Francine Voit and Nicola Buffo created these decadently delicious spreads to bring a taste of Italy to your table.
If you’ve ever been lucky enough to travel to Italy, you may have experienced pistachio flavor in a whole new way through silky, slightly sweet spreads that bring pure pistachio flavor to everything from pastries to coffee.
When Nicola Buffo and Francine Voit moved from Italy to the United States to study at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), they failed to find a product that captured the essence of pistachio the way they enjoyed it growing up. So in 2023 they invented one themselves!
Working first from their college dorm, they leaned on Fran’s previous years at culinary school in Italy to develop Pistakio, a tasty and beautifully packaged product that was an immediate hit at local farmer’s markets.
After a move to Portland and a stint in Portland Community College's program called Getting Your Recipe to Market (a collaboration with New Seasons), Pistakio is now in more than 400 stores nationwide.
We chatted with Nico (now head of strategy and operations) and Fran (brand and product lead) about what makes their product special, other than its over-the-top deliciousness.
You've created a product that fills a void in the US market. Tell us what makes Pistakio different.
There's a lot of "pistachio" product out there that doesn't actually taste like pistachio, and from day one we refused to be that. Most creams on the market are too thick, too sweet, and rely on neon-green dyes and almond-cherry extract to taste "pistachio." Ours is less thick, less sweet, and made with WAY more real pistachios — which makes it tastier, nuttier, balanced, and a lot more versatile. You can use it on way more than just a slice of toast (our personal favorite is mixing it into coffee).
How do your source your ingredients?
Real California pistachios are the first ingredient, sourced from a regenerative farm in the Central Valley. No neon green, no shortcuts. Our pistachios go through stricter protocols than most Middle Eastern blends (which many brands use, since it tends to be cheaper). Plus, since it's not a blend, the pistachio flavor is much stronger!
What are a few more of your favorite ways to use your product?
Pistakio is designed to be an everyday pantry staple rather than a fancy specialty item. Our spreads are made to be used in everything from lattes to yogurt, smoothies, on toast, or another favorite – in tiramisu.
Tell us about your partnership with New Seasons and how it's affected your business.
We've been on New Seasons' shelves since April 2024, which is also the month we officially launched as a brand. You were one of our very first retail accounts, and your team has championed Pistakio from the start. That early support gave us the runway to keep developing new products, including our upcoming Pistachio Drizzle launching this fall. Being in a store that genuinely makes room for small, local brands is what made Portland feel like home for Pistakio.
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