What’s in a name, a number? And how does a brand transcend a logo to become a beloved symbol to the people who rely on it, every day? Today, Performance is proud to celebrate 70 years of Roma®, but more importantly, we commemorate what that name means to local restaurants and to the families that have run them for decades — as well as what it means for the future of culinary success.
When Louis G. Piancone, of Corato, Bari, Italy, boarded a ship bound for the U.S. (and ultimately New Jersey) on a warm day in 1951, he could never have imagined his future impact on the landscape of the American restaurant industry, and especially on pizza and Italian food here in the states.
The founder of Roma, Mr. Piancone was an extraordinary gentleman, yet his secret sauce was a powerful combination of working-class humility and a dedication to serving his fellow neighborhood business owners with an almost preternatural sense of quality.
Quality & Service
Lou M. Piancone, who like his brother Stephen, was trained in the Italian foodservice business by their father and still works closely alongside the procurement and marketing teams at Performance – Metro New York, recalled once attending a party held after Mr. P’s passing.
“It was for people that came from this city in Sicily, called Carini, just near Palermo. Many of them had pizzerias here in the Northeast. And they were coming up to me saying, ‘If it wasn’t for your father, I wouldn’t have been able to raise my family, or send my kids to school, or have the house or the business I have.’ Now, I didn’t ask all of them exactly what they did,” Lou said, a broad grin starting to spread across his face. “But I heard quite a few stories like that.”
In 1955, a legacy began, as Mr. P opened an Italian delicatessen in Bradley Beach, before starting Roma Food nearly a decade later to service area restaurants, struggling without easy access to authentic, quality ingredients. He would even go so far as to extend lines of credit to burgeoning entrepreneurs, brainstorming ways to help them get started in the business. And he was always invested in sourcing the most premium products available, so restaurants could serve their best to their communities.
“When he created a new product back in those days,” said Lou, “and I lived it, so I remember it well — he put so much passion into what he did. He wanted to make sure it was not only the right quality, but it was properly packaged. He would go to the manufacturer and actually spend time with them, break bread with them, to make sure it was the best fit for his customers.”
That emphasis on excellence still resonates and can be tasted in every box of Roma ingredients, in addition to the full line of products that fall under the Roma family of Italian brands — including the eponymous Piancone® and Piancone® Epicureo labels, Luigi®, Assoluti!®, Ultimo!®, and Bacio® Cheese.
Eat Like a Legend
The ground beneath this industry seems to be constantly shifting, but even as factors change the way we order, engage online with the restaurants we love, and actually receive our meals, guests still spend time in their favorite places for reasons that are age-old — to experience expertly prepared food, made with the tastiest items, in an environment that fosters connection. A name like Roma has the ability to serve as a rock to help you weather the storms.
“Everything we bring in is always going to be consistent,” Lou explained. “You know when you’re making a purchase as a consumer, you wanna have faith that’s its always going to be the same.
“When it comes to Italian tomatoes, for example, it could change every year because of Mother Nature, but we say, ‘Hey look, here’s the level of quality we want; this is the drain weight we want; you know, we want fully ripe,’ and I think we do a darn good job of being consistent. Olive oil too! The weather’s going to have an effect on the oil, the consistency, the flavor. But we always select from the same region, right near my father’s birthplace, and from the same producer that’s been crafting olive oil since 1935.”
Lou even walked me through the history of the Piancone Prosciutto artisans out of Parma, Italy. “They’ve been in business for a 106 years!” he exclaimed. “I mean, it’s still made by the same family and everything, just amazing. You taste the stuff and you know, it melts in your mouth — phenomenal.”
Here’s to the Next 70
After seven decades of Italian gastronomic mastery, Roma has built an astounding portfolio to support any restaurant concept, of any size, anywhere in the country. We are a go-to for flour, dough, cheese, sauces, toppings, sides, produce, and desserts. And yet, tradition doesn’t have to mean lingering in the past. Tradition can get people in the door, but it’s also essential to have items that speak to newer generations of patrons as well. Roma has long been a record-setter — now, at 70, we’re going platinum to provide solutions for the modern restauranteur to build future success.
Whether you need classic pizza add-ons, like Roma Bacon Toppings — fully cooked, easy-to-prep, and crafted with pieces of pork belly, enhanced by smoke flavor — or Roma Gluten-Free & Cauliflower Crusts for diners with specific dietary preferences, we can help you make even more sweet music in your kitchen.
Our new Roma Crown Pizza Boxes are cost-effective, durable, and eco-friendly for both the modern diner and the pizzaiolo. Recently introduced Roma Heritage Lobster Ravioli comes readymade — just cook, sauce, and serve to expand menu items for a decadent brunch or finer dining experience.
And we now offer specialty items like Piancone Frozen Pinsa Pizza Crusts for an on-trend “cloudlike” crisp and chew made specially to take guests on a Roman culinary adventure and Piancone Epicureo Artisan Dry Pastas imported from the first pasta factory in the world to obtain the “Pasta di Gragnano I.G.P.” certification of quality and authenticity. We’re talking premium customization that’s available for your patrons.
As Lou Piancone said, “I think that no matter what, if it’s 2025 or 2050, the Roma philosophy of quality & service will stand the test of time. My dad always told us, ‘Don’t be like everybody else. We are Roma — we have our own style and way of doing things.’ If you’re providing good quality and good timely service with courtesy, how are you gonna go wrong? You really can’t.”
Viva Roma! And here’s to another 70 years of helping to build your restaurant’s success.
