The family celebration was lavish, blending nostalgia and dreams to celebrate Floridia Cheese’s 70 years in business - fitting for a company that has become a symbol of Italian excellence in Australia and around the world.

Soft lighting, candles and cascades of flowers transformed the room into an enchanted garden. Guests, welcomed with an aperitif of sparkling wine and canapés, were guided through a wall of pictures retracing key moments of the Montalto family’s history.

A gallery of faces, places and memories were stitched together in a visual story that started with black-and-white photos of the original factory.

The true story begins in Floridia, in the province of Siracusa, where in 1952 Mauro Montalto left for Melbourne with his wife Carmela and their three children. They brought little with them; a few clothes, many dreams and priceless knowledge of the art of Italian cheesemaking.

It was the beginning of an adventure that would soon become a business. A simple gesture lit the spark of the future as warm ricotta, made for family breakfasts, started circulating through the neighborhood, winning over the locals and then the wider Italian-Australian community. In a spontaneous and organic way, a legend of the food industry was born.

In 1955, demand increased and Montalto bought a small factory in Bundoora. Here, Floridia Cheese was officially born, its name a clear tribute to the family’s Sicilian roots.

From that point on, growth never stopped. By 1998, the family had opened a new facility in Thomastown, now the beating heart of production. But despite substantial growth and international success, the company’s philosophy remains unchanged.

“Our business was born in the community, and the community is the heart of everything we do,” said Francesco Portella, a member of the family’s fourth generation.

Portella’s words say more than a thousand business charts ever could. They speak of the work ethic of his grandfather, Tom Montalto, who told his grandson early on: “Focus. Let your work speak for you.”

And the work has indeed spoken, with Floridia Cheese now present in ten countries (including Australia), while still preserving the artisanal spirit of their early days.

Tom Montalto with his brothers and friends eating ricotta in 1954. (Photo: Attico Melbourne)

The gala evening was, above all, a tribute to the perseverance and beauty of Italian craftsmanship, as shown in the heartfelt speeches delivered on stage.

Bassam Hallak, Global Director at Nu-Mega Ingredients, spoke of the “pride and wonder” of working with a company where “passion is a daily practice”.

Catherine Sayer, CEO of the Family Business Association, reminded the audience that Floridia Cheese “didn’t grow to become the biggest, but to become the best”.

And Doug Eddy, the former president of the Dairy Industry Association of Australia, described the Montalto family’s story as “one of the most special family stories on the entire continent”.

A celebration full of tradition and fun, thanks in part to the master of ceremonies, Mike Snell, who guided guests through family memories and provided moments of captivating entertainment.

But perhaps the most fitting symbol of the evening came in a simple, yet refined item handed out at the end of the event: a book filled with archival photos, testimonials, stories and, perhaps most importantly, recipes.

Inside, seventy years of business and family history, with traditional family dishes passed down through generations and reimagined with Floridia cheeses.

“This book is my grandparents’ dream,” explained Rose Portella, the company’s director of finance and marketing, “It doesn’t just tell the story of a company, but of a culture, a family, an identity.”

It’s a piece of Sicily that found a home here.

Her words echoed among the guests, who flipped through the glossy pages with emotion, searching in those photos and recipes for the secrets of the craft and the true taste of the Bel Paese, each page a bridge between the past and future.

And the future already has a name and a clear vision: Project Legacy. It’s an ambitious development plan aimed at expanding the Thomastown facility, improving production efficiency, working conditions and sustainability.

But above all, as Francesco Portella explained, it aims to create an experiential space, a place where cheese is not just something to eat, but a world to explore with tastings, workshops, cultural trails and storytelling.

“We want to be a destination, an experience,” he said.

The idea is bold, but perfectly in line with the history of Floridia Cheese, combining innovation with tradition, without ever compromising authenticity. Because, as Portella recalled, while holding his grandfather Tom Montalto’s hand:

“People didn’t buy nonno’s cheese because it was the cheapest; they bought it because everyone said it was simply the best.”

At a time when family businesses are often under threat from an uncertain economy, the Montalto family’s story stands out as a rarity. It’s a model of growth, rooted in local values but with a global voice, a story filled with the scent of milk and passion, of daily sacrifice and bold vision.

“Tell everyone Floridia Cheese is seventy years old,” concluded Francesco Portella, “but also tell them it’s still young. Because we’re only at the beginning of the story.”

The story continues with every bite, with the flavour of a tradition that has never stopped.