The story begins in 1849 when Andrea Costa – the progenitor of the homonymous Genoese family – starts to sell olive oil and textiles from Sardinia to Liguria, later specialising in buying raw olive oil in Mediterranean countries. Giacomo Costa, Andrea’s son, has a very ambitious vision: bringing a little bit of Italy into kitchens around the world. That is what would lead him to found the “Giacomo Costa fu Andrea” trading company in 1910.

In the various trips they make to consolidate their sales network, the Costas realise the importance of connoting the product with an immediate link to Italy. This is why the name chosen for their oil is that of the renowned Italian poet Dante Alighieri, a classic symbol of Italianness.