Maurizio Gozzelino, the creator behind one of Italy's most recognized non-alcoholic aperitifs, has died at age 91. The Piedmont-based entrepreneur and oenologist passed away in the early hours of Saturday, leaving behind a beverage legacy that has shaped Italian drinking culture for over six decades. Campari Group currently owns the Crodino brand.
A Life Dedicated to Innovation
Gozzelino's death was confirmed by the Centro Studi Piero Ginocchi in Crodo, the alpine village in Verbano-Cusio-Ossola that gave the aperitif its name. His funeral is scheduled for Tuesday morning at 10 AM in the parish of Santa Maria della Stella in Rivoli, near Turin.
From Cuneo to the Alps: The Making of an Icon
Born in Saluzzo, Cuneo province, in 1935, Gozzelino initially worked in Turin's beverage industry before a pivotal meeting changed his trajectory. Piero Ginocchi, the entrepreneur who had transformed Crodo's mineral water operations after World War II, persuaded him to relocate to the remote mountain town in the early 1960s. At the time, Crodo was much smaller than today, and Gozzelino hesitated to leave the urban comforts of Turin for an isolated Valle Antigorio outpost at the foot of the Alps.
Yet it was precisely this location that proved decisive. Ginocchi had already established his Società Anonima Terme di Crodo bottling operations in Crodo, taking advantage of proximity to local mineral springs for production. By the early 1960s, the facility was producing tamarind drinks, chinotto, and Crodo cola, but Ginocchi wanted something revolutionary—a product that could redefine the Italian aperitif market without alcohol.
Gozzelino, known in industry circles for his expertise in aromatic blends, spent months experimenting with herb and spice combinations. The recipe reportedly included various herbs and spices, aged in oak barrels to develop its signature bittersweet profile. The drink debuted in December 1964 under the name Picador, was briefly rebranded as Biondino, and finally launched as Crodino on July 28, 1965.
A Product That Became a National Icon
The beverage quickly became a fixture of Italian life, amplified by Carosello television advertising. Its success transformed Crodo from a modest thermal resort into a recognized brand name, creating jobs in the Valle Antigorio and anchoring the local economy for decades.
In 1983, Società Anonima Terme di Crodo was acquired by Bols Wessanen, the Dutch conglomerate. The Campari Group later acquired the Crodino brand in 1995, integrating it into a portfolio that now includes Aperol, Campari Soda, and Cinzano.
The Move to Novi Ligure
For nearly 60 years, Crodino was produced exclusively in Crodo. In 2021, Campari installed a production line at its Novi Ligure facility in Alessandria province. When production contracts changed, the company shifted manufacturing to Novi Ligure. The Centro Studi Piero Ginocchi, established with financial backing from Ginocchi himself, continues to document the beverage's origins and the industrial history of the alpine region.
The Enduring Mystery of the Formula
The exact proportions of Gozzelino's herbal blend remain undisclosed, even within Campari's operations. The recipe is stored under proprietary protections, with only a handful of individuals knowing the full formulation. This secrecy has fueled decades of speculation, yet no competitor has successfully replicated Crodino's distinctive amber hue and mildly bitter finish.
The Centro Studi Piero Ginocchi remembered Gozzelino as "affable, a skilled communicator, generous, with the simple manners of a cultured but unshowy person." In 2021, Crodo awarded him honorary citizenship, recognizing his role in connecting the alpine town to Italy's beverage industry.
A Legacy in the Aperitivo Tradition
Unlike many inventors whose creations outlive them in anonymity, Gozzelino remained connected to Crodo and its community throughout his life. He witnessed the brand's transformation from a regional novelty to a national icon, survived multiple ownership changes, and saw production move beyond the village where he perfected the formula.
His funeral in Rivoli will draw family, former colleagues, and representatives from the beverage industry, marking the end of a chapter in Italian culinary history. Yet the drink he created endures, its recipe locked away, its production now managed by one of Italy's leading spirits companies, and its place in Italy's aperitivo ritual secure.
