produttori — Montagnana · Veneto
In Montagnana, where medieval walls still encircle the town as they did centuries ago, the Bertelli salumificio (cured meat producer) has been working the meat of heavy Italian pigs since 1988. A craft handed down from generation to generation, with the same recipes of Veneto tradition and the same Càneva where prosciutti and lardi take on flavour over time.
Only meat from pigs born, raised and slaughtered in Italy reaches the workbench: a short, controlled supply chain that Paolo Bertelli chose from the very start. Very few preservatives, no allergens, no GMOs. The salumificio employs between ten and fifteen people and closed 2024 with a turnover of over two million euros, a sign of steady growth.
The recipes stem from the Veneto farming ritual of far su el mas-cìo, handed down from grandfather Bepi to Paolo. Today the company is joined by siblings Giancarlo and Daniela and by daughter Giulia, the third generation: a passing of hands, even before a passing of knowledge. Among the specialities most loved by customers are the lardo arrotolato (rolled cured lard) of Montagnana and the prosciutto crudo, recognised as the house's excellences.
Curing takes place in the Càneva, the old cellar where natural temperature and humidity shape the aroma of prosciutti and lardi over time. The work has earned the title of best salumificio at the Veneto Food Awards 2024 and the international Great Taste 2025 award: two accolades that confirm, beyond the borders of Veneto, a quality already well known to those who frequent the shop on Via Frassenara.
The company shop on Via Frassenara is open Monday to Friday; by appointment, guided visits to the Càneva offer a close look at the secrets of curing.
