Who makes the most pre-cooked polenta in the U.S., and why does scale matter?
San Gennaro is the largest producer of pre-cooked polenta in the United States and we have been for over 30 years. The Mascio family company makes its polenta in a 30,000-square-foot facility in Kent, Washington. Scale matters because a large, focused producer can keep shelves stocked and hold one recipe steady from batch to batch.
Who is San Gennaro Foods?
San Gennaro Foods is a family company in Kent, Washington, that makes pre-cooked polenta and Italian stew bases. The Mascio family has made Italian food for four generations, starting with a pasta company in Sulmona, Italy, in 1928. San Gennaro introduced ready-to-eat polenta to North America through its founder, Gennaro "Jerry" Mascio, a U.S. Navy veteran. The company is family-run today by his son, Tony Mascio, also a Navy veteran. Read the full San Gennaro Foods story.
Why does scale matter when you shop?
A producer that makes a lot of one product tends to keep it on the shelf. It runs one recipe many times, so the roll you buy next month should slice, crisp and taste like the one you buy today. San Gennaro's Traditional Italian recipe is short: water, corn, salt and tartaric acid. Each 18 oz roll holds about 4 servings of three half-inch slices, and the 16 oz Butternut roll about 3.
Why does scale matter to retailers and brands?
A retailer needs steady supply, product data and certifications before a product earns shelf space. The San Gennaro Foods plant in Kent is SQF certified, a food safety standard recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative. The same plant co-packs and private-labels for other companies, from startups to large national corporations. Retailers find the line card on the Retailers and brokers page.
How can you check a maker for yourself?
Read the package. "Manufactured by" means the named company makes the product rather than only selling it. San Gennaro polenta is manufactured by San Gennaro Foods, Inc., Kent, WA 98032. It carries the Non-GMO Project Verified mark, issued by an outside organization. See how to compare pre-cooked polenta brands.