Pasta Fresca
McGonagle began to conduct preliminary market research. After spending countless hours at the library evaluating research, she concluded that there was a market for the pasta products and that she would pursue starting a company. Pasta Fresca was incorporated in October of 1986 in Ohio.
After incorporation, McGonagle began writing a business plan. She traveled to Santa Margherita Ligure to apprentice in a pasta shop. She researched the flour, key ingredients and techniques involved in making a high quality fresh pasta product. She attended a pasta machine trade show in Genoa, Italy to research the different types of pasta equipment. Over the next eighteen months, McGonagle researched and wrote the business plan.
In 1988, the business plan was presented to a local financial institution where the company obtained an initial loan. The company also obtained a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the state of Ohio. The CDBG is a low interest loan from the state to small businesses starting in Appalachian counties. Pasta Fresca is located in Perry County, Ohio, which is the first county of Appalachia in the southeastern portion of the state. This was the first CDBG money for small business in Perry County. McGonagle had to spend quite a bit of time pioneering the system to establish a revolving loan fund to manage the CDBG money.
Pasta Fresca has won 2 business awards throughout the years--
- • The 1990 Governor's Award for Excellence in Small Business and
• The 1995 Outstanding Small or Emerging Business award granted by the Eastern Ohio Development Alliance.
After interviewing chefs from restaurants throughout the state of Ohio, it was concluded that because pasta making is a time consuming process, most restaurants do not have the time to produce a variety of pastas. The restaurants that did make their own pasta usually limited their production to simple noodles like fettuccine and linguine and rarely made filled pastas. Thus, Pasta Fresca could meet the demand for filled pastas and offer a variety of fillings ranging from the standard cheese and meat, to more exotic fillings like porcini and butternut squash.
Pasta Fresca would manufacture a fresh frozen product line that specialized in filled pastas and long cuts. The company would provide prompt delivery service of made to order pastas to area restaurants and caterers. The company worked closely with chef's on product development and was committed to making the highest quality pastas with superior service. The company began operation as a manufacturer of high quality frozen filled and long cut pastas in 1988.
In 1994, the company began to consider entering the retail market for the frozen filled line. Pasta Fresca entered the jalapeno & Cheddar Ravioli with a Sweet Bell Pepper Shell in the Annual Product Awards at the Summer International Fancy Food Show sponsored by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade. McGonagle wanted an evaluation of the frozen product line to see if there was enough interest in the product to justify entering the retail market. The ravioli won the Outstanding Pasta, Rice, Bean, Grain or Cereal category at the Fancy Food Show. This is the most prestigious award in the specialty food industry, and has been compared to the Academy Awards for food. Pasta Fresca is the only American pasta company to win in this category. Winning the pasta category stands as a true testimonial to the quality of the products that Pasta Fresca produces.
After developing retail packaging for the frozen line, Pasta Fresca chose five of its best selling ravioli and began selling them to retail establishments at the beginning of 1995. In 1997, the frozen retail packaging was updated. The new packaging had a clean and natural appearance that instantly conveys to the consumer that the products are of highest quality. The new packaging contains 2 servings (nine ounces). Nutrition facts and recipes were added as well.
In 1997, Pasta Fresca was nominated as a finalist in the Outstanding Pasta, Rice or Grain category for Black Bean & Salsa Ravioli with Corn in a jalapeno Shell at the Fancy Food Show. Still, the only American pasta company to ever win this category, Pasta Fresca was the only American pasta company even nominated in 1997.
Once again in 1999, Pasta Fresca won the Outstanding Pasta, Rice, Bean or Soup category at the Summer Fancy Food Show with Black Bean & Salsa Ravioli with Corn in a Jalapeno Shell. Pasta Fresca was also nominated as a finalist in the Outstanding Product Line category for Pasta Fresca Ravioli. With the idea to include and create innovative Italian style foods of all kinds, Pasta Fresca acquired a new product line in 1999. The new product line, called Frittatine, is a frozen appetizer-size soufflé baked in a scallop shell shape. The scallop shell shape is a registered trademark. Flavors of Frittatine are inspired by foods typical of various regions throughout Italy and include: Artichoke Pesto, Broccoli Cheddar, Four Cheese Potato, Mushroom Chive, Parmesan Zucchini and Sweet Corn Hot Pepper.
Frittatine has taken two top honors from the Fancy Food Show's Annual Product Awards in the past. First in 1994, Broccoli & Cheddar won the Outstanding Hors d'Oeuvres, Hors d'Oeuvres Component or Snack Food category; and, second, in 1996, Sweet Corn Hot Pepper won the Outstanding Foodservice Product award.
Pasta Fresca Frittatine packaging has a clean crisp look with a white background and colorful lettering. Cherubs set in the background of each box tie Frittatine to Pasta Fresca's existing ravioli line creating a new family of Pasta Fresca products. This packaging is sure to catch the shopper's eye while walking down the frozen food aisle.
In 2000, the frozen ravioli retail packaging was updated with brighter colors while retaining the clean and natural appearance. The ravioli line now consists of eight flavors of ravioli. The eight flavors include: Artichoke Sun-Dried Tomato Ravioli with Fontina in a Black Pepper Shell; Black Bean & Salsa Ravioli with Corn in a jalapeno Shell; Four Cheese Ravioli; Jalapeno Cheddar Ravioli with a Sweet Bell Pepper Shell; Portabella Ravioli in a Spinach Shell; Roasted Red Pepper Ravioli with Goat Cheese; Spinach & Feta Ravioli; and, Sun-Dried Tomato Ravioli with Spinach in a Wild Mushroom Shell. As with Frittatine, the new ravioli packaging is sure to catch the shopper's eye while walking down the frozen food aisle.
As history repeats itself, Pasta Fresca has been nominated as a finalist in the Outstanding Pasta, Rice Bean or Soup category at the 2000 Summer Fancy Food Show. This year Pasta Fresca's Roasted Red Pepper Ravioli with Goat Cheese is up for the top honor.
Today, Pasta Fresca is the only American company to win the Outstanding Pasta category and continues to be recognized for excellence as is evident with this year's nomination-proof of Pasta Fresca's continuing effort to be an innovative and high quality manufacturer.
As Pasta Fresca looks into the future, we are committed to always pursuing business, service and quality excellence all the while working to develop innovative Italian style foods.