Around the Diforti family table, meals can last for hours. We nibble on briny olives and flavour-packed antipasti, twirl ribbons of al dente pasta around our forks and keep each other’s glasses filled to the brim with robust Italian red wine. At these dinners, every bite is savoured, and so is every moment and every conversation. It’s been this way for as long as we can remember – our family has a deep, inextricable connection with authentic Italian food, and our passion for sharing unique Italian dishes is at the core of everything we do.
The Business That Spans Centuries
We trace our family’s incredible love of Italian cuisine back to our great-grandfather, Luigi Diforti. In 1875, he set the Diforti family business in motion by making and selling antipasti, olives and pesto to local village families in the tiny village of Caltanissetta in Sicily. His dedication to providing the very best products created a legacy within our family, and each generation has followed in his footsteps ever since.
Our grandfather Salvatore was the next Diforti to take up the mantle of the family business, and it continued to grow because of his entrepreneurial spirit. In 1939, he started supplying antipasti dishes to restaurants, homes, delis and shops across Sicily. In addition, he opened three delis in Strada Foglia, Caltanissetta’s world-renowned food market. Through hard work, determination and exacting standards for the very best products, Diforti blossomed.
Giuliano, our father, pushed the business to new heights in 1974. After 99 years of operating within Italy, he dreamt of expanding Diforti’s scope – both geographically, and in terms of our products.
This is where we enter the picture! We (Carlo, Andrea and Francesca) joined our father in the family business, helping him source the finest cheeses, cured meats, nuts and pastries from the very best artisans, farmers and bakers in Italy. We exported them to restaurants and delicatessens across the UK, along with our much-loved antipasti and olives, to bring a taste of the Mediterranean to the Brits.
Diforti Today
In 2005, we officially took over Diforti, and have since expanded our offerings thanks to the beautiful technology that is the internet. A few years ago, you may have had to travel across the city to an Italian delicatessen in London to get your antipasti; before that, you would have had to travel to Italy itself! Now, it’s easier than ever to enjoy delicious Italian food through our Italian deli online. Simply place your order on our website and get authentic antipasti, pastries, extra virgin olive oil and more delivered straight to your door.
Whether we’re letting you in on our favourite recipes, hand-picking great products from our exquisite suppliers or breaking bread at our family table, sharing our passion for authentic Italian food is our goal. It has been from the very start. The next time you snack on Diforti olives or reward yourself with a luxurious pistachio cream cannoli, we hope you’ll remember that each of our products is the culmination of tradition, quality and hard work – and then we hope you enjoy every last bite!
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