OUR HISTORY
We at Bontà Lucane have been producing savoury baked snacks for over 30 years. Our products are cherished by thousands of people throughout the world due to the simple ingredients and traditional recipes that have been passed down to us over the years.
It all started many years ago when Nonna Maria, grandmother of the current Managing Director Paolo Moliterni, opened up a small baker’s shop in the heart of the oldest part of the town, known as the Sassi. She would get up at dawn to knead the dough for the bread and focacce that she would sell to the shepherds and farm-workers who would be out in the fields all day long. Just a few simple ingredients were needed: flour, water, salt, yeast and, of course, extra virgin olive oil. 
When World War 2 broke out, many of the farm-workers were forced to enlist and, not wanting to disappoint them, Nonna Maria came up with the idea to make a harder product that could be kept for longer without going stale. Each evening she would work on perfecting the recipe until she finally managed to get what she was looking for: the Focaccine cracker! Little did she know that, over a hundred years later, her invention would still be going strong and remain an important part of the Moliterni family business.
From the humble beginnings of a small bakery, Bontà Lucane has grown into a leading savoury snack manufacturer operating at an international level yet still maintaining local culinary traditions.
TERRITORY
All this takes place in the heart of Basilicata, one of the least-known regions in Italy and more precisely in the famous town of MATERA! Matera is one of the oldest cities in the world whose surroundings are littered with evidence of human settlements dating back to the Paleolithic era. The town represents an extraordinary chapter in the history of mankind stretching over thousands of years.
BETWEEN INNOVATION AND TRADITION
The wholesomeness of our products is due to the attention that we dedicate at every single stage of production: from the selection of only the finest raw materials, such as the flour obtained from only the finest grains and the extra virgin olive oil sourced exclusively from local suppliers, to the natural leavening of the dough and the slow baking process, each phase is aimed at creating a product that reflects the traditions and flavours of our territory. Our aim is to create a synergy between the experience that we have nurtured over the decades and modern technologies and new product development; to meet the needs of modern consumers without undermining the importance of tradition and to offer healthy products to an ever-demanding international audience. Achieving these goals will mean we have accomplished what we set out to do.
