Made Slow
Since 1978, the Puopolo family has been devoted to the time-honoured art of salumi making. Honouring Italian traditions, every slice tells a story of dedication. From selecting the finest ingredients to the careful art of curing, Puopolo allows time and patience to craft exceptional flavours.
We speak with brothers Vito and Michael Puopolo, the third generation behind Artisan Salumi, about honouring their Italian heritage, the meaning of Made Slow, and how they’re bringing authentic salumi to modern Australian tables.
Q. Can you tell us the story behind Puopolo Artisan Salumi and how the business began?
The Puopolo story started in the 1960s when our grandfather, Vitangelo Puopolo, moved to Australia from Italy. He brought with him family recipes for traditional salumi that had been passed down for centuries. In 1978, he opened a small butcher shop in Geelong , which laid the groundwork for our family’s legacy. Today, as third-generation owners, we are proud to continue the artisan traditions of our family.
This passion led to Puopolo Artisan Salumi being created in 2015 and the first successful trial batch of cacciatore salami. That single 50kg batch sparked a renewed love for the craft and inspired
a dedicated range of authentic, handcrafted products. Today, we focus on small-batch, slow-ageing methods passed down through the family, reaching customers who appreciate high-quality, traditional Italian salumi.
Q. What does it mean that Puopolo is Made Slow? How does patience influence the salumi-making process?
Made Slow is the heart of our philosophy. It’s a commitment to honouring the traditional craft of salumi making in a world that’s always in a rush. For us, patience is the most crucial ingredient. We believe that true flavour can’t be rushed and perfection takes time. Our salumi is aged and cured naturally, allowing deep, rich and complex flavours to develop over days, weeks, and sometimes even months.
This slow process ensures a superior taste and texture that simply can’t be achieved with modern, industrial shortcuts. It’s about ensuring every slice reflects the care, dedication and time invested. Made Slow is our promise that we are doing things the right way, preserving the authenticity of our family’s recipes for a taste that is genuinely worth the wait.
Q. How does Puopolo balance heritage Italian techniques within a modern Australian context?
At Puopolo, we’ve found a way to bring together the best of both worlds. Our story is rooted in centuries-old methods, passed down through the Puopolo family, that define authentic salumi. We remain fiercely committed to them.
What makes it modern is our focus on local sourcing and new ideas. We only use top-quality, 100-per-cent Australian pork and beef, working with local family farms that care about quality as much as we do. We’ve also put in the latest tech to keep our dry-ageing rooms perfect all year. In Italy, salumi was typically made in winter, but thanks to our facilities, we can recreate those ideal conditions any time of year, making sure every batch lives up to our high standards, regardless of the season.
Q. What sets Puopolo’s artisan salumi apart from others available in Australia?
What truly sets Puopolo apart is our unique ability to deliver a genuinely artisan product at a scale that makes it accessible to families across the country. While many producers operate at one end of the spectrum or the other, either as a niche artisan or a large-scale commercial manufacturer, we bridge the gap.
Our difference comes down to three main things. First, we stick with traditional Italian recipes and let our salumi age naturally, using age-old methods with no shortcuts. This is how we get those big, genuine flavours and textures. Second, we only use the best 100-per-cent Australian pork and beef from local farmers we trust. Last, every product is made with real care by hand, but we’ve also grown enough to be found in close to 1000 stores around Australia. It means more people get to taste what proper artisan salumi should be.
Q. How does the new packaging and brand design reflect your story?
Our new brand design is a visual celebration of our story, capturing the perfect balance between our Italian heritage and our modern Australian identity. We wanted the packaging to be as rich and distinctive as the product inside. The design was inspired by classic 1960s Mediterranean aesthetics, a nod to our Italian heritage, but it’s been reimagined with a fresh, bold and contemporary feel.
The branding reflects our premium position in the market as a unique, artisan brand that stands out from the competition. When customers see our products, we want them to immediately recognise the quality and history they represent. It tells the story of a family business that honours tradition while looking to the future, appealing to a new generation of food lovers who value authenticity, and craftsmanship and flavour.
Q. What does it mean for you to be a 100-per-cent family-owned business in today’s food industry?
Being a 100-per-cent family-owned business is our foundation. It’s a profound source of pride and a great responsibility. Puopolo is not just a company, it’s the continuation of a legacy started by our grandfather, Vitangelo Puopolo, in a small Geelong butcher shop over 40 years ago. The family name is on every product, so there is a personal commitment to quality that you might not find in a large corporation.
This connection is why we take care of our family’s recipes and love sharing them with Australia. It influences how we work, fostering deep relationships with other family-owned farms and allowing us to focus on quality over mass production. It gives us the freedom to do things the right way, the slow way, ensuring we can provide the Australian market with access to high-quality, authentic salumi that our family has been perfecting for generations.
For more information visit puopolo.com.au
