When Karl Egger founded LaSelva in 1980, he found inspiration for the name in an old farmhouse. Through his vision and work in developing LaSelva, Egger became one of the pioneers of organic farming in Europe. Karl Egger left his homeland, Munich, and moved to the south of Tuscany where he bought 7 hectares of land. Here he began to grow fruit and vegetables following the simple rules of nature: a choice that led him ten years later to give birth to the organic farming association, Naturland. In 1984 LaSelva became the first Naturland-certified business beyond German borders. In the second half of the 1980s, Egger started processing fruit and vegetables, making the first organic preserves. A choice to respect nature and healthy eating has guided the development of LaSelva since its founding. Today, LaSelva farms more than 800 hectares and produces fine gastronomic specialities and organic wines.