Louis G. Piancone was twenty years old when in 1951 he left Corato, near Bari, for the United States. He started his career opening an Italian delicatessen in Bradley Beach, New Jersey. Today he is the head of one of the giants in the italian food industry in the U.S., Roma Food Enterprises.
Mr. Piancone was interviewed by News Italia Press.

News Italia Press
mercoledì 28 luglio 2004

The distribution network of italian products that he built in half a century is today present in 44 states and the head office located in Piscataway, employs 600 people. Besides being a successful members of the italian american business community , Piancone serves on the Board of Directors of The National Italian American Foundation and is deeply involved in the activities of the Foundation 
New Jersey - He was twenty years old when in 1951 he left Corato, near Bari, for the United States. Today Louis G. Piancone is the head of one of the giants in the italian food industry in the U.S., Roma Food Enterprises and started his career opening an italian delicatessen in Bradley Beach, New Jersey.

His deli shop in Bradley Beach is still working and today includes a bakery and a small italian restaurant.

Besides the distribution service of Made in Italy products in the U.S., Piancone helped the widespread of italian gastronomy also out of the America: in 1998 he was the first entrepreneur to successfully introduce pizza in the USSR "when the iron curtain was still down", he explains.

As well as being a well known exponent of the italian american business community , he is widely involved in NIAF (National Italian American Foundation) on which he serves on the Board of Directors . " I support the programs, I am on the committee, as in other non profit organizations we look for funds through many channels and make positively sure that they can give help, and make a better America".

Mister Piancone, when you first started your carreer, in 1955, did you expect that your business would grow this way? What were the keys to such success?
No, I did not expect that the business would grow in this way. In fact, it was a dream of mine to be in business.The first day I opened the delicatessen in Bradley Beach I thought that it was the highest level that someone could possibly reach, especially for an immigrant like me. I did $ 500 worth of sales that day. It was encouraging to be in a shore area with many restaurants who needed to buy food on weekends. I capitalized the idea that I could call on them during those days to see if I could sell the products wholesale.

The slogan of your company used to present italian gastronomy tho the american customers, has been since the 60's "Quality and Service". Do you think that these are the principles that should be stressed when marketing the Made in Italy name in the U.S.?
Yes. Most imperative. Rome, my company, was founded on those principles and I still impose today to be positively sure that we are abiding by this. If we gave quality without service, that would not work. If we gave service without quality it would not work either. In all of my 8 distribution centers, I make positively sure that the product that is behind our label us just the same I created when we first opened our doors.

You helped Made in Italy access to new markets, as in the USSR in 1988. In which new markets do you think that we should introduce the Made in Italy name?
It could be anywhere.Today the italian product is well received in any nation. As for the United States, products are well recognized with the fact that many people are travelling abroad and tasting products prepared in Italian restaurants. So they come back to the States and look for the same products, to look for restaurants that make food of quality, but they also buy the products from good shops, and cook at home. Italian products are very much appreciated and in high demand in the United States.

According to you, are american consumers able to distinguish regional differences and peculiarities?
Yes, the minority of Americans are able to determine the differences between regional Italian products, they know what products they want and what they are looking for. Our major tomato trends says that "well , they are tomatoes". So they need to be seeing the quality of the tomatoes when they are taken from the plant, the soil that they were grown in, the irrigation they had, how the products was processed before it went into the can. The chef understans the quality that makes his customer happy and the service is done on our part to do this in a timely manner. The consumer population here is always looking for a better, healthy product and pasta is a healthy product. Does it make sense to advertise the regional italian products?Yes, it does.Because every region has its own favourite dish. The flavour of the south is very different from the flavour of the north of Italy. It is impossible to advertise that one products is from Bari and the other is from Foggia. The research of better recipes never ends.

Your sons are part of Roma Food Entreprises. A family owned company is typical italian....
Many nationalities do it as well. It is simply the idea that a family believes in what it is doing and is proud to carry out the tradition to make it successful. It is essential that the customer is happy.

So do you think that the family based production, the Italian style to make business has effected your production?
Off course I believe in it: family ownership brought Roma Food to success. It is a leading element of the firm I founded. I believe in Italy things are changing. I remember when factories would close for the whole month of August , and you could not find a shop open in town at lunch time. Nowadays this happens less, business is becoming more service orientated. The whole world is changing, some may think it is not necessary but I have chosen to change with the time, and I share the comfort of those who look down the same avenue. Italy is one of the countries that decided to change faster.

Do you believe that the Italian way of making business is still different that the American one?
The differences will never go away.. you are talking about two different nations, each one has a good and a bad side.Two different cultures. A peculiarity of the italian working way is that they think that they are more adjustable to us and this comigles so well with the Unites States business world.

Do you have any contacts with Italian and Italian- American entrepreneurs?
On a daily basis : manifacturers, trasportation, shipment ... even to improve our recipes that have been around for years. It is very important to be in touch on a daily basis and new technologies make is easier.Of the 9000 customers I have , over 50% are italian -americans. We make business with italian american as well as with many other nationalities, this is the beauty of the U.S.Regardless of our origins, we are here and we respect each other.

Let's change subject. You are on the Board of Directors of Niaf. The foundation has always proved its committment in promoting italian culture and in fighting against stereotypes of the IA community. Do you believe that italian americans are still discriminated?
In relation to what was yesterday, and what is today. This is the 21st century. What we do to cultivate freedom is wonderful.This is also something that Niaf supports, fighting against stereotypes for things that happened yesterday. We have to try to improve talking, open communication, because we ultimately are all human beings, and we should respect each other as such.

Have you ever been discriminated because of your italian heritage?
I have, like anyone else. But directly no, only in general.

You are from Puglia. How do you live your italian- american identity?
To know ones origin gives joy. Any child can remember where they were born. l was born in Corato, in Puglia, the garden of Italy but I have been living in America since 1951. I love Puglia, but when I go back to Italy I have a good time everywhere.

How did your being part of the italian culture influence your lide style?
At first it was hard to change.Chilhood community, friendships left. I served the Italian Army, in Orvieto and in Rome. After I came to the U.S. and started all over again. From time to time when I sit and remember the past I miss it but it is far away. After all I am only 75 years old and I have a lot of years to go.

Is your life style influenced by your origins?
It is but I have aquired so many other wonderful things that during my life in the U.S.I consider myself rich because I have both sides.And doing business is another great advantage that gives me different views.

News ITALIA PRESS
http://www.newsitaliapress.it/interna.asp?sez=664&info=91149

Roma Food Enterprises Homepage
http://www.romafood.com/

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