Pepe Bonacordo grew up in the small town of Mussomeli.
Pepe Bonacordo grew up in the small Sicilian town of Mussomeli. They had no running water, electricity,cars or toilets... but Pepe loved his childhood - and his dad - with all his heart. Even after a family dinner one evening when Pepe didn’t get his favourite spoon to eat his pasta with, Pepe threw the inferior spoon into the bowl of pasta sauce and in doing so splashed himself, his siblings and parents with the sauce his mother had dutifully prepared. Pepe’s father saw red and gave Pepe a backhander which sent the wilful child somersaulting across the room. The end result was a deep gash to the forehead. His father horrified, saddled up the horse and rode for 2 hours with Pepe clinging on and bleeding profusely to get to the doctors.
He had two years at school and was 9 when his dad dropped dead while grooming the family’s horse. They tried to continue... but the business and family went broke. In order to honour his father, and his families reputation within the village. At 19, speaking zero English, Pepe headed to London and after four years (not a single day off work) he returned to Mussomeli and paid off the family’s debts. Pepe’s mission to do so was the making of him.
Pepe now newly married, decided that the weather in the UK wasn’t for them. After walking past the Australian Consulate one day, he saw an advertisement for couples to come to Australia and begin a new life. A life of opportunity. The decision was an easy one.
The beginning of Pepe’s Ducks was almost by default. The head chef at the restaurant Pepe was working at left abruptly, leaving behind a freezer full of unsold ducks. The owner of the restaurant had recently paid Pepe $20 cash for 3 days cleaning. Pepe tore that $20 bill up. When the owner offered Pepe the chance to sell the frozen ducks, Pepe saw his opportunity to get square. Which he did.
And so, the journey of Pepe’s Ducks began.
Now, Pepe breeds and sells Peking Ducks - and China is a customer. Pepe’s Ducks, a $100m+ business and the story of how he got there is redolent with the values and instincts that create success.