Highlight: Casa DiLisio “Mi Casa is Su Casa”
Issue Date: September 2017
In an effort to help our 10,000 + company subscribers connect more and more through Share-ify, we will be highlighting one company each month in our “Highlights” series which can be found on our website.
Our very first Highlight introduces Casa DiLisio to our subscribers that have not met them before. Last year, I had the pleasure of meeting Linda DiLisio after she called in about a question she had involving our software. We began talking about her company and I was so excited to hear about her Italian sauces. She kindly agreed to send us a care package with an array of her famous sauces. I could not have been more thrilled!
The day the package arrived, I opened it with sheer glee to find the box perfectly cold with dry ice and individually wrapped sauces. My family and I began tasting each one. Each one of us can testify that these were the most delicious pesto and sauces we had ever eaten.
Our two favorites: Pesto alla Genovese (Basil) and Walnut Pesto. In a home where 90% of meals are made fresh and 50% of those are Italian dishes, we were amazed to find these sauces tasted better than our homemade versions. My 18-month old was eating the Pesto alla Genovese 2-3 nights per week for dinner and not getting tired of it! The most amazing part of this is how concentrated the sauces are. A pint size container could last a while with only 1-2 tablespoons needed for a whole dish.
One of the most interesting aspects of the sauces is how bold the flavor is. The flavor is incredibly concentrated. I would never have described a sauce this way until now. It’s like they have taken the ingredients and compressed them into a powerful smaller increment. The taste is out of this world!
So, without further ado….Please join us in this incredible story about the heart of Italian cooking.
Share-ify “Highlight” Series
Profile: Casa DiLisio
Website: www.casadilisio.com
Mi Casa is Su Casa
By: E. A. Nardone
Joe Zimerco of New York Ravioli & Pasta Company started using Casa DiLisio pesto 15 years ago. “We make our own sauces for our gourmet ravioli, but pesto is a hard sauce. It has to be fresh and consistent,” he explained. “It was a burden to have it be consistent all the time.”
He was approached by Lou DiLisio at a trade show and was initially hesitant about utilizing a 3rd party sauce. “We offer gourmet ravioli and needed a quality sauce to match our quality brand.” Since making the switch, Zimerco’s demanding customers have appreciated the consistency. “This is one less thing to worry about. There’s quality and consistency and no complaints from customers.”
Casa DiLisio started nearly 44 years ago with Sauce Provencal, a French-style scampi sauce. The breakout opportunity, however, came with the introduction of pesto. In the 1970’s, they decided to use fresh basil and only later did they realize that they were vegan and gluten free before it was big. “We have always been gluten free and trans fat-free,” shared Linda DiLisio, Vice President of Operations.
“We purchase between 8-10,000 pounds of basil per week and only use the top parts of leaves. We sold 650 tons of pesto last year and sold out by January,” explains DiLisio. “Fortunately for us, we could easily double production in our current facility.”
When asked why New York Ravioli & Pasta Company continues to use Casa DiLisio, Zimerco reveals, “It’s important to me and my customers to have a company that complies with the demands of food safety and HACCP plans. They have good sanitary procedures and a 3rd party audit. It’s important to have these programs in place. The value to cost is also right for the market. They are fair priced.”
“Our products are known for quality, consistency and competitive pricing,” explains founder Lou DiLisio. “This is the cornerstone of foodservice. Everything we make is gluten free, trans fat-free and very concentrated. We are the only company in the country that uses fresh basil and herbs in the production of our sauces. Fresh basil pesto, vegan pesto varieties and the addition of ‘No Nut Basil Pesto’ to our products, we fit all of the requirements for any kind of foodservice operation.”
The American Culinary Federation (ACF) seems to agree. Casa DiLisio was awarded the ACF’s Gold Seal of Approval and has continued to garner wide acclaim with another 15 awards received by the company.
“The American Culinary Federation is an association of chefs from all over the country. There are 13 master certified chefs that received our product and all of them unanimously voted to give us the American Culinary Federation Gold Certification,” proudly stated the younger DiLisio.
With an array of 14 sauces, there is a lot to choose from in this diverse selection of Italian perfection.
To learn more about Casa DiLisio, please visit their website at http://www.casadilisio.com. You may also reach Linda or Lou directly at (800) 247-4199 or email [email protected].
If you would like to recommend a company for the Share-ify Highlight series, please email us at [email protected].