Our story.

In 1940, Matthew and Amelia Giusto started what would be considered the beginning of the natural food era in the Western United States, if not the entire country. They were considered one of the pioneers of natural and organic ingredients and artisan food. Their culinary journey began out of a small storefront in downtown San Francisco, Golden Crescent Health Foods. This was where, for the first time, many people were able to find what was considered to be “unusual” food ingredients as well baked goods, such as bread. While San Franciscans found the ingredients to be unusual, they were, in fact, well-known in other cultures.

Amelia Giusto, a lifelong vegetarian, had always embraced the holistic healing properties of nature’s unknown ingredients. These ingredients were not familiar to the American consumer but had been widely used throughout the world for thousands of years, promoting healthy and holistic healing properties. Examples of these ingredients included arrowroot powder, wheat germ, wheat bran, whole grains, and flax meal, just to name a few. These ingredients were thought to increase one’s overall health without unnatural chemicals, additives, preservatives, or processing. It was through a combination of these ingredients and how they were grown that the artisan food movement began.

Our passion.

As consumers turned to Golden Crescent Health Foods for products, bakers also reached out to Matthew and Amelia’s two sons, Fred and Albert for their flour. The brothers were part of the family’s culinary endeavors and eventually took over the business and expanded its unique artisan ingredients, baked goods, and product offerings in addition to adding a new category of ingredients and food…organic. These ingredients were not grown or produced with the use of harmful pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. This was a result of establishing early and solid relationships with very few farmers across the country who believed in the same principles.

Sourcing raw materials for production from organic farming methods remained core to the brothers. Organic farming aims to minimize synthetic inputs and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), while promoting sustainable agricultural practices that prioritize soil health, biodiversity, and ecological balance.

These products included a variety of whole grain flours and cereals and were produced by the in-house custom mills built by the brothers, in addition to multi-grain bread, gluten-free bread, lima bean bread, bran muffins, and prune muffins. Even today, very few reputable flour mills exist that adhere to organic certification standards. These mills maintain strict separation and labeling procedures to prevent cross-contamination with non-organic grains. Ensuring the organic integrity of these ingredients requires additional time and costs, including verifying that they meet strict organic certification requirements.

Both Fred and Albert decided to expand the family business in San Francisco and the Giusto name would soon become the gold standard in the world and synonymous with natural and organic artisan ingredients and food. As a result, the Giusto brothers became a significant distributor of organic flour and grains. Once the business was off and running, Matthew and Amelia retired to the then-sleepy suburb of Calistoga, located 75 miles north of San Francisco in what is now the world-famous wine and culinary region of Napa Valley.

Amelia Giusto working at a food trade show.

Matthew and Amelia’s sons, Albert & Fred.

The Giusto family working in the store, Golden Crescent Health Foods in 1945.

Our family legacy.

The success of the second-generation Giusto brothers grew yet again with the third generation. In 2000, Fred’s only son, Matthew who was named after his grandfather, began working for Giusto’s Specialty Foods. His father, Fred, taught him the nuts and bolts of the business, and he also spent time visiting the same organic farms his grandfather and father did over the past several decades, further strengthening their relationships. Additionally, Matthew focused on raising the bar to the next level with newly developed products, such as bringing in 00 flour and other one-of-a-kind products.

Fred, after his retirement, with his son Matthew

Our family today.

In 2021, Matthew and his wife Ann Marie, embarked on a culinary journey to expand and grow artisan culinary excellence.They continued to pass down the Giusto Family tradition to their children, the fourth generation of Giustos, and with them, established Napa Valley Artisan. They continue to embrace Matthew and Amelia’s dedication to natural and organically sourced ingredients. Ann Marie also integrates the tastes of Northern Italy into their food offerings. Her parents, Louis and Neva Giorgi unknowingly lived near each other in two small Northern towns, Lucca, Italy and Porcari, Italy. They separately immigrated to the United States over six decades ago, only to meet and marry in Northern California. Through the years, Ann Marie has embraced her mom’s love of cooking authentic, fresh, and simple meals while eating together around the family table.

The Giusto Family hopes you will enjoy their fresh ingredients sourced from local purveyors and flour from the same organic farms used by Matthew and Amelia. Come experience authentic Italian pizza and other seasonal offerings cooked fresh by their son, Dominic, the local pizzaiolo. Choose to have their pizza truck onsite for your event or use their drop off catering. They hope this will help you relax, sit around the table, and share their love of food with your family and friends. Salute!

The Giusto Family today-

Luke, Ann Marie, Annaliese, Gianna, Angelina, Matt and Dominic

Let's Eat Together.