Forno Bonomi king of ladyfingersThe tech factory pays attention to territories

Three Savoyard production lines, churning out a total of 38 quintals per hour, 24 hours a day. It is on the Lessinia plateau at an altitude of 940 metres, in an unspoilt landscape a few kilometres from Lake Garda, on the outskirts of Verona, the workshop of the world's leading producer of the biscuits used, among other things, in the preparation of tiramisu. Forno Bonomi is a family company and an international reality in continuous growth, with a 2023 turnover of 77 million euro and an export quota of 60% achieved in 110 countries in Europe and overseas; thanks to sales on Amazon, the product also reaches countries where there is no direct presence, including Brazil.

The story begins in 1850, 11 years before the proclamation of the Unification of Italy, when the Bonomi family's first bakery was established in Velo Veronese, on the Lessinia plateau, where bread, and only a few cakes, were made with simple raw materials. Even then, clean air and mountain water were among the key ingredients. Three generations later, father Umberto and mother Corinna took over the village's bakery/bakery after the war and then, in the 1960s, left it to their three sons, Fausto, Renato and Dario, who currently run the business in senior positions; but already operational are seven representatives of the new generation with different roles.

And every morning those who are in the company meet: we call it a coffee break, but it is a meeting to talk about the problems to be solved and the next steps,' explains Fausto Bonomi, who does not rule out growth in the future, also through acquisitions, but - despite the proposals received - claims the decision not to have brought private equity funds into the management. "The aim is rather to grow and invest in a fourth production line, so that the first, smaller one can lend itself to testing and developing new products required by the different markets," explains Bonomi.

For example, the protein and sugar-reduced savoiardo that the company currently produces for the Austrian market. Because the savoiardo recipe follows a precise specification, dictating the proportion of eggs in the recipe (26%), but innovation is always possible, starting with the mini format, also suitable for tiramisu in a glass.

The company has also invested in certifications, including Halal and Kosher: 'We need guaranteed contamination-free production, made possible by the most modern machinery'. A technological and sustainable Savoyard: 190 employees work in the 65,000 square metre factory (90% live nearby) and the environment remains of strategic importance. The site is equipped with modern facilities: 900 quintals of finished product are churned out here every day, thanks to a continuous production cycle powered by 100% renewable sources. The facility is equipped with a 1MW photovoltaic system and one of the best energy recuperators with a refrigerator-absorber unit: the hot water and the necessary heating of the rooms is obtained by recovering the heat from the ovens that would otherwise be dispersed, while in summer the same heat is converted to generate chilled water at the temperatures required, both for air conditioning and for the process water. Seventy per cent of the thermal energy that is input becomes useful and available cooling energy, combating thermal pollution and reducing energy consumption.