Saladino's Inc

Saladino's Inc is a privately owned foodservice distributor based in Fresno, California. They are currently the largest independent foodservice distributor in California, and the 19th largest foodservice distributor in the United States.^[1]

History

Saladino's started in 1944, when Chairman of the Board Don Saladino worked in the meat department of his father's grocery store in Fresno, California.^[2] He combined his meat packing experience with family recipes from the Calabrese region in Italy and formed the Saladino's Sausage Company, initially distributing sausage products to local grocery stores. In 1980 Don's son and current President Craig Saladino joined the business and they expanded their products to include a wider variety of sausage and meat products, and also began distributing to local pizzerias and restaurants.

In 2001 they moved to a larger facility located farther north in Fresno, at and took on their largest customer, the restaurant chain Subway. Since this move in 2001 they have expanded their operations to include additional warehouses located in Ontario, California and West Sacramento, California. They currently distribute throughout the entirety of California, as well as parts of Arizona, Nevada, Idaho and Oregon.

Branded products

Saladino's currently offers 4 branded products;^[3]

• Zia Maria Cucina - A brand of Italian products, named after Craig Saladino's grandmother Mary Iacobellis
• Joy of the Valley - A brand of Italian products named after Calabrese region of Italy where the Saladino's family originated from
• Lloyd's Market - A brand of sausage and meat products named after the market where Don Saladino' founded Saladino's Inc, named after his father Lloyd Saladino
• Westside - A brand of produce products named after the Westside region of the Central San Joaquin Valley, an area where many farms are located

Locations

Saladino's Currently operates 3 warehouses in California.^[4]

• Corporate Headquarters - Saladino's corporate headquarters, located in Fresno, CA.
• Fresno, CA - Opened in 2001 this is the first major warehouse opened by Saladino's. This location services the San Joaquin Valley, as well as the Central Coast of California and the Sierra Nevadas.
• Ontario, CA - Opened in 2007^[5] this is the second warehouse opened by Saladino's. This location services Southern California & parts of Arizona.
• West Sacramento, CA - Opened in 2013 this is the third warehouse opened by Saladino's. This location services Northern California, as well as Oregon, Idaho and Nevada.

Community involvement

Saladino's sponsors and participates in charitable activities in California.^[6] Some of the organizations they are currently partnered with are:

• Saint Agnes Medical Center - A local Catholic Hospital
• California State University Fresno - A local state college
• The Poverello House - A private, nonprofit, nondenominational organization that has been serving the hungry and homeless of Fresno
• Community Medical Centers - A local private Hospital

References