Grano Italiano
90 years
Italiano

A family of pasta makers
in the heart of Tuscany

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Tuscany is a land of great artists and small masterpieces. In Lari, hidden among the high walls of the old medieval town, stands the small pasta factory Pastificio Famiglia Martelli. In contrast to large industrial plants, this is still a traditional artisan pasta factory. Artisan because it employs only eight persons, all members of the Martelli family. Traditional because behind each work process, from mixing and kneading to packaging, there is the skilful hand of a Master Pasta Maker.

"Eat less, eat better"

The secret to high-quality pasta is to make it in small quantities.

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Dino and Mario Martelli

In the world of Pasta Martelli

Once upon a time there was a great pasta. And there still is!

1926 – BORN AMONG THE PISAN HILLS
In the old Via San Martino, at the end of the 1800s, there was a small pasta factory owned by the Catelani couple. Many people of Lari worked there, including two young fatherless boys, Guido and Gastone Martelli. After years of sacrifice, the reward: close to old age and without heirs, the Catelanis left the business to their most loyal employees. In 1926, the two brothers became the owners of the pasta factory in which they grew up. With the help of Beppina and Dina, their two tireless wives, they carried on the business, going through the extremely difficult Second World War period, marked by misery and ration cards. Thank goodness that tenacity was not lacking!

In the photo: the brothers Guido and Gastone with their wives Giuseppina and Dina
1960s and 1970s – THE CHALLENGE OF THE MARKET
The family business continued smoothly until 1967, when a new law required the exclusive use of durum wheat and the obligation to package and seal the pasta in individual packages. A true revolution for manufacturers used to selling loose pasta to consumers. What’s more, the post-war boom was followed by a long period of economic crisis. Industrialize or fold up: there seemed to be no other choice. Many Italian pasta factories closed their doors, but not the Martellis. With great courage, the brothers Mario and Dino with their wives Valeria and Lucia faced the new market without giving up their artisan identity. How? By sacrificing quantity, to focus on quality.
1980s THE VALUE OF SMALL THINGS
Giorgio Onesti was the first to grasp that handicraft activities and small shops were a potential market niche for people who are not satisfied with the unbridled industrial productions but appreciate and seek out the value that the best raw materials, time and passion add to what is brought to the table. Paolo Massobrio, renowned journalist and food critic, remembers him as “a visionary and an innovator; the originator, in Italy, of a real revolution. He is the person who put together small farmers and artisans with small grocery stores, effectively creating the boutique of taste”.
THE TASTE OF SUCCESS
Thanks to the valuable advice of Giorgio Onesti, a true friend of our family, our pasta factory sprung over the regional boundaries and became known throughout Italy. The famous yellow package was born: rustic like the ancient straw paper, golden like the wheat ripened under the Tuscan sun. The choice made years ago repaid the sacrifices and revealed itself in all its strength: our admirers grew from year to year.
2016 – 90 YEARS OLD AND GOING STRONG
Today, three generations of Martellis celebrate together ninety years of business, confident in the future and honoured to give lustre to the name of Lari. A feeling reciprocated by the community and acknowledged on the occasion of this milestone with an important decision: to rename the home of the pasta factory from Via San Martino to Via dei Pastifici, or Via of the Pasta Factories. An award that celebrates the last, proud representatives of a noble and ancient art.
Pasta lovers around the world,
united by the love for Martelli pasta

Pasta Martelli around the world

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A production that cares about excellence puts quality over quantity. Ours is a niche business that eschews the masses to address connoisseurs. No use looking for us in large chain supermarkets, you won’t find us there. You’ll only find Pasta Martelli where good food is at home: in the most exacting shops, in the most mouth-watering delicatessens, in Italy and around the world. Well nestled on long shelves, Pasta Martelli is proud to satisfy its host of aficionados, alongside the best products of our beautiful peninsula.