Discovering Nino Castiglione
Nino Castiglione has roots in tradition and a love for the sea. Son of a junk dealer with a passion for tuna fishing, Nino opened a small mackerel and sardine oil processing plant in the port of Trapani.
During the 1940s, he began to work and can Mediterranean red tuna, locally caught using the traditional fixed tuna fishing system. As the plant grew, attention also shifted to yellowfin tuna, initially from Norway, but then, with growing demand, sourcing began from the oceans.
The company’s history takes a significant turn when Nino purchases the San Cusumano tuna fishery, then completely disused. Thus begins a laborious restoration process that lasts five years, making San Cusumano the permanent headquarters of the company and the only Sicilian tuna fishery to maintain its original function.
Nino’s great passion for red tuna fishing came to fruition in 1973, with the start of the Bonagia tuna fishery activity, a fishing village in the province of Trapani. This activity will continue until 2003, with the termination of the restoration of the San Cusumano site, where tuna processing and canning are now located.
In the 1970s, Nino acquires the Bonagia and San Giuliano tuna fisheries, with fishing rights, boats, nets, and all the equipment. During this period, the processing and canning of yellowfin tuna continue, and he buys the Auriga brand from the Parodi family of Genoa.
Over the next decade, the company focuses on acquiring significant orders for the main Italian large-scale distribution brands, developing an important commercial activity that increases production and turnover. The San Cusumano plant is expanded with new cold storage cells, high-capacity production facilities, cutting-edge packaging lines, and an internal quality laboratory.
Today, the Castiglione company, thanks to innovative production processes and respect for the environment, combines the tradition of fishing with food safety, keeping the entire production process in Sicily. The company is committed to ensuring excellence at every step, from the moment the fish is caught until it reaches the consumer’s tables.
