Atlantic Reflections: Italian Spirits and Business Communities in the Americas

Topics such as the formation of Italian multinationals and their relevance in the international context, or the composition of migrant workers and their contribution of skills in receiving companies, find fruitful answers in case studies of Martini & Rossi (M&R) and Stock Spirits Groups. These two cases show two aspects of building Italian business abroad: the Italian way to build up a mass market for alcoholic beverages, and the Italian footprint over the spirits’ global market. Both brands still survive today, albeit in different forms. They are still very well-known globally, even if their stories prove that the unifying function of the different Italian communities they had performed during their best moments has varied greatly over time.