Today we’d like to introduce you to Nickki Stello.
Hi Nickki, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
For over 36 years, Stello Foods, Inc. has been a family owned and operated specialty food manufacturer & distributor. We not only manufacture our own brands, but we also offer contract packaging and private labeling services to our customers.
We operate a fully automated manufacturing facility where we produce a wide variety of specialty food products including: spaghetti sauces, BBQ sauces, hot sauces, dressings, marinades, mustards, etc.
Over the years our company has
evolved into becoming a custom food manufacturer. Our specialty is manufacturing very high-quality sauces. Our approach is to use fresh ingredients and simple methods, to make products taste just like you would have made them at home.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Having your own business is never a smooth road. There are various struggles that all business owners face. The key is to keep on pushing forward toward the vision that you have for your company.
As you know, we’re big fans of Stello Foods, Inc.. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We all have a childhood memory of a special recipe that only Mom could make. For Nickki Stello and his family and friends, “Rosie’s Sweet Pepper Spread” was everyone’s favorite. Their Grandparent’s (Nick and Lucy Villella) recipe for ground peppers with oil in a special tomato sauce was passed on to the next generation. No one ever imagined this special spread, so often shared with family and friends, would soon be sold in grocery stores all around the country.
In 1990, what began as Sunday meals with family and friends, evolved into Nickki Stello’s college business project built around his grandmother’s pepper spread recipe.
After many hours of discussion, this plan led to the birth of a partnership between family and friends (David Daughenbaugh, James Stello, Jamie Stello, Nickki Stello and Richard Weaver), and the conception of another of America’s Small Businesses.
The business quickly outgrew their grandparents’ patio operation, and a food processing kitchen was constructed out of the beauty shop in the basement of the Stello’s (Rosie and Jim Stello) Punxsutawney home, in 1991. Sales increased from thousands of jars to thousands of cases.
In 1993, what began as a partnership became the corporation Stello Foods, Inc., making a major commitment to their customers and products. The old Punxsutawney Hardware building on Pine street was purchased & converted into a new processing plant. The larger production facility now allowed Stello foods to purchase larger manufacturing equipment and increase production.
Soon other companies heard about our success and began to approach us to manufacture their family recipes. This new found market for our manufacturing services quickly took off. What began as a manufacturing facility for our own family recipes, soon turned into a business were other companies and individuals could come to have their recipes produced – what is today our growing contract packaging and private label business.
Over the next 15 years a large warehouse was purchased and more production equipment was installed. Now over 36 years into business we have a fully automated production facility in which we produce a wide range of products for hundreds of companies.
Over the years we have experienced numerous obstacles in building our business. As our business continues to grow, the experiences from our humble beginnings help make us the company that we are today and define the path for our future. Stello Foods, Inc. now looks forward to the excitement of the future as we strive for higher goals.
We hope that you have enjoyed our story as much as you have enjoyed our products. We would love to hear your thoughts. Please, send us an email, call, or write to us about what you enjoy most about our products and what we can do to make things better in the future.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My family and just being able to live life the way I want to.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stellofoods.com
