Company: Lotito Foods

Website: www.lotitofoods.com

Introduced: September 2018

Distribution: Foodservice

Product Snapshot: Lotito Foods, the premier importer of Italian and European Cheeses, Domestic Italian Cheese and Specialty Foods, debuts a collection of authentic regional Italian street foods for the foodservice industry. Lotito Foods has remained the leading expert in solutions for all restaurant, food service or private label needs for over a century.

With innovation as the mantra of this 100-year old family business, now lead by 3^rd generation owner Chris Lotito, Lotito Foods now elevates Italian street staples by offering classic recipes from Rome, Naples and Sicily. These specialty foods are imported directly from Italy, made fresh from traditional, all natural ingredients, then frozen fresh, resulting in foods so authentic you’ll swear you’re sitting in an Italian restaurant.

With prepared Italian dishes such as Croquettes, mini-Calzoncelli, Arancini and many more, Lotito Foods is ready to serve the hottest trend in food service today. Millennials have spurred tremendous growth in the food industry: prepared foods are the fastest growing industry segment, accounting for 58 percent of 24 billion in deli sales. Deli department sales in supermarkets and grocery stores have grown to over $11.5 billion with 69 percent of retailers reporting growth of 5 percent or higher in their prepared food department. Global flavors and street food dishes are reported by IDDBA to be top trends for 2018, with 42 percent of Gen Z searching for street foods and 23 percent of Americans saying they would rather build a meal of snacks than sit down for a traditional meal.

The new line of Lotito Foods Italian Regional Street Foods includes:

• Bella Naples. Inspired by Naples, Lotito Foods Mini-Calzoncelli are delicate pockets of dough stuffed with a delicious variety of Italian fillings.
• From Rome with Love. Lotito Foods offers Roman favorites, including the beloved battered and stuffed zucchini flowers. This is perhaps the most famous Roman delicacies, made with fresh, tender zucchini flowers that are filled with mozzarella and ready to heat and serve.
• Suppli Croquettes come in several flavors, including Risotto, Tomato and Mozzarella; Potato, Garlic and Mozzarella, and Eggplant Parmigiana and Mozzarella.
• Ciao Sicily. Sicilian favorites offered by Lotito Foods include Breaded Mini Eggplant and Mozzarella Bites.
• Also from Sicily are the Lotito Foods Mini, Medium and Large Arancini. Arancini are a Sicilian street made from local rice and formed into scrumptious breaded rice balls.

“For the first time ever, you don’t have to step on a plane to enjoy the indescribably delicious Italian foods we all know and love,” said Chris Lotito, president and owner of Lotito Foods. “Our family business was born in Corato Italy, in the 1890s, and to this day, our company remains true to our roots. We bring the authentic, made-in-Italy regional and street foods from Rome, Naples and Sicily right to your door. Every dish is made frozen fresh and can be ready to serve to your customers right away. It’s classic, natural Italian food the way real Italians eat, available now right here in the U.S.”