Brendan Papariello

Bringing Italy to the States

Brendan Papariello, BBA ’17, is bringing small, family-owned Italian wines to the U.S. as the CEO and co-founder of Viniamo. 

Papariello graduated from Saint Joseph’s with a double major in food marketing and family business and entrepreneurship. 

“Having a very specific major like food marketing has connected me with so many peers and professors who are working within the same industry. Everywhere I’ve worked, I’ve stumbled across other food marketing Hawks from different years,” says Papariello. “It’s been a huge asset to my career and a great benefit of having my degree. It’s something I didn't necessarily expect to get out of it.”

In the height of the pandemic, Papariello and his friend launched Viniamo to increase the exposure of Italian wine and culture in the United States. Viniamo’s mission is to work with family-owned businesses — a charge that extends beyond the company’s day-to-day operations.

“My mom passed away last year of stage four metastatic breast cancer, so we’ve partnered with a metastatic breast cancer organization as our way of giving back. Our partners in Italy have also been affected by the disease,” he says. “It’s given us a purpose and it’s something that means an incredible amount to me and my team.”

Viniamo sells its products through its own brick-and-mortar stores while also offering online sales. Papariello also works to sell Viniamo’s wines in restaurants and through wholesale corporations. While Viniamo currently only sells within Pennsylvania, Papariello’s goal is to expand outside of the state. 

“I’d like to become the go-to company for Americans to find authentic Italian wines,” he says. “Wines you normally would only find on vacation in Italy.”

Connect with Brendan Papariello