Established in 1994, located in Case Innamorari of Amandola in the territory of the Sibillini Mountains, the Colibazzi Filippo Beekeeping holds a rich history that’s been passed down through three generations. I am Filippo, the owner of this family-run business.
Our journey began back in the 1970s. My father was passionate about beekeeping, which he pursued both out of interest and necessity. Starting with a few hives, we crafted bee boxes using scrap materials from a local carpentry workshop. With my wife Paola’s support, and after years of studying and honing our skills, we turned this passion into an official agricultural venture in 1994. Over the years, I’ve refined our cold extraction techniques, ensuring that our products maintain the highest quality. My sons, Mirko and Daniele, have also inherited the love for the fascinating world of bees and honey. They brought a fresh wave of youth and technology to our operations, creating a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation.
Over the decades, we faced our fair share of challenges. Two significant events marked our journey: the large bee die-offs of ’97 and then in 2009. We were left with only 15 hives out of the original 2015. Undeterred, we replenished our stock by acquiring new bee families. Adding to our challenges, the earthquake in 2016 destroyed many of our apiaries. But as always, we persevered, rolled up our sleeves, and emerged stronger.
For over 20 years, the pillars of Colibazzi Beekeeping have remained unchanged: profound respect and love for the environment, our beautiful Sibillini Mountains in Marche, and our dedication to adopting modern, innovative production techniques. The pristine environment of the Sibillini Mountains, combined with the abundant spontaneous blooms and our daily commitment, allows us to produce top-quality honey. Over the years, our honey has received significant accolades and recognition, both regionally and nationally.
THE PRODUCTS
Apicoltura Colibazzi Filippo produces and sells artisanal Acacia honey, Chestnut honey, and Millefiori honey. Our product comes from the Monti Sibillini, processed artisanally with cold methods to ensure unchanged organoleptic qualities.
We also engage in the production and sale of pollen.
THE TERRITORY
Our town, Amandola, takes its name from the almond tree, symbolizing the deep connection of the settlement with the natural environment that surrounds us. Living within the Monti Sibillini National Park has shaped our identity as Marchigian and rural people. We are steeped in ancient history and legends of a natural park that has been hosting visitors from all over Europe since the Middle Ages. The distinctive configuration of mountain ranges marked by high peaks and ridges has always been a challenge for nature enthusiasts, offering breathtaking landscapes visible from those altitudes. We consider ourselves fortunate to be able to make use of this spectacular habitat for our work and experience it from within when we accompany our bees to higher altitudes so that they can carry out their precious work.
PAIRINGS
The delicate taste of Acacia honey is excellent for sweetening herbal teas and infusions because it doesn’t alter the flavor of the beverages. It is also ideal to enjoy paired with cheeses such as ricotta or scamorza. Its characteristics make it suitable even for children and infants under 12 months; in fact, pediatricians recommend it as a sweetener in addition to bottle-fed milk.
Millefiori Honey is the perfect synthesis of the balance between the scents and flavors typical of the Monti Sibillini. Widely used in pastry and gastronomy preparations, it is ideal for breakfast to spread on bread or toast. It pairs well with cheeses like fontina or more aged varieties. It is excellent to use as a sweetener in infusions, herbal teas, and milk.
Chestnut honey is ideal for accompanying meats and cheeses, whether mild or strong, such as caciotta, caciocavallo, and Parmesan.
LOCAL CUISINE
If you love country festivals with their liveliness and the sense of community they convey, you can come to Amandola for the “Sagra delle Fregnacce con olio e pecorino” (Festival of Fregnacce with olive oil and pecorino). It’s one of our local dishes rooted in rural tradition. The preparation begins with fresh puff pastry made with eggs, flour, and water, which is then cut into squares or sometimes triangles. The classic Marche version is dressed with tomato sauce and meat ragù, but here, we accompany them with extra virgin olive oil from our olive groves and our grated mountain pecorino directly on the pasta to enhance its roughness and flavor to the fullest.