“I started from this old abandoned dairy, in the heart of Aosta, to realize my dream: to recover and enhance high-quality cheeses produced by small local producers.” This is how Stefano Lunardi, founder of the ErbaVoglio project, begins his story while serving the last customer of the day. After closing the shop, he invites us to the basement for a cheese tasting paired with a Petite Arvine wine from a small local producer.
Stefano talks about his academic background in Forestry Services and his first work experiences in a small company. He has always wanted to do something to promote his land and couldn’t stop thinking about cheese. He explains how the abandonment of the mountains is a serious problem that leads to the closure of small businesses, unable to compete with large corporations.
In the 2000s, Stefano began studying the composition of pastures to understand the relationship with cheese quality, aiming to create an “identity card” for cheeses, similar to that of wines. This would allow producers and consumers to recognize the quality of cheeses by knowing their history and origin.
Although the project is not yet complete, Stefano does not give up. With the support of some investors, he founded the Val D'Avas km 0 association, a group of small producers aiming to improve territorial marketing through tastings, events, and education. “I believe local development comes from every player in the food supply chain,” he says.
In 2011, Stefano had the opportunity to buy an old dairy in the center of Aosta. “I started thinking: it’s now or never.” He contacted Professor Cavallero, one of the leading experts on pastures, and together they decided to launch ErbaVoglio. “Madness? Yes, but also perseverance.” Without a business plan, but after years of research, the company is finally growing rapidly. Soon they will launch “Ranquefleur”: the first cheese with an identity card, produced in a limited edition of 240 wheels from 20 cows grazing in 20 selected pastures.
Stefano’s story is not just about cheese. It teaches how to nurture your dreams, follow them, and decide to act, with a touch of madness and perseverance.
