The Calabretta Cooperative was born about 40 years ago thanks to the foresight of the brothers Rosario and Cherubino Calabretta, descendants of a family of citrus producers and exporters since 1800 in Europe and America. The lemon grove has in fact represented the predominant cultivation in this area of Sicily at the base of Etna since the early 1900s, so much so that it is known as the "lemon riviera".
Over time, the Company has seen its specialization grow, maintaining the cultivation of lemon in respect of the territory and tradition and adopting cultivation methods in the beginning characterized by integrated pest management and today entirely organic.
Attentive to environmentally friendly agriculture, we are engaged in cultivation practices that follow the rules of organic agriculture, certified by specific bodies in order to guarantee the authenticity of our products.
The most recent history has seen us engaged in the formation of the "Limone dell'Etna" Association, established in June 2014, which since the beginning has included the protection and promotion of the lemon of the Ionian-Etna belt as one of the main purposes to achieve to the recognition of the PGI.
Today, in order to improve and increase production and encourage the marketing and processing of lemon, the Cooperative together with other producers has set up the Etna’s Terra dei Limoni Business Network.
