and market-oriented. Tuscan products are the norm but there is no shortage of Chinese ones, for the large community distributed between Prato and Campi Bisenzio
Giuseppe Caprotti and his book Le Ossa dei Caprotti in Barolo
Presented in the winery L’Astemia Pentita, the tale of the family that changed Italians. A big thank you to Sandra Vezza for insisting that I talk about Le Ossa dei Caprotti in her winery and to Marcello Pasquero with whom I had a very pleasant conversation
Giuseppe Caprotti – biography
I was born in Milan on 15 December 1960, the son of Bernardo Caprotti and Giorgina Venosta. After several experiences abroad, I joined Esselunga Spa, of which I became CEO. Today I am an Entrepreneur, President of the Guido Venosta Foundation and an author.
Giuseppe Caprotti – FGV, the new commitment
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Guido Venosta Foundation finances the purchase of equipment (e.g. masks) or specialised machinery, and projects such as scientific research on vaccines, the setting up of intensive care units in hospitals, and the 'Solidarity Taxi' in Milan.
Giuseppe Caprotti – FGV and Covid: the ‘Taxi Solidale’ project
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the FGV finances the 'Solidarity Taxi' for the free transport of elderly people and citizens with severe difficulties in general, who can thus leave their homes for various essential activities.
Giuseppe Caprotti – FGV and Covid: the ‘IEO-COVID FREE’ project
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, FGV is one of the funders of the IEO (European Institute of Oncology) in Milan for extensive serological tests that will later be used for a clinical trial whose concluding paper, published in October 2021, demonstrated the efficacy of anti-Covid vaccines.
Giuseppe Caprotti – FGV and Covid: donation of equipped workstations to the Policlinico di Milano
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, both as a private individual and as President of the FGV, I donate complete patient monitoring systems for 12 beds in the Intensive Care Unit at the Policlinico di Milano, which have helped to drastically reduce mortality since the beginning of the epidemic.
Giuseppe Caprotti – FGV, the new commitment: the ‘Triennale’ of Milan and young people
The first of the new FGV's cultural projects was the contribution to the 'Ri-Abitiamo Milano' project, developed by the Amici della Triennale, which under the leadership of Elena Tettamanti involved thousands of Milanese high school students in rethinking the places of their city in a sustainable way.
Giuseppe Caprotti – FGV, the new commitment: ‘Entra in Biblioteca con un click, History and Computer Science
The project of the 'Società storica lombarda' - of which I am a councillor -, 'Enter the library with a click', brings high school students closer to old books and documents to introduce them to the history of Milan and Lombardy, and uses both IT and direct consultation to do so.
History: values in action | Esselunga’s social responsibility
About Esselunga’s social balance sheet drawn up in 2003, well ahead of its time. And of €300 million turnover of ecological products, equivalent to 10% of food
Stalking in ‘Le Ossa dei Caprotti’ criminal cases lasting from 2004 to 2019
Stalking is constituted by a series of attitudes held by an obsessed individual, called a stalker, who afflicts another person, persecuting him/her, generating states of fear and anxiety, even going so far as to disrupt the course of normal daily life
Two mismatches in the Caprotti story: Januaria Piromallo, Marchioness of the Dukes etc., and Maria Cristina Busi Ferruzzi, ‘Princess of Coca-Cola
The story of Maria Busi Ferruzzi is reported in the book ‘Le Ossa dei Caprotti’ because it exemplifies how a supplier can become a servant. On Januaria Piromallo, Marchioness Capece Piscinelli di Montebello of the Dukes of Capracotta, on the other hand, I have drawn a pious veil
Further Reading
Read 13 more articles
The Caprotti family between Albiate and Macherio: from manufacturing to retail
Not everyone is probably aware that one of Caprotti’s factories has become an Esselunga Superstore
Fulvio Pierangelini and Esselunga ravioli
In this article there are several mentions of episodes from Le Ossa dei Caprotti , my book published in 2023 by Feltrinelli: the private-label chicken tortellini, the Zunino affair and the meeting with the ‘world’s best cook’, which enriched me personally but did not bear the desired fruit at Esselunga. Certainly not to the demerit of Fulvio Pierangelini
Esselunga: from 1957 to the early 1990s, as recalled by a ‘grocer’s son’
Esselunga’s origins are linked to the history of the city of Milan
The Origins of Fidaty
Fidaty has American origins, like many other successful projects launched by Esselunga. It was proposed to us by Tom Wilson, senior consultant at McKinsey . By Giuseppe Caprotti, article updated 20 June 2025
My summers in Lindos, with Guido Somarè, David Gilmour and the ‘Caprotti’ cat
In the 1960s and 1970s, my mother Giorgina was a companion of Guido Somarè, a talented painter with art in his blood for several generations, and she had been going with him to Lindos, a place on the island of Rhodes, since at least 1966. Violetta and I first came to Lindos in 1969, after an interminable journey that had taken us across the Isthmus of Corinth by boat...
