MILAN — Can olive oil be pop? Yes, in the care of Galateo & Friends, which has secured a collaboration with famed American artist Burton Morris, known for his bold, colorful and graphic Pop Art paintings and representations of modern objects, from a bottle of Coca-Cola with wings to the steaming coffee cup that became synonymous with the “Friends” show.
Friends continues to be a leitmotif, in fact. Morris’ artwork is featured on the packaging of select Galateo & Friends products, from extra virgin olive oil to balsamic and tomato vinegar, and founder Marco Bonaldo assures that the collaboration with Morris and the other partnerships he has forged over the years could only stem for the personal relationships and friendships established with artists, brands and designers.
Galateo & Friends, first launched in 2002, has so far unveiled 12 of these Signature collaborations, with designers from Antonio Marras and Mary Katrantzou to brands such as 10 Corso Como, Dsquared2 and Gucci. More are in the pipeline, including a second collaboration with Swarovski out in January, and for the Alaïa Foundation — all black and designed by Carla Sozzani.
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“Without a personal connection, exchange of ideas, a deep relationship and human factor these collaborations would not be possible, which also leads to the sheer pleasure in being part of them,” said Bonaldo.
He said he leaves “total freedom” to the partners, “they must be able to express themselves.” Conceived as temporary capsules, they actually become collectors’ items.
He admitted that, at first, “it was a bold and risky move but now there is an alignment and synchronicity with the demand and the trend.” He said there is now a clearer understanding of the project and he no longer needs to seek partners and explain the reasoning behind it. “Clearly, the brand’s reputation is more established also through word-of-mouth, and the level of quality and execution — made by hand — contribute to the success.”
Bonaldo is fond of describing Galateo & Friends as “the good in the beautiful,” a formula that combines “the best of food excellence and the art of Italian good living, packed in an attractive and innovative way.”
Based in Arma di Taggia, in Italy’s Liguria region, Bonaldo relies on the high quality of the Taggiasca extra virgin olive oil, but the brand offers a wide range of premium products that celebrate the country’s culinary heritage, pastas and rice, as well as a collection of tableware.
Galateo & Friends has successfully partnered with some of the most accomplished, Michelin-starred chefs and best hotels around the world, from Alain Ducasse, Massimo Bottura’s Gucci Osteria and Raffles Seychelles to Eleven Madison Park and Daniel Humm and the storied luxury hotel Villa d’Este in Como, the Ritz Paris, the Hotel de Paris in Monaco or the Ritz-Carlton in Hong Kong, Palazzo Versace and the Bulgari Hotels, adding to more than 100 collaborations.
As he did for the first Armani Hotel in Dubai, Bonaldo has just designed miniature, single-use 20-ml. oil and vinegar flacons for the sail-shaped seven-star luxury hotel Jumeirah Burj Al Arab. “Room service is very important in these luxury hotels, but the packages are actually brought home as collectors’ pieces, too,” said Bonaldo smiling.
Other projects include working with The Brando eco-resort on Marlon Brando’s private atoll in French Polynesia starting in the fall, with Il Gattopardo in London’s Mayfair and in Dubai, or with Carbone, for the official opening at Atlantis The Royal in Dubai in early October personalizing olive oil and Champagne bottles.
France is the brand’s best market, followed by the U.S. and the Middle East, and Bonaldo said there has been an increased interest in olive oil following the pandemic in the latter region.
Cue his experience with French-Algerian Michelin-starred chef Akrame Benallal, known for his dark, charcoal-focused dishes and minimalist black aesthetic in his restaurants. Benallal hosted a special dinner at the Desert Rock resort in October inspired by Saudi ingredients and aesthetics, and this resulted in a special smoked oil enriched with charcoal powder from vegetable bamboo created with Bonaldo.
Bonaldo praised the experimental minds of the chefs, contributing to continuous progress and innovation. “They are very strategic for us as we are always looking for new products that are never banal,” he said, citing Bottura’s oil with herbs, Michelangelo Mammoliti’s barbecue oil from Il Boscareto resort in Piedmont, or working with pastry maker Fabrizio Fiorani, which led to oil with vanilla.
The Taggiasco oil comes from an area with a very mild climate and sea breezes, which allows the company to generate a product that can count on a constant organoleptic component, slightly fruity and not aggressive, with a stable and constant flavor, which is important for chefs who use this oil in their preparations and who have to get reassured that the final result of their recipes will remain the same.
Asked about his dream project, he confided he would like “to open a shop,” but conceded that “this is another job, and I should find the right partner that understands my views and business philosophy. I do have a project, but I have never really pursued it,” he said.
