Saiwa

The story begins in 1900, in the pastry shop in Via Galata in Genoa. Here the entrepreneur Pietro Marchesi, having returned from a trip to England, decided to market in Italy a sweet enjoyed there, the so-called sugar wafers, sugary biscuits that were served with tea. The bakery became increasingly successful, becoming one of Italy’s first baked goods confectionery companies. So it moved to Corso Giulio Cesare (after 1945 to Corso Gastaldi). But a name had to be given to this company and so, in 1920, Gabriele D’Annunzio was called upon. It was the Vate who, following the fashion of the time for acronyms, coined the name S.A.I.W.A, an acronym for Società Accomandita Industria Wafer e Affini, for Marchesi’s company. D’Annunzio also collaborated on some advertising campaigns for the company, which became the official supplier to the Italian royal family in 1922.