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Our History / The Dukcevich Family
From our famous Del Duca® Prosciutto to our other charcuterie, you can rest assured that every product is autentico, made in the USA according to time-honored Italian traditions.
Del Duca®'s humble origins can be traced to 1945, when founders Stefano & Carolina Dukcevich arrived in the seaside town of Trieste, Italy. Having just escaped the dramatic fallout of post-WWII Croatia, the husband-wife team found opportunity in food as they forged a new life on the Adriatic coast. Carolina, working from her home kitchen, produced the pork sausages that Vlado would then deliver on his bicycle to local restaurants and markets.
Carolina Starts what we Have today
Born in Croatia, Carolina Dukcevich fled to Trieste, Italy, in 1945 with her husband Stefano and their two sons, Mario and Vlado. There, she began making sausages in her kitchen, which Stefano would then pack on his bike and sell to local restaurants.
the Dukceviches Continue the journey
Carolina and her husband and fellow refugee, Stefano Dukcevich, begin making dry-cured delicacies. They are among the first to build a dry-curing plant in the northeastern Italy region of Trieste.
A lot has changed in the decades since then: production expanded beyond Carolina’s kitchen, trucks replaced Valdo’s bicycle, and the company has relocated to the United States. Yet the more things changed, the more they stayed the same.
1976
Second generation, Vlado Dukcevich came to America and built the first Daniele, Inc. prosciutto plant in Rhode Island. After much success, he later built a second plant.
– one which marries state-of-the art technology with the brand’s Old-World heritage. The dry-aging tradition which defines charcuterie can be tasted in every prosciutto & salami that bears the Del Duca® medallion.
Throughout Del Duca®'s storied history, the brand has focused on perfecting one thing: Togetherness Food. Our products are for those who want to elevate time spent with loved ones. We believe there’s no reason too small to celebrate, so our products are designed to bring people together, no matter the occasion.
