Fontana Forni: Producing 100% Italian made pizza ovens since 1978.

About Fontana Forni Outdoor Ovens
Fontana Forni

History

The Fontana tradition of excellence and craftsmanship goes back to 1945, when Giuseppe Fontana, the eldest of nine children, returned from the war to his hometown of San Lorenzo In Campo in the Marche region of Italy. Needing a vocation, he started a small blacksmith and farrier’s shop, making cast-iron tools for the farmers in the surrounding countryside and shoeing their horses. In 1952, Giuseppe’s younger brothers Bruno and Carlo joined him, expanding the business into the building and repair of farming equipment. They began hiring additional employees in 1954, as demand for their products and services quickly grew.

In 1973, the Fontana brothers decided it was finally time to move from the “workshop downstairs” into a real factory, building an industrial space of 1200 square meters. This enabled their expansion into carpentry machinery, adding to the company’s growing reputation as one of Italy’s most distinguished metal crafters.

It was five years later when they produced their signature achievement — the one with which the Fontana name has been identified ever since. In 1978, the Fontana brothers saw how the carpenters of the Marche region, along with people all over the world, were affected by the energy crisis of the 1970s.

Looking for alternatives to the carpentry market and for ways to help people save fuel, the brothers noted that for many Italians, wood use was highly inefficient. There had to be a way, they thought, for a wood-fired oven to achieve and maintain high heat without the many hours of preheat time and without the prodigious amounts of wood that traditional ovens consumed. And they proved themselves right, when they designed and built the first-ever indirect combustion oven.

The new oven was a great success, and its popularity spread throughout Italy. Nevertheless, the Fontana brothers continued to examine and revise their design to discover and implement improvements. In 1986, they produced their oven’s first major redesign, introducing interior lighting and a system of forced ventilation inside the oven’s cooking chamber. They also created a version of the oven that could be installed inside homes, revolutionizing wood-fired cooking in Italy.

Today, Fontana Forni employs 28 high-level craftsmen, and is led by Giovanni, Marco, Alessandro, and Nicola Fontana. The Fontana family is proud to be synonymous with the only wood-fired oven on the market today that combines the finest old-world Italian craftsmanship with the best that modern technology in offer in convenience and refinement.

About Our Company

About Our

Company

In 1991, the Laing family developed a deep affection for Italy while living near Firenze. During their time there, they learned to love the culture, the language, the food, and the people. They had especially grown to appreciate the Italians' love for art and craftsmanship. When the Laings returned to the United States in 1998, they decided to bring some of Italy with them. They applied stucco to the walls of their home, built old brick arches, and even put a wood burning brick oven in their yard. They also brought a large assortment of terracotta so that they could recreate Italy in their very own home and garden.

Very quickly they realized they were not the only ones who appreciated quality Italian handcrafted goods. So, in 1998 the family began Tuscan Imports, a business specializing in importing products from Italy.

In 2008, the Laings discovered the phenomenal outdoor pizza oven made by Italian manufacturer, Fontana Forni. Having already built two traditional ceramic pizza ovens in their own home, Kirk was so impressed with their product as a customer that he pursued a partnership with the company.

The family began selling their pizza ovens in the United States. Shortly afterwards they started a distribution partnership and became the sole North American distributor for their product as Fontana Forni USA.

As demand and interest have grown, so has the business. While the majority of the Laings have moved on from the company, one of the family's sons, Philip remains and is the brand's consummate in-house expert on all things Fontana.

Fontana Forni USA prioritizes honest, personal customer service with some of the best products Italy has to offer. It's grateful for the friendships and partnerships it has built along the way. And as Fontana Forni USA comes into a new era in 2023, it is now dedicated to an expansion in its oven product offerings, new accessory additions, collaborations with other brands, launching modern informational resources for oven owners, and more.

Fontana Forni USA will continue to deliver luxury-level quality products, design innovation, and customized service for years to come.