Calvisius

A Unique Caviar Made in Italy

Our History

Calvisano is a typical town located in the middle of the Po Valley in the province of Brescia, an area rich in fresh spring water. The name comes from the Latin Calvisius, an ancient noble Roman and great gourmet.

The unique features of the pure water in the area are the foundation of the excellent ecosystem that ensures Calvisius caviar its authenticity and freshness and made it one of the most exquisite delicacies in the world cuisine.

1977 - The Beginning of Passion

Calvisius’ story begins in the late'70s with the birth of Agroittica, an avant-garde fish farm where an all Italian experience is created with respect for nature, passion for perfectly crafted products and a strong pursuit of perfection. A laboratory of caviar was later added together with a facility for the preparation of delicious smoked fish specialties.

1981 - The Discovery of America

A encounter between Gino Ravagnan, longtime partner of the company, and Russian Professor Serge Doroshov, marine biologist of Davis University in California, helps develop the innovative idea of breeding a sturgeon variety typical of the Pacific Ocean, the White Sturgeon, in the area of Calvisano, rich in pure water springs. The introduction of the new species represents for Agroittica the beginning of a great and prosperous adventure, making it the first company in Europe capable of breeding sturgeon in captivity.

1992 - The Black Gold of Calvisano is Born

Agroittica Lombarda puts to good use the years of commitment and care dedicated to the breeding of White Sturgeon. The precious roe of this species is ideal for a premium quality caviar, Calvisius Tradition, also called "the Black Gold of Calvisano" will soon conquer the most refined palates in Italy. The reason of the great success of Calvisius has to be attributed surely to both the unique characteristics of the territory in which the caviar is produced and to the innovative aquaculture techniques used for the breeding of sturgeons. Finally, the great craftsmanship of Calvisius "Caviar Masters" garantees this achievement.

1998 - The Beginning of International Success

The Washington Convention (CITES) includes sturgeon among species in danger of extinction. A key factor which contributes to the growth of the company. On the eve of the new millennium, Calvisius reaches a new milestone, with a constantly increasing demand and the introduction on the market of new types of caviar (Calvisius Siberian and Calvisius Tradition Elite),launching an international success story that begins to fascinate palates and major customers like Albereta by Gualtiero Marchesi, Dean & De Luca and the restaurant of the Four Seasons Hotel in New York.

2005 - Calvisius and Major Airlines

Since 2000, Calvisius has been chosen by major international airlines for its pure and fresh caviar. Previously, these companies were forced to use only pasteurized caviar, of a lower quality. This extraordinary success allows the company to win the 2005 Mercury Award, which is given from ITCA (International Travel Catering Association) only to companies that have distinguished themselves for their excellence in the food and beverage category.

2008 - Ars Italica Calvisius is Born

In 2008, thanks to a partnership with Agroittica Spa, the project Italian Caviar begins. It includes Ars Italica Calvisius, a new line of products that allows to expand the caviar collection with five new different species of sturgeon. Among these, the Russian sturgeon, species originally native to the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. In 2012 the production of Da Vinci, the authentic Italian caviar from the Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii) begins.

2009 - Calvisius Opens in the U.S.A.

Opening of the office in the United States.

2012 - Pleasure for The Most Refined Palates

The launch of new lines such as the prized Beluga caviar for Calvisius, the refined Oscietra Imperial and the delicate Da Vinci Ars Italica Calvisius will surpass the most optimistic expectations and get an international echo. Important restaurants such as Osteria Francescana by Massimo Bottura, awarded in 2016 the number one spot on the prestigious San Pellegrino 50 Best Restaurants in the world list, have in fact chosen Calvisius and Ars Italica Calvisius as the caviar to be used in their recipes.

2013 - Italian Caviar Arrives at The Court of The Tsars

Success does not stop, and Russia, the traditional homeland of caviar, opens its doors to the caviar of Agroittica Lombarda. This is another result of the commitment and work done in all these years, the attention and passion that Calvisius instills in each of its products to always ensure the highest quality.

2015 - The Production of Sevruga Caviar Begins

After years of waiting, the production of Sevruga caviar begins.

2016 Calvisius Opens in France

Opening of the French headquarter in Paris.

Calvisius e Ars Italica Calvisius

Agroittica and Italian Caviar Srl, Agroittica Lombarda Group’s participated company, created the two product lines: Calvisius and Ars Italica Calvisius.

The two represent two souls that have enabled the Group to be present on the world market with the widest variety of caviar produced entirely in their own facilities.

Over 150 acres of fresh water ponds are dedicated to the breeding of different varieties of the most valuable sturgeons, allowing the company to hold over 15% of the world production of farmed caviar.

Our History. What We Believe In

Our values, our history. Our every gesture or action has always been guided by words such as Quality, Craftsmanship and Sustainability. These are the pillars of our daily values, the guiding principle and the goal of all our efforts.

From The Source

We believe that the quality of our products relies directly upon the well-being of our sturgeons. Precisely for this reason in our farms we use only spring water and feed the sturgeons with the highest quality foods. Since we are both breeders and manufacturers, we have direct control over every aspect of the lives of our sturgeons; this allows us to trace the history and origin of each package that we put on the market and provides us with any information regarding the origin of our products.

Sustainability

Since 1998, sturgeon has been listed by the Washington Convention as species in danger of extinction. At Calvisius we have been fighting every day for over 30 years to safeguard this endangered fish species. We were awarded the Certificate Friends of the Sea for the sustainable approach we have in breeding and our entire manufacturing facility is certified "BRC" and "IFS high level", quite unique in the world of sturgeon breeders and caviar producers.

Craftmanship

For over forty years, the expert hands of our dedicated Calvisius Masters have been taking care of our caviar, using advanced techniques combined with traditional production methods; this allows us to offer our customers a top quality caviar. The attention we pay to every detail made our caviar one of the most sought after delicacies of the gourmet world, capable of satisfying the most demanding palates.

The Value of Time

The constant quest for excellence drives us to try to meet the expectations of even the most demanding customers. Connoisseurs will appreciate our caviar because it is processed in the traditional Russian method called "Malossol", a word meaning "low salt." This technique allows us to bring out the differences between the various species and their different types of caviar, letting nature express its organoleptic and morphological biodiversity. In addition, the considerable size of the eggs and the various shades of color of our caviar make Calvisius a true symbol of style which is appreciated on the most prestigious tables around the world.

Products Calvisius