The Caprotti comparison: Ercole Marelli and technological innovation
marelli not only follows but also creates the market, through the company's continuous innovations. Caprotti behaves similarly, starting with technological innovation and factory development, albeit in an entirely different sphere and with a product that is much more sensitive to the immediate demands of the market.
Giuseppe Caprotti, Luigi Guaitamacchi and Nelson Rockefeller’s directives at Esselunga
The 5 commandments left by Nelson Rockefeller’s IBEC Americans, my apprenticeship as a distributor
Rita Consonni on the Manifattura, the Caprotti family and my book, Le Ossa dei Caprotti
manifattura Caprotti has been ‘work and life’ for this whole area of Brianza: Albiate, Macherio, Triuggio…
The Caprotti family: holidays and gifts, which always have a meaning
One Christmas in the early 1970s, I received a small electric train from Dad. It is beautiful but trains and mechanics don't interest me, they are his passions. I exchange it for some Violetta's succulent plants. Bernardo however uses this episode to repeat a recurring idea of his: Violetta is smarter than me, 'she is a future businesswoman' he says. Instead I am referred to as 'the thinker'. I don't dislike the term, but I believe that Bernardo basically despises literati, journalists, professors, whom he lumps together with the left-wing intelligentsia that his ex-wife Giorgina frequents. In the case of the little train, what counts for our father is only the material value of the object, which is certainly higher than that of the plants.
The Caprotti family: Violetta, Giuseppe, Benedetta and Elisabetta with nannies Franca and Sissi, St. Moritz, 1960s
My sister Violetta and I went to the mountains with my mother, accompanied by cousins Benedetta and Elisabetta, Uncle Guido's daughters, and escorted by the eternal 'young ladies'.
The Caprotti family: Bernardo Caprotti and Giorgina’s wedding, November 1958, Uncle Claudio and Grandmother Marianne
"Grandma has a weakness: she is madly in love with her third son, my uncle Claudio. Some friends told me that Claudio was allowed to have breakfast and lunch in bed when he was in Albiate. Bernardo suffered from this unique relationship and I am convinced that jealousy between the two brothers was one of the causes of the quarrels that shook our family.
