Mozzarella Maker Lioni Operating From Both Coasts

ROSELLE, N.J. - Lioni Latticini Inc., a manufacturer of traditional, all-natural cow's milk mozzarella, has opened a 4,000-square-foot production and distribution plant in Los Angeles and plans to move to a nearly 38,000-square-foot facility in Union, N.J., within the next couple of months. Jeff Silver, director of sales and marketing, said Lioni is producing hand-wrapped fresh mozzarella, fresh mozzarella in water and a low-moisture mozzarella loaf at its Los Angeles plant, using equipment imported from Italy. A room for preparing smoked mozzarella is in the works as well.

The decision to add production on the West Coast has saved almost a week in transportation, Silver explained. Product is delivered throughout California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon and Washington from the new plant, which formally opened in late December. Mozzarella is also air-shipped to Hawaii from California.

At press time, Lioni was in the process of purchasing the new building, which will replace its 17,000-square-foot manufacturing plant here. About 80 percent of the space will be devoted to production and packaging, Silver said, with the remainder used for warehousing and offices.

Silver said Lioni, which began as a traditional cheesemaker in Brooklyn, N.Y., and continues to operate a small retail store there, "has really been able to spread our products out across the country. We've gone from a neighborhood manufacturer to a national distributor without compromising our quality."

About 35 percent of Lioni's business is with retail store accounts, including New York specialty stores such as Dean & DeLuca, Zabar's and Balducci's as well as supermarket accounts ranging from A&P and Food Emporium to Edward's and King's.

Over the past year, the company has signed up with four distributors to cover states in the Midwest, South and Southeast.

Silver said as part of the plant expansion, the company is bringing packaging machinery so it can offer state-of-the-art Italian new retail packs.

It introduced an 8-ounce, see-through tub last fall, Silver noted, which helped increase its distribution within supermarkets.

- Joanne Friedrick
Gourmet News
March 1999