Family goodness for over fifty years
It was 1968 when, in Prata di Pordenone, Lino Follador and his wife Angela opened a small provincial bakery. Their production was intended for the local market, with carefully selected raw materials from trusted suppliers. The two owners cultivated a family relationship with customers, even during home deliveries. This is the atmosphere in which Antonio, their son, grew up, until 1999 when he began managing the historic family shop independently.
In 2007, Antonio Follador introduced café and deli services to La Bottega, the first shop in Prata di Pordenone. In 2015, he opened Il Posto in Pordenone, a second bistro; while two years later an important dream became reality: Lo Spaccio was born, the new 1,400 sq m workshop, which also houses the store.
Here, behind the counter, a large window allows you to watch the brigade at work live, preparing fresh bread, pizza by the slice, filled focaccia, fresh and dry pastries, leavened products and much more.
The secret to Follador's quality remains craftsmanship, traditional know-how.
Antonio Follador
Born in 1968, Antonio was born the same year as Forno Follador: he breathed the scent of yeast and flour from childhood, learning the secrets of dough. He began working in the family business in 1989, after completing his studies, dedicating over ten years to training and specialization in baking and pastry. 1999 was an important year: Antonio became owner of Forno Follador and joined the Richemont Club Italia, an association that allowed him to travel frequently in Europe to deepen his craft through courses, internships, company visits and public meetings.
He learned to seek out the best raw materials, perfected production techniques and worked every day on small and large innovations.
"Follador's story begins in 1968, with a small bakery in Pordenone, the classic village shop. [...] From selecting high-quality raw materials to expanding the offering with deli and café services. Today, in the new 1,400 square meter workshop, products are created that are making their way around Italy. [...] Wide selection of carefully chosen flours, many of which are organic. Don't miss the Trittico, a loaf made from three durum wheat semolinas from Puglia, Sicily and Tuscany respectively. Also special are the Friulano, thanks to the addition of Tuscan bran, or the Pan Fruttato, enriched with dried fruit. Wide selection of excellent pizzas and focaccias too, and the great leavened products for Christmas and Easter are a must. [...] A strong point, in addition to the quality of the raw materials used, is the courtesy of the staff, both at the Pordenone shop and at La Bottega on Via Roma in Prata."
These are the reasons expressed by Gambero Rosso, which awards Forno Follador the Three Loaves in the Bread & Bakers of Italy Guide 2025.
Today Antonio Follador is a guarantor member of the Consortium for the Protection of Sourdough Starter, which is committed to protecting, promoting and enhancing baked goods made exclusively with sourdough starter produced in the workshop by artisan leaveners and considered a heritage of humanity.
Today Forno Follador is based in Pordenone, where our stores are located: Il Posto, Lo Spaccio and La Bottega (in Prata di Pordenone). In our workshop, research, training and technological innovation come together, ensuring a virtuous production process in full respect of nature's cycles and work rhythms.
The workshop: a contemporary artisan shop
Every day Antonio Follador works alongside his team to pass on the lessons of his experience and ancient artisanal knowledge. In the workshop, the first secret to learn lies in the magic of sourdough starter fermentation, which introduces biodiversity into baked goods, makes them more digestible, extends their shelf life, and enhances the character of different wheat varieties.
4.0 system, mixers, blast chillers and latest generation ovens, cold chain and continuous technological advancement allow us to combine the natural times of production and processing of raw materials with the times of work, preparation, baking and transport of the finished product.