The birth of marketing at Esselunga and two Armando Testa advertising campaigns
In 1994, under my impetus, the Esselunga marketing department took shape and I became its first director. Marketing was structured to manage the following areas: promotions – including the whole Fidaty world – the call centre, press office, market research, supermarket space, advertising
Giuseppe Caprotti fondatore di Esselunga a casa, l’e-commerce di Esselunga
“Accanto agli investimenti sulla rete fisica, il gruppo ha già accelerato lo sviluppo del canale e-commerce, presente dal 1999 per ferma volontà dell’allora direttore generale Giuseppe Caprotti, ma incredibilmente mai più approfondito ed aggiornato”
The Caprotti family between Albiate and Macherio: from manufacturing to retail
Not everyone is probably aware that one of Caprotti’s factories has become an Esselunga Superstore
Fulvio Pierangelini and Esselunga ravioli
In this article there are several mentions of episodes from Le Ossa dei Caprotti , my book published in 2023 by Feltrinelli: the private-label chicken tortellini, the Zunino affair and the meeting with the ‘world’s best cook’, which enriched me personally but did not bear the desired fruit at Esselunga. Certainly not to the demerit of Fulvio Pierangelini
Esselunga: from 1957 to the early 1990s, as recalled by a ‘grocer’s son’
Esselunga’s origins are linked to the history of the city of Milan
The Origins of Fidaty
Fidaty has American origins, like many other successful projects launched by Esselunga. It was proposed to us by Tom Wilson, senior consultant at McKinsey . By Giuseppe Caprotti, article updated 20 June 2025
My summers in Lindos, with Guido Somarè, David Gilmour and the ‘Caprotti’ cat
In the 1960s and 1970s, my mother Giorgina was a companion of Guido Somarè, a talented painter with art in his blood for several generations, and she had been going with him to Lindos, a place on the island of Rhodes, since at least 1966. Violetta and I first came to Lindos in 1969, after an interminable journey that had taken us across the Isthmus of Corinth by boat...
The Caprotti comparison: Ercole Marelli and technological innovation
marelli not only follows but also creates the market, through the company's continuous innovations. Caprotti behaves similarly, starting with technological innovation and factory development, albeit in an entirely different sphere and with a product that is much more sensitive to the immediate demands of the market.
Giuseppe Caprotti, Luigi Guaitamacchi and Nelson Rockefeller’s directives at Esselunga
The 5 commandments left by Nelson Rockefeller’s IBEC Americans, my apprenticeship as a distributor
Rita Consonni on the Manifattura, the Caprotti family and my book, Le Ossa dei Caprotti
manifattura Caprotti has been ‘work and life’ for this whole area of Brianza: Albiate, Macherio, Triuggio…
The Caprotti family: holidays and gifts, which always have a meaning
One Christmas in the early 1970s, I received a small electric train from Dad. It is beautiful but trains and mechanics don't interest me, they are his passions. I exchange it for some Violetta's succulent plants. Bernardo however uses this episode to repeat a recurring idea of his: Violetta is smarter than me, 'she is a future businesswoman' he says. Instead I am referred to as 'the thinker'. I don't dislike the term, but I believe that Bernardo basically despises literati, journalists, professors, whom he lumps together with the left-wing intelligentsia that his ex-wife Giorgina frequents. In the case of the little train, what counts for our father is only the material value of the object, which is certainly higher than that of the plants.
The Caprotti family: Violetta, Giuseppe, Benedetta and Elisabetta with nannies Franca and Sissi, St. Moritz, 1960s
My sister Violetta and I went to the mountains with my mother, accompanied by cousins Benedetta and Elisabetta, Uncle Guido's daughters, and escorted by the eternal 'young ladies'.
The Caprotti family: Bernardo Caprotti and Giorgina’s wedding, November 1958, Uncle Claudio and Grandmother Marianne
"Grandma has a weakness: she is madly in love with her third son, my uncle Claudio. Some friends told me that Claudio was allowed to have breakfast and lunch in bed when he was in Albiate. Bernardo suffered from this unique relationship and I am convinced that jealousy between the two brothers was one of the causes of the quarrels that shook our family.
The birth of marketing at Esselunga and two Armando Testa advertising campaigns
In 1994, under my impetus, the Esselunga marketing department took shape and I became its first director. Marketing was structured to manage the following areas: promotions – including the whole Fidaty world – the call centre, press office, market research, supermarket space, advertising
Giuseppe Caprotti fondatore di Esselunga a casa, l’e-commerce di Esselunga
“Accanto agli investimenti sulla rete fisica, il gruppo ha già accelerato lo sviluppo del canale e-commerce, presente dal 1999 per ferma volontà dell’allora direttore generale Giuseppe Caprotti, ma incredibilmente mai più approfondito ed aggiornato”
