Adelaide’s Cappo brothers follow family tradition, but it’s all about retail local fish sales now
THIRD-generation fishmonger Damian Cappo runs the extensive Cappo Bros Parkside plant and shop - and when oit comes to fish he’s a self-described traditionalist.
IN 1920, a small tent pitched on the site now occupied by the Adelaide Hilton provided cover for Italian migrant Carlo Cappo, who was intent on introducing seafood to Adelaide. He was one of six Italian brothers who had already introduced seafood processing in Port Pirie.
“The brothers scattered to New York and Melbourne, and my grandfather, Carlo, came to Adelaide,” says third-generation fishmonger Damian Cappo. He and brother Matt took over from their dad, Morry.
It’s a family thing, “where you work in the business from the time you can walk”, he laughs.
Damian took time out for business studies before joining Cappo Bros full-time in 2002. He runs the extensive Parkside plant and shop, and Matt operates the Adelaide Central Market space.
Damian admits he is still working to fill in the family history gaps, but there have been plenty of business twists and turns.
“We know the original brothers were seafood pioneers here, but we don’t know if they were fishermen in Italy,” he says. When his dad entered the business in 1953 “it was a bit of a mess”.
Morry “basically dumped everything and started again”.
“(Back then) we were the first in SA to import South African hake, and we sold so much the distributor gave dad a truck for deliveries.”
This next-gen sold the wholesale arm in Whyalla only three years ago, to concentrate on retail sales. The Market site was recently been expanded and is now the city’s largest seafood shop, specialising in whole fish.
In Parkside, “it’s more Mediterranean, with a bigger range of cutlets and fillets”, says Damian.
“It’s a different demographic here. We cater to a more ‘western’ market.”
Today’s customers, like self-described traditionalist Damian, tend to prefer local garfish, snapper, squid and prawns, and Australian salmon, “all best when you keep it simple”.
And the brothers make sure little goes to waste. They sell every part of the fish except for the gut and scales. The heads and bones are popular for soup and stock.