FRANKLIN, Mass. — A Franklin man and his family are making a promise on his late mother’s wish-creating an everlasting connection to Sicily, where his family is from.
Recently, his company reached a big milestone that only 100 other similar businesses in the world have earned.
As the former CMO of Puma and Whoop, Antonio Bertone knows a thing or two about marketing big brands. But not as simple--starting up a whole new company with his family. Antonio and his wife were taking care of his mother, who was battling cancer—— and she had one last wish.
“I think she was worried that the connection between Sicily and my family would dissolve once she passed on because I’m the last one left here, and all of her family are still in Sicily,” said Antonio Bertone with Alileo wine.
So Antonio teamed up with his wine-making cousin in Italy.
“He said why don’t we start wine brand,” said Bertone. “And that’s where the name Alileo comes from, because it’s all the kids’ names scrambled together.”
They decided to go after the boxed wine market. Antonio admits he wasn’t sure if his mom believed in the concept, but it was enough to lift her spirits.
“She never got to see the finished product, but kind of in an ironic, spooky way,” said Bertone. “The first container arrived here in Gloucester on her birthday. So we took that as a good omen.”
This small facility in Gloucester used to be the primary warehouse for Alileo wine, but the company is growing and operates mostly out of a warehouse in New Jersey. And while there’s a preconceived notion that boxed wine is of lesser quality, Antonio says there is a reason for this type of packaging.
‘From a shipping standpoint, this is a fraction of the carbon footprint that if you went to glass bottles, glass takes so much energy to make, glass and then you’re shipping it around the world, it’s a completely it’s just a cumbersome product to handle," said Bertone.
The cardboard is FSC Certified, meaning it’s sourced from responsibly managed forests—promoting sustainability and environmental protection.
“In this box is two glass bottles worth of wine,” said Bertone.
And after almost three years, Alileo is now a recognized Certified B Corporation.
“That was a huge day for us because globally that symbol is recognized for a company that is putting you know the environment and its people ahead of profit,” said Bertone.
He hopes this unfiltered, organic wine with no sugar and low sulfides gets the attention of younger adults—-as the industry has seen a decline over the years.
“I try to build something that’s a little bit more robust and hopefully stands the test of I mean it is my kids’ names in the product,” said Bertone. “We’d love to build this for the long term.”
Alileo is getting the attention of publications like Food and Wine and USA Today, nominated for best boxed wine. It’s sold in several states, and you can find it in local wine shops and also eateries in Boston like Eataly and James Hook Lobster Co.
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