Preti Dolciaria

Preti Dolciaria, formally Preti 1851 s.r.l., is an Italian confectionery company rooted in the pastry tradition of Genoa. It was founded in 1851 by Giovanni Preti, a pastry chef who opened a shop in Piazza Portello in the heart of the city. In that same year he launched two signature sweets that remain associated with the house: the Sacripante, a rum-soaked sponge cake enriched with creams and chocolate, and the Sacripantina cake. Over the decades the small workshop grew into a well-known pastry shop and a prestigious gathering place in Genoa, while Giovanni Preti also specialised in the most typical Genoese sweets, including pandolce, canestrelli and the Lagaccio biscuit (bis-cotto del Lagaccio). The company gradually acquired an industrial dimension while preserving artisanal production methods and a strong respect for ingredient quality and traditional recipes. Today Preti 1851 s.r.l. describes itself as a modern industry using technologically advanced and continuously updated plants, producing Genoese specialities and distributing them throughout Italy and to several foreign countries. Its product range includes the Sacripante, the bis-cotto del Lagaccio, pandolci, canestrelli, canestrellini, pandolcini, CoccoBon, ChocoChips and CocoChock, sold through retail channels and an online shop. The company also operates a factory outlet, 'Lo Spaccio', in the same building as its production laboratory in Sant'Olcese (Genoa), offering its products in convenient family formats. Preti Dolciaria has faced significant difficulties in the modern era. On 10 December 2014 the bankruptcy court of Genoa issued a bankruptcy ruling against the company. Nevertheless, the brand and the Sant'Olcese plant continued to exist thanks to investments by local bodies. The business remains active and continues to market its historic Genoese specialities.

Preti Dolciaria traces its origins to 1851, when Giovanni Preti, described as a brilliant and enterprising pastry chef, founded a pastry shop in Piazza Portello in the heart of Genoa. In that same year he invented two sweets that would become emblematic of the house: the Sacripante, a sponge cake soaked in rum and enriched with creams and chocolate, and the Sacripantina cake. The Sacripante is described as unique in its kind, made entirely by hand by the company's pastry chefs using a very particular technique and an exclusive recipe. Remaining faithful to his origins, Giovanni Preti later specialised in the most typical sweets of the Genoese tradition, including pandolce, canestrelli and the bis-cotto del Lagaccio, in which he became a true master. His fame grew and the small shop became a renowned pastry shop and a prestigious meeting point in the city. Historical records cited by the company include a photograph of Via Caffaro in Genoa from 1918, an advertisement in the 'Annuario del Commercio' of Genoa from 1890, photographs of the Via XX Settembre bar in the 1940s, and photographs of Piazza Portello in the 1940s. Over time the pastry shop expanded its activity and gradually acquired an industrial dimension, while preserving artisanal production methods and great respect for the quality of ingredients and traditional recipes. A promotional postcard for the 'Centenario' (centenary) dates to 1951, and photographs show Preti vans in the 1960s and products from the 1970s. The company today, Preti 1851 s.r.l., is a modern industry that, with the aid of technologically advanced and constantly updated plants, continues to produce Genoese specialities and distribute them throughout Italy and to several foreign countries. In the modern era the company encountered severe financial difficulties. On 10 December 2014 the bankruptcy court of Genoa issued a bankruptcy ruling against the company. Despite this, the brand and the Sant'Olcese plant owned by Preti continued to exist thanks to investments by local bodies. The business remains active, operating its production laboratory and the 'Lo Spaccio' factory outlet in Sant'Olcese (Genoa), and selling its historic products through retail and online channels.

• 2014

  On 10 December the bankruptcy court of Genoa issues a bankruptcy ruling against the company; the brand and Sant'Olcese plant survive through investments by local bodies.

• 1951

  Promotional postcard for the company's centenary is produced.

• 1918

  Photograph of Via Caffaro in Genoa from this year is held in the Preti 1851 historical archive.

• 1890

  Advertisement for the pastry shop appears in the 'Annuario del Commercio' of Genoa.

• 1851

  Giovanni Preti founds the pastry shop in Piazza Portello, Genoa, and launches the Sacripante and Sacripantina.

Historic Genoese pastry brand combining artisanal tradition with modern industrial production, distributed nationally and exported.

• Sacripante

  A sponge cake soaked in rum and enriched with creams and chocolate, invented in 1851 and made entirely by hand with an exclusive recipe.

• Sacripantina

  A cake launched in 1851 alongside the Sacripante.

• Pandolce

  A traditional Genoese sweet bread in which Giovanni Preti specialised.

• Canestrelli

  Traditional Genoese biscuits in which Giovanni Preti specialised.

• Bis-cotto del Lagaccio

  A traditional Genoese twice-baked biscuit in which Giovanni Preti became a true master.

• Canestrellini

  Small canestrelli biscuits listed among current products.

• Pandolcini

  Small pandolce-style products listed among current products.

• CoccoBon

  A coconut-based confection listed among current products.

• ChocoChips

  A chocolate product listed among current products.

• CocoChock

  A coconut and chocolate product listed among current products.

1. 1Home Page - Preti 1851 srl - Azienda Dolciariapretidolciaria.it
2. 2Chi Siamo - Preti 1851 srl - Azienda Dolciariapretidolciaria.it
3. 3Preti Dolciaria - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Preti Dolciaria - Wikipedia (Italian)it.wikipedia.org