Trade Secrets, a key factor in the successful internationalization of a world-class Italian drink: The Campari case

In recent years, trade secrets have been gaining importance within the IP world. Successful stories where secrets are the core of a business’s success have inspired many companies to protect their valuable knowledge under secrecy instead of using other IPRs. One of the world’s most important trade secrets is Coca-Cola. However, there exists another secret recipe for the preparation of a famous bitter liquor called Campari. This unique, vibrant red drink became a contemporary icon of the Italian lifestyle and, more, a world-synonym of the “Made in Italy”. Famous cocktails such as the Negroni or James Bond’s Americano have contributed to expanding the popularity of Campari, which is now distributed in more than 190 countries and has more than 20 production plants worldwide. This paper aims to analyze Campari’s trade secret story and its crucial role in the transformation of a family business into one of the world’s major players in the alcoholic beverages industry.