The story of William Di Carlo confectionery begins in 1833 when Francesco Marcone registered his son’t birth and officially declared his profession as a confectioner. He was based in the Peligna Valley, among the Abruzzo mountains and handmade sweets in large copper pots.
In 1894, his son became the owner of his father’s company ‘Marcone & Figli’ and continued traditionally making confectionery, teaching his own son about sweet making throughout his childhood. He went on the present King Umberto I of Savoy with a box of chocolates with his face on and was gifted a diamond brooch in return, which still features on the company logo.
In the 20th Century, Gaetano di Carlo, a liqueur seller, and his son, Alfredo, began regularly visiting the area. Alfredo fell in love with a local girl named Rosina, who was the daughter of the owners of the confectionery business. They went on to marry and have a son called William di Carlo in 1903, who, at the age of just 4, became the owner of the sweet factory, along with his aunt, who officially became his guardian when his parents left for America. When William grew up, he fell in love with the daughter of his factory’s greatest competitor and the companies eventually became one under William’s name. Today, William’s grandson runs the company and has expanded sales across Europe and the world.
