Our story · Agropoli, since 2001: Twenty-five years between the hills and the sea
Masseria Cilentana began in 2001 in Agropoli, where the Cilento hills run down to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Three founders, one barn and a simple idea: do one thing well — buffalo milk.
Farmers first
Masseria Cilentana was founded in 2001 by three partners, who still run it together:
- Emilio Celso — co-directs the farm and runs day-to-day operations.
- Nicola Celso — co-directs the farm and sets the herd's rations.
- Nicola Del Verme — supports the partners on strategy and finance.
Over twenty-five years we have changed tools, enlarged the barn and invested in technology and energy. Every one of those decisions started with the same question: does this make life better for the buffalo, and the milk better for it?
That same question has now led us into cheesemaking. After a quarter of a century spent perfecting the raw material, we decided to transform it ourselves.
Agropoli, between Cilento and the sea
The farm lies on Via Malagenia, in the countryside outside Agropoli, on the edge of the Cilento National Park. Hills behind, the Tyrrhenian in front: a landscape the Mediterranean buffalo has called home for centuries.
This is where we raise the herd and grow maize and triticale on our own fields. As far as we can, everything that goes into the barn comes from a few steps away.
From 2001 to today
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2001
The beginning
Emilio Celso, Nicola Celso and Nicola Del Verme found Azienda Agricola Masseria Cilentana in the countryside outside Agropoli.
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2003
A bigger barn
The barn is extended for a growing herd, with more space for every animal.
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2014
Solar power
We install our first solar panels. The plant has grown step by step ever since.
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2019
Hydroponic forage
With our first HydroGreen system we begin sprouting barley on the farm every day — fresh green feed, 365 days a year.
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2021
A second HydroGreen
We add a second HydroGreen system: more fresh sprouted barley every day for our milking buffalo.
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2023
DeLaval milking
DeLaval milking systems and DelPro herd software go live. From then on, every buffalo has her own record, milking after milking.
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2025
More sun, and storage
New panels and a battery system take the plant to 86.58 kW — and keep it working after sunset.
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2026
Twenty-five years
We celebrate a quarter of a century of farming and prepare the next step: a cheese dairy of our own.
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2027
The dairy
Our cheese dairy opens and Bubalina is born: milk from our buffalo becomes our own cheese.
Milk from our own buffalo, made into cheese in our own dairy.