A Look Back

Where We Began

The heritage of our company began over a century ago in the small village of Montelepre, Italy – located on the sunny Mediterranean island of Sicily – where people took great pride in their close ties with agriculture. Delicious and plentiful food, shared generously with friends and family at the dining table, became the reason for generations to gather and tell stories deeply rooted in tradition and custom.

Almost always, the table was adorned with wonderfully delectable Italian cheese produced by artisan cheesemakers, who made just a form or two each day using fresh milk from their small herds.

It was into this way of life that our company founder, Filippo Candela, was born in 1891. And it was here that Filippo learned the art of making fine Italian cheese.

But the difficult economic reality of the times forced Filippo to look to America – a land of limitless opportunity – where he believed a person could rise to any level, based on hard work and a dream. Driven by his passion to succeed, Filippo left for Wisconsin to find work as an Italian cheese specialist; he arrived alone by train, on a snowy winter evening in 1940.

Although he knew little English, Filippo soon met an Italian cheese buyer with whom he had been friends with in the Old World; this meeting sowed the seeds of a new cheese company – formed by Filippo and a handful of family and friends – which they named Grande, the Italian word for “greatness.”

With his knowledge and passion for handcrafting truly traditional Italian cheese, Filippo soon assumed responsibility for the making of the cheese, working tirelessly to ensure the fledgling company’s success.

In the early years, Grande primarily made Italian eating and grating cheeses such as Provolone and Romano. Slow cured cheeses (as much as a year or longer) became the favorite of Italian immigrant families across America who yearned for the fine food and memories shared with family and friends in the Old Country. His young business soon turned into a proud success. As pizza became popular and Grande began to produce its trademarked mozzarella, it soon became recognized in fine Italian restaurants and pizzerias as the "finest Italian cheese money can buy" because of its exceptional taste and quality.

Piacci Today

The unique taste of our cheese, derived from Filippo’s unwavering passion for excellence, proved to be the impetus for the company’s growth over the years to come. It was only a matter of time before restaurant-goers wished to serve these unforgettable cheeses in their own homes.

It was due to this demand that we now offer a line of products meant for your very own dinner table, under the Piacci brand name. Like the authentic cheeses themselves, the Piacci name is rooted in a rich Italian heritage. Piacere means pleasing, or pleasure – a fitting description for a remarkable gathering of flavors, textures and aromas meant to be experienced, shared and savored.