Best-Selling Olive Oil Brand, Filippo Berio, Appoints Beanstalk as Brand Extension Agency

October 14, 2015, London, U.K. – Leading global brand extension agency, Beanstalk, has signed the UK’s number one olive oil brand, Filippo Berio, for representation. Beanstalk will work closely with Filippo Berio on extension into close-to-core food categories, leveraging the authentic olive oil brand’s Italian heritage and rich flavour profile. The licensing programme will complement Filippo Berio’s existing selection of high-quality olive oils, vinegars and pesto.

In the 150 years since its launch, Filippo Berio has successfully capitalised on the growing popularity of olive oil as a key component of a health-driven, Mediterranean inspired diet. From the careful selection of ingredients to the special blending and bottling of products, the production process is overseen by experienced olive oil specialists, blenders and tasters, resulting in a range of premium quality products that are celebrated for their rich flavour and wellness related benefits. In addition to its leading position in the UK and US markets, the brand enjoys significant market share in Switzerland, Canada and Japan, with a growing presence in emerging markets including Russia, China and Brazil.

Walter Zanre, Managing Director at Filippo Berio UK, says, “The popularity of Mediterranean cuisine shows no sign of slowing and its ingredients and cooking methods continue to inspire food enthusiasts across the world. Through licensing, we want to offer consumers the opportunity to enjoy Italian style indulgences at home, complementing our existing offer of high-quality oils, vinegars and pesto. We were impressed with Beanstalk’s extensive experience working with food and beverage brands, and are confident in their ability to help us grow Filippo Berio’s offer in close-to-core categories.”

Lisa Reiner, Managing Director of Beanstalk Europe & Asia Pacific, says, “As the number one brand in the olive oil category, Filippo Berio is perfectly positioned to maximise consumer demand for related food products inspired by Mediterranean cuisine. By partnering the brand with best-in-class licensees, we aim to translate the high standards of its core products into a comprehensive food offer which enables consumers to create Italian-inspired indulgences in the comfort of their own homes.”

About Filippo Berio

The First and Last Name in Olive Oil since 1867… Filippo Berio is much more than a name on a bottle.

In 1867, in the small Italian town of Lucca, Tuscany, a young man named Filippo Berio set out to follow his passion for making olive oil.  It was here that he learned his craft and began producing his own signature olive oil.  Only when an olive oil had passed Filippo Berio’s expert tasting was it allowed to bear his name. Season by season, Filippo Berio’s fame grew and before long, his signature had become a guarantee of exceptional quality.

In the late 1800s, thousands of Italians emigrated across the world, and Filippo, seeing a golden opportunity, started selling his oil to those wanting to take a taste of home with them on their journey across the Atlantic. Demand grew so high for Filippo’s oil that by the end of the 19th century, it was Italy’s foremost export brand, winning international awards for its exceptional quality.

Over the next forty years, Filippo Berio built up his business and became widely respected for his knowledge of olive oil. Three years before he died, he formed a partnership with Giovanni Silvestrini, securing the future of his oil. In 1910, Silvestrini joined forces with Dino Fontana (both from Lucca) to form Salov – a new company encompassing Filippo Berio along with several other prestigious olive oils. Salov continued to grow and expand, surviving World War II to become a leading producer of quality oils, recognised and respected in Italy and across the world.

Since the 1960s, when the benefits of olive and other vegetable oils became widely known, there has been a continuing demand for high quality olive oil and Filippo Berio’s fine flavour, versatility and health benefits have ensured the brand’s lasting popularity to this day.

Today Salov has operations around the globe and is one of Italy’s largest food exporters.

About Beanstalk

Beanstalk, a global brand extension agency, works closely with our clients to unlock brand equity and create many of the world’s most recognizable products and services. We help leading brands, celebrities, media properties, manufacturers and retailers creatively find ways to strengthen their relationship with their most important stakeholder – the consumer.

Beanstalk offers a breadth of services including brand representation, manufacturer representation, retailer partnerships, creative services, approvals management, legal and financial services, and royalty auditing.  Blueprint – Powered by Beanstalk, our consulting division, advises clients through four key practice areas: brand extension + retail development, research + insights, design + identity, and operations + governance. Tinderbox, our digital division, works with gaming and new media properties to realize their potential in the world of consumer products.

The company is headquartered in New York, with offices in London, Los Angeles, Miami and Cincinnati, and affiliates throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.beanstalk.com. Beanstalk is a part of the DAS Group of Companies.

About the DAS Group of Companies

The DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), is a global group of marketing services companies. DAS includes over 200 companies in the following marketing disciplines: specialty, PR, healthcare, CRM, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. Operating through a combination of networks and regional organizations, DAS serves international, regional, national and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.