Draft:Acetaia Giusti

In 1605, Giuseppe and Francesco Maria Giusti were entered in the register of sausage makers and lard merchants kept by Duke Cesare d'Este, thus marking the start of the vinegar house’s entrepreneurial history in a workshop in the historic centre of Modena, whose attics housed the first small barrels used for ageing balsamic vinegar.^[3]

In the years that followed, the popularity of Giusti balsamic vinegar continued to grow, enabling the vinegar house’s products to win national and international accolades, such as the gold medal at the Italian Exhibition in Florence in 1861 for a 90-year-old balsamic vinegar^[4] that was presented at the Exhibition in barrel A3, which is still preserved today in the family museum, and a further 14 gold, silver and bronze medals from various national and international exhibitions, such as those in Antwerp (1885) and Paris (1889–1900).^[5]

In 1863, at the Modena Agricultural Exhibition, Giuseppe Giusti presented the Ricetta Giusti, a document in which he described for the first time how to produce a "Perfect Balsamic Vinegar”,^[6] which remains one of the few written accounts of the production of this condiment to this day.^[7] At the start of the 20th century, Riccardo Giusti perfected the recipe for 3 Medaglie d'Oro, a PGI Balsamic Vinegar made from sun-dried grapes, which remains one of the most popular products in the Giusti Historical Collection to this day. In 1929, the Giusti family became the official supplier to King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and the Royal House of Savoy,^[8] which granted Riccardo Giusti the privilege of using the royal coat of arms on his balsamic vinegars, distinctive mark currently featured on the neck of the bottles.^[9] In 1980, the vinegar factory moved from its original premises in the historic centre to a farmhouse in the Modena countryside, where its registered office and production facilities are still located today.

Since 2005, under the leadership of CEO Claudio Stefani Giusti, the company has continued on its path of international growth. In 2018, the Casa Giusti visitor centre was also established, which also includes the Giusti Museum, the historic vinegar cellars and a tasting room.^[10] In 2023, Acetaia Giusti joined Les Hénokiens, an international association that brings together and supports two-hundred-year-old family businesses worldwide.^[11] In 2024 and 2025, it was recognised as a Great Place to Work.^[12]

Today, production at Acetaia Giusti still follows the original recipes and methods, such as the use of historic barrels from the 18th and 19th centuries. Its products are sold worldwide^[13][14][15] and can be found in hotels, restaurants and chains such as La Rinascente and Eataly, as well as in its own boutiques in Modena, Milan, Bologna and Florence. Internationally, there are four branches in Seoul, Hong Kong, New York and Munich.^[16]

The label for Giusti Balsamic Vinegar was created in the early 20th century in response to the need to sell the product in bottles rather than in bulk. Like the calligraphic logo reproduced using lithography, the label also reflects the style of the era, featuring Art Nouveau elements and the use of different typefaces for the various text elements.

Over the years, the company has remained faithful to the original label, which has become a defining feature of its identity. The coat of arms of the Royal House of Savoy, granted in 1929, still appears today on bottles of Giusti Balsamic Vinegar, as a symbol of the brand’s visual heritage. Among the other elements featured on the label are the medals won by Giusti Balsamic Vinegars at major national and international exhibitions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Since 2018, the Giusti Museum has been housed within the vinegar cellar, showcasing the production and tradition of balsamic vinegar across 10 themed rooms displaying artefacts and tools of the trade, including the A3 barrel, which contained the balsamic vinegar that won at the Italian Exhibition in Florence in 1861, and the historic recipe from 1863. The museum, which is affiliated with Museimpresa,^[17] welcomes around 30,000 visitors each year.

Acetaia Giusti sponsors the men’s volleyball club Modena Volley,^[18] which competes in the Superlega league, and the football club Modena Calcio,^[19] which plays in Serie B.

The company is also a supporting member of the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo^[20][21] and collaborates with leading Italian universities on workshops, internships and dissertation projects, contributing to the development of educational institutions.

Giusti vinegar, the Giusti Museum and the Antiche Acetaie featured alongside actor and director Stanley Tucci in an episode of the first season of Searching for Italy,^[22] an American travel and cooking programme that won an Emmy Award for Best Informative Programme. It was also selected by actress Whoopi Goldberg as one of her ‘Favourite Things’ during the American television programme The View.^[23]

Selected as one of the 30 most exclusive and rare gifts by Robb Report magazine,^[24] the vinegar has also been reviewed by The New York Times^[25] and mentioned on several occasions in the international edition of Forbes magazine.^[26][27]

Acetaia Giusti has been participating in the Venice International Film Festival since 2022 alongside I Wonder Pictures.^{[28][29][30][31][32]}

Acetaia Giusti is a regular participant in national and international charity events. Among others, it has taken part in the James Beard Foundation Auction Fall Gala and the Charity Show Cooking and Dinner for Teach for Italy. Since 2022, it has participated in the Gala of the United Nations Correspondents Association in New York.^[33][34]

In Italy, in 2025 Acetaia Giusti hosted the ‘Balsamico tra le stelle’ event with ItaliaSquisita,^[35] the entire proceeds of which were donated to the charity Amici per la Vita.^[36]