by Alberto Negri
Sales Director of Monastero Company
Azienda Monastero was born from a simple idea: taking care of the land with respect, patience, and consistency. It’s a model of agriculture made of daily gestures, conscious choices, and authentic relationships. In this interview, they share the deeper meaning of a project that puts nature and its rhythms at the center.
Your project began with a clear and simple idea: taking care of the land with patience, attention, and respect. How did this journey begin, and what does it mean to you today?
It started from the desire to give value back to the land and to time. The Monastero is also a mental space: here, we slow down, observe, and learn from nature. Today, it represents a balance between effort and gratitude.
Each product you create tells of a precise agricultural gesture, marked by slow timing and conscious choices. How do you maintain a balance between craftsmanship and daily production?
Through care. We don’t aim to produce more, but to produce well. Our craftsmanship is a living practice, with no compromises, from seed to finished product.
Your range goes from extra virgin olive oil to preserves, flours, and vegetables. What’s the common thread that connects all this work?
Coherence. We only use what we grow and only process what truly makes sense to process. Each product reflects a season, a harvest, a real need. We don’t follow the market.
You often say “add nothing, remove nothing”: how important is it for you to let raw materials speak for themselves, without forcing them?
It’s essential. Simplicity is our most honest choice. Each product tells the story of its year, with no adjustments.
Yours is an authentic approach, far from the logic of intensive agriculture. In an increasingly fast market, is there room for those who choose to slow down?
There is space, but it must be built. Slowing down is a choice that needs to be communicated, with transparency and trust. It’s slower—but it’s real.
