The MasoniCompany is above all a family. Back in 1885, its founder, Ippolito Masoni called "Pottelli", and his wife Petronilla Razzi, opened an artisan bakery in Colle Val d'Elsa. Since then, the firm has been managed by Ippolito and Petronilla's descendants, and has grown with their children and grandchildren.

Following the history of this family of confectioners somehow means travelling through time and the changes that the Val d'Elsa, that is the valley of the Elsa River, underwent over the past century and is experiencing at present. "Pottelli" and his wife managed the bakery during the Great War: the price paid by the people of Colle in terms of fallen soldiers was very high, and Ippolito and Petronilla's bakery helped to feed the soldiers who battled at the front.

In the 1920's, the economic recovery that followed the end of the Great War created new opportunities of growth in the Val d'Elsa area; the Masoni Company also managed to enhance and expand its production, with the support of Giuseppina, wife of Giovanni, called "Nanni", one of Ippolito and Petronilla's children, who decided to keep and pursue his parent's activity. Her friends at Maioli, the historical Florentine pastry shop, welcomed her for a period of training; on her return to Colle, she brought her acquired knowledge and immense enthusiasm for her craft into the firm. Giuseppina introduced the art of confectionery learned at Maioli into the bakery, blending ability and creativity with the very ancient tradition of Sienese sweets.

The changes undergone by the firm and its production also lead to innovations in the way the company presented and promoted itself: the bakery was replaced by "L'Alimentaria", a real pastry shop that enriched the lives of Colle Val d'Elsa townspeopleand remained the only pastry shop in town for a long time.

Pietro, Nanni and Giuseppina's son, entered the company. His initiative and entrepreneurial skills, and the wish to improve and expand the company turned him into one of the cornerstones of the Masoni family history; indeed, his name appears in the present company title.

World War II swept over the Elsa Valley changing its history forever: the Resistance overwhelmed this territory and its people with an enormous tribute of grief, but also with a sense of sharing and solidarity. The Masoni family and all the townspeople faced great hardship: meagre resources, scanty raw materials, and so much suffering. This pastry shop's creativity and its by then already long history gave proof of their importance: from an ancient recipe book a simple recipe was recovered, "panforte with dried figs and walnuts", a poor sweet that became greatly appreciated and still today represents a point of strength for the Masoni production.

During the post-war reconstruction and economic revival, "L'Alimentaria" was ready for a relaunch, and thus became the "Bonelli Giuseppina e Figlio" (Bonelli Giuseppina & Son) workshop.The idea arose to expand production, leading to the decision to bring it to industrial scale. This transition brought to a new brand name, "Bonelli e Masoni", and the introduction of fresh and innovative efforts. Again, the family chose to stay united: Giovanna, daughter of Pietro and Giuseppina Lupi, started to work as a confectioner.Auro Arnecchi, Giovanna's husband, committed himself to the development of the company: together, in the 1960's, they built the new factory.

The family continued to grow. The year 1990 marked the start of a new chapter, owing to the spirit of enterprise of Giovanna Masoni and her two sons, Massimiliano and Gianluca, and the collaboration of Guglielmo Pierattelli, who takes care of the commercial aspects,playing a key role for the growth of the company and becoming one of the pivotal figures of its recent history. Together, they have created the present image of the Masoni Company and are making it become increasingly known and appreciated also abroad.Their efforts became tangible in 2008 with the new works, a large and modern factorydesigned to enhance production levels, so as to create the right balance between work pace, the needs of an increasingly demanding sector and the respect and rediscovery of one's roots.