Costa farms established In 1903 when Francesco Costa from Salina, Italy, migrated to Australia to raise funds for his vineyard. He worked in Melbourne, Colac, and Geelong before returning to Italy in 1895. Within a few years, Tony had set up his own business – a small fruit shop in Warrnambool.
1937 was a significant year for the Costa farms business in Australia. Tony married Mary Piccone and also entered a partnership at Geelong Covent Garden with Joe. The Covent Garden food store and fruit shop were originally established in 1888 by Mrs. Bourke, a resident of Geelong. In 1938, Tony and Mary took over as sole owners of the fruit shop. The business thrived and some twenty years later, Tony and Mary's eldest sons (Frank and Adrian) bought the fruit shop from their parents and expanded into the wholesale provedore business.
Since that time, the Costa business has created new entities and invested in a number of new partnerships and technologies. Costa farms manage and operate multiple farms and horticultural properties throughout the country, growing an extensive range of products. Through its supply chain, Costa farms now deliver fresh produce throughout Australia and later on all over the world.