Marianna Pulcino “A Sauce is Born”

Marianna Pulcino immigrated to America in 1911, bringing with her an old-world recipe for pasta sauce. She established Mom’s Cafe on Walton Avenue in Altoona, Pennsylvania where she served up her classic dishes to the delight of hungry patrons.

ALTOONA PENNSYLVANIA “a mighty railroad city”

Nestled in the beautiful Allegheny mountains, Altoona is a city built around its once thriving railroad industry. Part of the Pennsylvania Central Railway, Altoona was an essential part of America’s burgeoning rail industry, and immigrants like Marianna and Vincenzo Pulcino came to the city for the opportunities it offered.

Mom’s cafe - a true love story

In 1936, Marianna’s daughter Mafalda was waiting tables at Mom’s Cafe when Ferdinand DelGrosso, a handsome young railroader, walked through the door and sat at her table. They fell in love instantly.

MAFALDA & FERDINAND DELGROSSO “Make a name for themselves”

"Fred" and "Murf" would later be married, and in 1943 they bought a small restaurant on 17th Street and called it DelGrosso's Cafe. With the help of Marianna's original sauce recipe, the restaurant soon became famous for the "best spaghetti dinner in town."

"They Love Our Sauce, they really love our sauce!"

The idea to commercially manufacture pasta sauce took root when Fred noticed restaurant customers offering to pay extra to take home a small portion of the sauce. Fred immediately saw the potential to market and sell their quality Italian sauces.

America’s best amusement park food

In 1946 Fred and Murf sold DelGrosso’s Cafe and bought nearby Bland’s Amusement Park. The young couple saw an opportunity to bring affordable family fun to the region along with freshly cooked Italian food for the park patrons. With the extra space, they quickly set up shop to cook and can thier beloved sauce.

Love, Passion, Tradition and Hard Work "Leading by Example"

From the park kitchen, Fred and Murf worked 10-hour days to make one “batch” of five cases, using four 10-gallon pots and a hand sealer, which took 24 revolutions to seal one can.

A Family Business Starts to Grow

Fred and Murf’s hard work begins to payoff! Fred and two long-time friends from Altoona formed a small sales force and gradually increased distribution by “pounding the pavement” and local grocery stores began to stock thier sauce. Central Pennsylvania is immediately smitten witb the sauce, and DelGrosso quickly becomes a household name and earns a place on many dinner tables throughout the region.

No Shortcuts

The first expansion took place in 1951, when Fred built a small cooking room behind Bland's Park. It contained four 20-gallon, gas-fired, hand-stirred kettles and an automatic can sealer. The sauce was still poured by hand, one can at a time by family members using pot holders. A "batch" of sauce now took about eight hours to can, and production was up to 10-12 cases.

Struggle, Passion and Family Pride

Fred and Murf’s 7 children learned their family values at an early age. They all worked in the park and helped thier parents make the sauce that locals loved so much. They learned the techniques and wisdom to make the family’s traditional recipes. This 1977 photo of Fred, Murf and their family in the middle of the amusement park, showcases the businesses they cared so much about.

Our Sauce is a living tribute to our founders

All of our Pasta Sauces celebrate Marianna, Fred and Murf DelGrosso and their years of hard work, passion and dedication into producing“The Finest Sauce Made”.

La Famiglia Delgrosso

Now in its third generation, DelGrosso Foods has taken its place among the most highly-regarded producers of fine sauces anywhere. It continues as the oldest major family-owned manufacturer of pasta sauce in the United States. It is through tireless effort, continued commitment, and the closest attention to detail from family members at every level that DelGrosso remains “The Finest Sauce Made.”

History