Celso Paganini, a seasoned expert with over 35 years of experience in the fresh produce industry, carries forward a century-old family tradition. His leadership and strategic vision were key to the creation of the BellaVitaTM brand. Celso is a native Italian speaker, fluent in German, French, and English

Growing up in the fresh produce business, Celso gained hands-on experience from a young age, accompanying his father to the family’s apple and pear orchards in Northern Italy and to the terminal markets in Milan. He learned the business from the ground up, starting by loading and unloading trucks by hand.

In 2000, Celso relocated to the U.S. with his family, settling in New York. He holds an EB-1 Green Card and resides in Newburgh, New York today with his wife, Margot, his 24-year-old son, Kevin, his 22-year- old daughter, Alexia (a two-time Olympic figure skater), and his 20-year-old son, Mario.

Education and Credentials

Celso Paganini graduated from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland and holds a Master of Business Administration (EMBA) from Columbia University in New York City.

Celso’s dedication led to the establishment of the first-ever Italian USDA Preclearance Program for apples and pears in 2013.

He has approximately 1,000 days of military service and worked his way up through the ranks to a lieutenant colonel in the Swiss Army.