Ronzoni Macaroni Company

[MachineBuilder]

Please share any history of the Ronzoni Macaroni Company. I know the company started in 1915.

[Al Ronzoni]

In 1881, 11 year-old Emanuele Ronzoni emigrated to the U.S. with his parents, Romano and Teresa, from the village of San Fruttuoso di Camogli in Northern Italy. Not long after arriving in America, Emanuele was working as a "helper" in a macaroni factory on the lower east side of Manhattan. Around 1890, Emmanule started his first small venture with his cousin, Giovanni Di Martino, in a loft near what is now the entrance to the Holland Tunnel. This operation merged with the Atlantic Macaroni Co in 1893, which became the most important large-scale pasta manufacturer in New York at that time. In 1915, Emmanuele left Atlantic and founded the Ronzoni Macaroni Co. World War I caused a major boost to the domestic American pasta industry because imports of Italian semolina, finished products and manufacturing machinery were all interrupted by the war. The Ronzoni Macaroni Co. benefited from this greatly. Likewise, the Great Depression also favored larger operations like Ronzoni, as what remained of the small pasta producers in New York City were wiped out. Emmanuele gave jobs to many of the small producers who had lost their businesses. Ronzoni also agreed with and was able to comply with new federal and state regulations regarding workplace cleanliness, safety and product quality.

Emmanuele was first joined in the business by his two daughters, Catherine and Marie and later by his three sons, Emmanuele, Jr., Angelo and Raymond. In 1950 operations moved into a new state of the art factory on Northern Boulevard in Queens. Ronzoni was also one of the first companies to advertise on television, sponsoring programs like the Phil Silvers show and the Cold War drama, I Led Three Lives. The 50s also saw the creation of one of the most successful ad slogans of all time, "Ronzoni Sono Buoni" or "Ronzoni Is So Good," developed by the Emil Mogul Ad Agency for Ronzoni.

Emmanuele Ronzoni, Sr. passed away in 1956. Soon a third generation of Ronzonis began working for the family business as the company also branched out into manufacturing pasta sauce and frozen entrees. As Ronzoni approached its seventh decade of existance its products could be found in over 25 metropolitan areas and Hawaii and Puerto Rico. But by the 1980s, the company was beginning to experience tough competition from imported Italian brands, while at the same time, big food conglomerates were buying up smaller family-owned pasta companies. A decision was made by the family in 1984 to sell Ronzoni to General Foods. Today the Ronzoni brand, still one of the most popular in the United States, is owned by Riviana Foods, Inc.

[MachineBuilder]

Thanks Al. I found this trademark registration for Ronzoni at the United States Patent and Trademark website.

Also, here's an article and a cool picture on this website http://fonderiausa.com/emanuele-ronzoni/