Tucked away in the lush Nebrodi Park in Galati Mamertino, near Messina, stands Emanumiele, a beehive of virtuous enterprise buzzing with Sicilian sweetness since 1994.
It all began with a spark of inspiration from Giacomo Emanuele, a beekeeper who has been crafting one of the market’s most delightful treasures, honey, for three decades.
Giacomo’s passion is deeply rooted in history, tracing back to his great-grandfather Giuseppe, who lovingly tended to his beehives for just the family’s palate.
As a child, Giacomo was the ever-eager apprentice to his great-grandfather, eagerly soaking up the art of apiculture, nurturing a passion that would one day define his life’s work.
Almost thirty years in operation, Emanumiele is a testament to resilience, flourishing despite the climate crisis that challenges the industry. With care and commitment, Giacomo doesn’t just work; he pours his soul into a craft that allows him to truly live.
Beekeeping is a fragile art involving beehives, each teeming with about 80,000 bees: a few thousand male drones, a single queen, and the tireless workers.
Sicily is home to its own indigenous breed, the Sicilian black bee, a Slow Food product that is made to reproduce in purity, in the pristine landscapes of the minor islands.
The Aeolian Islands play a crucial role in this operation. While not abundant in honey production, Salina allows the small business to create four different types of honey, including the delectable Strawberry Tree honey.
Emanumiele’s array of products is extensive, ranging from honey to pollen, royal jelly to propolis. Yet, one of its most vital services is pollination, a key process in maintaining the delicate balance necessary for floral biodiversity to thrive.
Climate challenges have prompted the company to diversify, resulting in an array of exquisite, uniquely flavored products. They produce cured meats made from the prized Nebrodi Black Pig (for the cooked meats, Emanumiele uses his own honey as a sweetener for the cooking broths), all the way to a fine double-fermented beer and, of course, the oldest alcoholic beverage, mead, left to rest in chestnut barrels for over two years.
Their beer, alongside various types of honey from Emanumiele, shone at the Nexxt Expo in Los Angeles, an international fair celebrating Made in Italy.
The Sicily Show, organized by IoComproSiciliano, featured these Messina-made products, adding a touch of Sicilian excellence to the event.
Emanumiele’s prized Nebrodi honey isn’t new to the international stage; their products have sweetened spots in Japan, various European countries, and the USA, where they connect with the esteemed Drago family.
You might recall our feature on Celestino Drago, the Beverly Hills chef. Catch that story here!
