Conversations about the Mattei Blue

Did you know that...? In 2019, the colour "Mattei Blue" was officially registered as a "single colour trademark," identifying the bag as an essential characteristic of the biscuits baked in Prato at the historic workshop on Via Ricasoli 20. Biscottificio Antonio Mattei is the second company in Italy to obtain its own custom colour, a precise shade of blue that only we are allowed to use!

This inspired me to conduct interviews about our signature colour. The questions I asked our customers and some of our collaborators at the Mattei biscuit factory in Prato were:
“When I say ‘blue,’ what’s the first thing that comes to mind?"
"What emotions does our Prato Biscuit bag evoke in you?”

Cosima, a loyal customer for years, says, “the sky!”. She adds, “the colour of your bag is calming, it’s tradition, it’s your strength,” and she concludes by saying, “seeing your bag on the table is comforting!” For Patrizia, another longtime customer, our blue immediately brings to mind the conviviality of family meals. Sergio, on the other hand, doesn’t even let me finish the question, he looks me in the eye and, almost threateningly, says, “Don’t ever change it! EVER! It would be sacrilege!”.
Rovena, one of our long-time sales assistants, Beatrice, and Sabrina—interestingly, all three born under the Aquarius sign—love blue and all its shades.

It’s important to remind readers of the origin of Mattei Blu: this colour was chosen in the 19th century by Antonio Mattei to honour the King of Italy and the Blue of the House of Savoy. Although the management of the biscuit factory passed to the Pandolfini family at the beginning of the 20th century, the distinctive colour of our bags has remained a hallmark to this day.
Just a few weeks ago, we inaugurated the new entrance to the Mattei Bottega Museum in Florence—a blue door at Via Porta Rossa 76r.

Continuing my interviews, I made my way into the production and packaging departments and asked the same question. Marco, from production, said, “Mattei. Since I’ve been working here, blue reminds me of the biscuit factory. I really like the Mattei bag—the contrast between blue and gold gives me a sense of positive addiction; it draws you in.” Lorenzo, too, says that whenever he sees our blue in shops, he immediately associates it with his workplace and Mattei biscuits. Maurino says, “The sea. The colour of the Mattei bag is as calming as the sea.” For Maria Vittoria, it reminds her of the “forget-me-nots,” while for Chiara, it’s the sky, infinity, and calm. Vittorio, who’s been with us since 2016, also loves our bags—especially now that they are completely blue. 

I headed upstairs to the offices, where I changed tactics. I placed our bag right in front of Angela’s eyes and asked her what it reminded her of. “The sea and the scent,” she said, as she immediately linked it to its contents. Next, I approached Cristina, practically shoving the Prato biscuit bag in her face, and asked her to tell me the first emotion that came to mind, without thinking. She responded, “It reminds me of the Italian football team’s jersey, of victory, patriotism, and feeling part of the nation.” Vania, sitting across from her, didn’t even need to be asked—she was already nodding in agreement and began humming, “Notti Magiche…” (the official song of FIFA World Cup Italy 1990).

And what about you? What does the blue of our bag remind you of? 

On September 19th, we inaugurated PORTA BLU at PORTA ROSSA, the all-blue entrance of the Museo Bottega in Florence, JUST TO MAKE A STATEMENT! The Inauguration event benefited from the creative contribution of Designer, Calligrapher, and friend Betty Soldi.

At the address 76r, passersby are literally struck and captivated by the Mattei Blu. The wooden parts of the windows and awning have been entirely covered in Mattei Blu film. (The restyling was conceptualized by Laura Meffe and executed with the technical assistance of architect Carlo Achilli.)

Letizia Pandolfini