Once upon a time there was an exquisite, traditional Italian nougat, handmade by a skilled master nougat-maker.
This is not a fairy tale, but a delightful reality. Because that nougat still exists. And that master nougat-maker was Gianni Festa’s great-great-grandfather’s great-great-grandfather’s grandfather.
It all began in 1750, when the current family's ancestors began to make nougat according to the ancient tradition of these lands. We are in Santa Paolina, a small village in the mountains of Irpinia. From their shop, the Di lorio family set off around the local villages and patron saint festivals with their cart to sell their nougat, which soon became the flavour of the festivals. The eighteenth century came to an end, followed by the nineteenth, and 1928 arrived: the Di lorio shop was the only one in Campania that was already centuries-old. And this family tradition was officially consecrated when the first classic Italian nougat producer’s license was granted to Vincenzo Di lorio, the current owner's great-grandfather. This was also the year the family won the Gold Medal at the International Exhibition in Milan: the first of many other awards in the family's collection. In the early '70s after getting married, Vincenzo Festa, Vincenzo Di lorio's nephew, moved production from Santa Paolina to Montelimetto, where the Di lorio 1750 headquarters are currently located.
A story of very good inventions
We have been thus been creating nougat and inventing confectionery delights since 1750. Our first soft nougat, which is still in production today, was Monachino. This was the brain child of Father Claudio, a friar at the nearby Capuchin convent of Sant'Egidio, who wanted a softer version of nougat, more suitable for his elderly brothers’ teeth. So Vincenzo Festa began studying how to make a soft nougat: he called it Monachino after the Italian word for monk, in honour of those who had inspired him. Father Claudio also designed the image that is still featured on the packaging of this product today. The product range has gradually expanded and, in addition to nougat, today Di lorio 1750 also produces sweet baked goods and other confectionery with just as much care and professionalism. These include panettone and colomba sweet breads, tarts and biscuits, mostaccioli cookies, pralines, and candied fruits. In short, Di lorio 1750 is now an all-round confectionery company, maintaining its original dedication to craftsmanship in the choice of raw ingredients and production processes, but on a larger scale in terms of both the quantity and size of the range. We grow through innovation while staying firmly in touch with our roots and our history.