One Big Family
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Sebastian at his desk around late 1980’s.
Sebastian Galipo’s first-ever job was selling homegrown lettuce as a twelve-year-old to help his mum and dad put food on the table. He made five cents a head to help supplement the family income. But he also learned a valuable lesson.
“It forced me to challenge myself,” Sebastian explains. “Little did I know the impact this would have on my life – it taught me about people and the selling process – the cornerstones of any successful business.”
A decade later, when founding the new Galipo Food Company, he applied the same family-driven principles. In July of 1983, Sebastian hired his first employee, cousin Robby Costanzo who still works in the business today. And five years later, Sebastian’s brother Bill officially joined the Galipo Food Company family as a partner.
“Bill gave away a teaching career to become my partner, and together, we bought our first warehouse in Stepney,” Sebastian explains. “Bill’s decision to make such an enormous change in his life, in turn changed my life and the life of our company.”
Ever since that first leap of faith, Sebastian and Bill have worked together to build a successful family business – mentoring and growing a dedicated team who now handle the day to day operations of the business.
Sebastian and Bill Galipo.
Sebastian in his very first delivery van, 40 years later.
“Our ability to grow and invest in passionate people has given us the opportunity to not only survive, but to thrive and give back to the community.”
Family is so deep in the company’s DNA that when the pandemic hit – and every person and business on Earth scrambled to stay afloat – the tightknit Galipo team took a different approach.
“Many staff volunteered to take a pay cut to help sustain the business,” explains Sebastian. “Today, we employ 233 staff in South Australia, and I’m proud of every one of them.”
Part of the carefully cultivated culture is celebrating wins and losses together, fostering a caring and supportive workplace that functions as a close unit. It’s the Galipo way.
It is this approach that has resulted in Galipo Foods winning the National Foodservice Distributor of the Year Award by FSAA, 5 times.
Today, Galipo Foods is one of the most esteemed food distribution businesses in Australia, but at the heart of the business is a family culture of caring for each other and for their customers.
Sebastian and Bill Galipo and team celebrating Galipo Foods’ 40th Anniversary, 2023.
In 2023, Galipo Foods celebrated 40 years in business. Featuring personal interviews, historical photographs and footage of daily operations across the decades, this film commemorates the innovative family-owned company’s incredible journey from humble beginnings to esteemed success.
Founding Partner