Polenta Valsugana originated back in the early 1920s. The First World War was over and a citizen from Friuli decided to emigrate overseas in search of a new perspective on life. Destination: the United States, nation of endless opportunities. Having landed in Chicago, however, he found a different way of life from the one he had left behind in Italy. As time went by, he began to cherish the memories of his homeland: the warm family atmosphere, socialising with friends, the traditions in the kitchen and Italy's authentic flavours. One of these was polenta, the characteristic dish of his region.

Thinking back to the big black pot in which the shower of soft, yellow maize flour sifted by expert hands was stirred, he felt compelled to replicate polenta, once again savouring the excitement of that simple, homemade taste. Finding the time to cook it during the hectic days of American life, however, was not easy. Thanks to his Italian genius, he invented a way to shorten the preparation time. Combining his knowledge of Italian culinary tradition with the lifestyle of the United States, he came up with the idea of steamed polenta, that would be ready in just a few minutes and retain the same consistency, without altering its authentic goodness and fragrance.

In 1996, the Montenegro - Bonomelli Group, today Gruppo Montenegro, took over management of the brand: it launched important communication campaigns and developed the product's full potential, making Polenta Valsugana famous, a favourite on tables throughout Italy. Thanks to its authentic goodness, this easy to make product established itself as a market leader.

In 2015, the brand decided to embark on what was an as yet unexplored path, that of using the imagination in the kitchen. A new advertising campaign also involving social media highlighted the infinite versatility of the product. 'Always a good idea', the new claim, referred to the fact that anyone can practise releasing their creativity in the kitchen and experiment with new and unusual combinations.