41 years ago, VIETRI Founder and CEO Susan Gravely went on a fairytale trip to Italy with her sister and mother. They discovered the handpainted dinnerware of the Amalfi Coast, and they fell in love with the whimsical, colorful designs. They decided to fill their suitcases with the cheerful plates, and they returned home to North Carolina with dreams of a potential business.
"We excitedly unpacked the dinnerware we had brought home from the Amalfi Coast and eagerly showed it to our friends. They immediately expressed interest in owning these unique and colorful handpainted pieces, so it was then and there, in 1983, that Momma, Frances, and I decided to import the dinnerware to sell to retail stores across the US. We decided to name the company VIETRI, a tribute to the town where it all began and a play on the phrase Tre Vite, which is Italian for 'three lives.'" - an excerpt from Italy on a Plate.
The VIETRI story is described as a modern day fairytale. Read more about how the company began, enjoy stories from Founder Susan Gravely's travels throughout Italy, and discover delicious recipes straight from the kitchens of her dear Italian friends in Italy on a Plate, her bestselling memoir and cookbook.