Discover the Stefania Calugi brand: here is our interview.

Stefania Calugi is a wholly Italian company founded in Castelfiorentino, Tuscany, one of the most important regions for the production of a precious product, the truffle. It was in 1987 that Stefania Calugi decided to embark on the sale of fresh truffles, facilitating the selection of the product from a network of trusted truffle hunters identified and assessed by her father Renato, who had already developed a deep passion for truffles by the time his daughter was born, not realizing that it would later become a profession.
The company bears the name of the young woman who believed in a dream and worked hard to make it a reality. Even today, Stefania, along with her staff, walks every day the path of tradition, also driven by the desire to experiment, working hard in a facility consisting of a modern structure of over 1000 square meters that respects international food safety standards, in order to obtain ever better products for its customers.

Stefania Calugi's range offers a wide selection of products that feature truffles and fresh mushrooms preserved together with vegetables in oil, jams, salts, oils, and other fruits of the land.
The common denominator of the created recipes is represented by the blend of Tuscan tradition and contemporaneity, resulting in a valorization of genuine flavors, often original to the region, reinterpreted in a contemporary key, carrying the Made in Italy tradition beyond national borders.

But the Stefania Calugi company truly operates at 360 degrees. The business also genuinely cares about environmental sustainability. Knowing the impact that business choices can have on the environment, it was decided to use only green energy in order to offer a product that is truly good for everyone and respectful of the planet.

We love these artisans, these producers of unique, certified, and multi-award-winning delicacies: they are true treasures embedded in our Peninsula between seas and mountains and in the most remote paths of villages and countryside. We do not just stop at living their products, but we want to discover more closely the protagonists of this brand. That is why we sent some questions to those who manage communication with us.

Stay with us to get to know Stefania Calugi: read the answers!
 

• Who are we talking to?
  The lady of the truffle Stefania Calugi, owner 
   
• Is the company family-run? In what year was the company founded and who was the founder?
  It was born as a family-run business, but since 2000 it has been a single-member LTD company.
   
• Who was the founder and what was their training or what was the working and professional field they came from if different from the current one?
  The company was founded in 1987, descending from four generations of truffle hunters since the late 1800s. The history of my family with truffles begins with my great-grandfather Antonio, continues with my grandfather Guido, and then comes my father Renato with his dream of creating a “truffle” company. I have always had a great passion for truffles since I was very young, so it wasn't difficult for me to open my VAT number and start selling. I followed and continued my father's dream! My training is, as they say, learned “on the road,” with smiles and tears, with sacrifices but also with satisfactions. A young girl who, with a simple diploma in hand, a lot of passion and perseverance, has listened to everyone and still today says: “I have so much to see and learn, I don't feel the sacrifice, I rejoice when people tell me that they see a lot of professionalism in my expression and my approach!”
   
• What is the true reason or triggering fact behind the birth of this company and when did it happen?
  When I was born, I unfortunately suffered serious injuries to an arm. The cost of treatment was unsustainable for my family's normal income, and that is how my father decided to sacrifice entire nights searching for truffles to provide what was necessary to cover medical expenses. From that moment, he entered definitively into the world of truffles, and I shared and still share this passion with him. For many families, truffles have represented and still represent a source of income, but it is clear that without love for this world, nothing could be accomplished because the sacrifices are enormous.
   
• What is your relationship with the land of origin and its uniqueness? And why do you want to tell it through your products?
  I am Tuscan from Castelfiorentino. I have the symbol of the stylized cypress and the lily of my Municipality as my company logo! I think this is enough to understand how attached I am to my community! I have known my town in its full richness and splendor, unfortunately, it has been in a state of decline for some time. But I am sure that soon I will have many satisfactions again. In my small way, I have always tried to make my Municipality known to everyone I have spoken to along my path, at every stop, at every fair. I have taken it with me by the hand, and we have kept each other company. Wherever I go, I think "How beautiful: there is no place on earth like Castello!" Knowing the products that our nature offers us, creating recipes with typical processing methods from our area is a source of pride for me.
   
• What was the first product you created?
  Our first product was truffle butter, the most used in kitchens. A simple product in ingredients, versatile in all dishes, both savory and sweet. 
   
• What is the product that you consider to be your “flagship” today?
  Today it is the “truffle spreads.” Economical products based on mushrooms and truffles in various percentages and based on white or black truffles. Used in sandwich shops, pizzerias, and classic restaurants. All cultures love the combination of mushrooms and truffles: vegan, vegetarian, Halal references with the possibility of being conventional or organic lines.
   
• And what is the product that has most reflected the beating heart, philosophy, and soul of the company throughout its history?
  Truffle slices in oil. Simple, tasty, pure truffles lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, covered in EVO oil or sunflower oil. An excellent substitute for fresh truffles all year round, easy to ship and store. Decorates and enhances any dish; the oil contained in the jar can be used to dress and enhance meat, fish, or eggs. Gluten-free, Halal, vegan product. Our philosophy: to make known the true flavor of truffles.
   
• Let’s talk about today: how much has the company grown since its inception? Can we have some numbers?
  We started with a fridge in the house warehouse and with the FIAT 128, we were a family: my parents, me, and later my brother. Today we are a company that operates on 1500 square meters, with 18 employees, with 33 hectares of truffle land, and still lots of desire to do.
   
• At this moment: more tradition or more innovation?
  Every preparation is made following traditional criteria, but always bringing a bit of innovation and freshness to the product. We have our eyes on the trends of contemporary culture and we are ready to AMAZE our audience! 
   
• What has been the most important evolution of the company to get to where it is today?
  The determination and curiosity that have always distinguished me since I was little allow me to create and grow constantly. I always seek the highest quality in my products and a continuous search for health and sustainability.
   
• Speaking of the future: what tomorrow awaits the company? Is there any change or new evolutionary process planned?
  We are investing in 4.0 machinery: I understand that without technology it is no longer possible to move forward. From this realization, we are equipping ourselves to include machinery to further improve the product, achieve greater productivity, and create spacious environments where people work with maximum peace, both in terms of space and health. We are investing in young personnel, experienced in graphics, marketing, and new figures for sales, and last but not least, increasing qualified personnel for the quality department.
   
• Are you planning to create new products?
  I constantly create new products: it is a constant search and study of combinations that can excite and satisfy the audience.
   
• Having focused on Spaghetti & Mandolino, how important is online sales for you, what has been your relationship in the past with this sales channel, and how do you see it in the future?
  We are a company that greatly believes in communication and online sales. In the past few months, we have completely renewed our website, our online shop, and we are carrying out more projects. Our hope is to have, also through Spaghetti & Mandolino, support to further boost our brand. In the future, I am sure that generations will increasingly need to confront digital tools, so it is right to invest in these channels.
  If you ask me what I personally prefer as a sale, I will say traditional because it is warmer, more human.
   
• Value: what has been, what is today, and what will it be in the future for your company?
  Astonishing with the true flavor. Teaching how to appreciate the good and healthy truffle.

S&M