Biscotti Mattei
A Blue Thread that Binds us Together.
What if the most powerful brand idea was already built into the product?
More than a Biscuit, a Tuscan Institution
Since 1858, Biscotti Mattei has occupied a unique place in Italian culture. Its iconic yellow packs of cantucci have travelled across generations, carrying with them a sense of authenticity, craftsmanship and shared memories.
Yet in a market increasingly shaped by commoditization and visual sameness, the brand needed to reaffirm what made it truly distinctive.
The challenge was not to reinvent Biscotti Mattei, but to rediscover the essence that had always made it meaningful.
Finding the Invisible Asset
The strongest brands are often built on assets hiding in plain sight. For Biscotti Mattei, that asset was neither a logo nor a recipe.
It was a simple blue twine.
For more than 160 years, every pack had been closed by hand with the same blue string. A functional gesture had quietly become a symbol of care, tradition and continuity. Yet this powerful brand cue had never been fully expressed as part of the identity.
The challenge was to transform this humble detail into a strategic platform capable of uniting the brand’s heritage, products and future ambitions.
A Blue Thread Connecting Past and Present
The answer emerged from a simple yet powerful insight: the blue twine was more than packaging. It was a metaphor.
A thread connecting generations, stories, craftsmanship and people. A thread linking the bakery’s origins in Tuscany to everyday moments around the world. A thread carrying memory, affection and authenticity through time.
This became the central idea of the brand refresh: a blue thread that binds us together.
From a functional element, the twine evolved into the emotional and symbolic heart of the brand.
Turning a Gesture into a Language
Every aspect of the identity was designed to express the meaning carried by the blue thread.
Typography, illustration and photography drew inspiration from Tuscan craftsmanship and artisanal traditions, creating a visual world rooted in place and culture. The blue thread became a recurring graphic device, weaving connections across touchpoints and packaging.
For the rusk range, the strategy extended beyond visual expression into product storytelling. Rather than competing within a functional category, the brand reclaimed its unique origin story. The rusks were repositioned around their key differentiator: they are made from Mattei’s proprietary Pan Briosciato dough, giving them a richer, more indulgent character than conventional alternatives.
Across the portfolio, packaging was designed not simply to contain products, but to stage a ritual. Opening a pack became an experience that reinforced the brand’s values of care, quality and tradition.
The product itself became the most authentic expression of the brand.
