Corrado Paternò Castello

30 / Catania, Italy

A law graduate with a master’s degree in sustainability and social innovation, Corrado Paternò Castello saw a gap in the Italian market and decided to fill it. Small, sustainable local producers – he realised – had the highest-quality products that consumers wanted to buy, but often lacked the right tools to market them and reach a buying audience. This was negatively impacting not only the producers, but also the equitable and sustainable development of Italian economy.

In 2020, Corrado founded Bonviri alongside Alessandra Tranchina and Sergio Sallicano, starting with just 100 bottles of olive oil from a small producer. The company helps farmers improve their practices by guiding them on how they can reduce their gas emissions and waste, while also giving them access to services such as product photoshoots, visibility on Bonviri’s channels and the ability to sell their products at a fair price on the company’s website.

Today, Bonviri works with 10 producers making everything from tea to spices, capers to honey – and recently, even the first Italian carbon-neutral olive oil. Bonviri’s clients get to purchase a selection of high quality and sustainable products, knowing exactly where, how and by whom they were produced, and becoming an active part in an environmentally and socially conscious supply chain that helps preserve the traditions and biodiversity of the producers’ own local areas.

“I don’t see food as a mere nutrient, but also as a way to express a preference towards a fairer and more sustainable society and way to do business. My approach is expressed by the motto ‘eat well doing good’: we can enjoy great food and in the meanwhile be actors of change.” – Corrado Paternò Castello