Re: Roma Foods--Grande, Escalon, etc.

[Jerry Smith]

You can go to Roma foods in Orlando to cash and carry and picl up grande ,escolne just about anything.

If you noy near there let me know I ll finfd another place.

Grande  Sales Rep.

[pyegal]

What about the central Piedmont area of North Carolina? Any cash and carry stores of that type in
Greensboro, Winston Salem, Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, or High Point?

Thanks!
pyegal

[Pete-zza]

Teresa,

I checked out the Roma website and it looks like they have a distribution center that serves your area. See http://www.romafood.com/offices.htm#nc. If you call and it looks like they can serve you, you may want to ask if there is a dollar or quantity limit on cash and carry purchases, and also how to arrange for pickups.

Peter

[pyegal]

Thanks, Pete-zza! I remember now hearing someone (maybe my sister) talk about a Roma foods located near the RDU airport.

Teresa

[davtrent]

I was very pleased to find out that a premium distributor (Roma Food Enterprises) had opened a distribution center in the Raleigh-Durham area and wanted to get the facts regarding minimum quantities, terms of payment, etc.

I visited the Roma distribution center today and spoke with the Location Manager,  Pat Palazzo.  Mr. Palazzo explained politely, but in no uncertain terms, that his location is unable to offer a cash and carry operation to the public at this time.

He unofficially suggested that the policy may be subject to change in the next year or so due to Roma's (relatively) recent merger with Vistar (http://www.romafood.com/vistar_merger.htm),  but for now they do NOT sell to the public; only to restaurants and food service institutions  through their sales representatives. 

Sad news ... I really love  Roma's Assoluti brand whole milk mozzarella cheese.

Regards,

David

[Pete-zza]

I sent an email today to Jerry Smith, who originally posted on the subject of Roma. I reported on davtrent's visit to the Roma distribution center near him, and invited Jerry to respond further on the subject at the site.

Peter

[scott r]

David, have you had a chance to compare this cheese to grande?  Could you find out if it has a mother brand?

[davtrent]

Scott,

I've only been able to taste the Assoluti brand Whole Milk (low moisture) mozzarella
as it was applied on top of a cooked commercial pizza at a local Italian restaurant (Pulcinella's).  It was particularly delicious, but I've not been able to do a controlled, side-by-side comparison with Grande.  Assoluti is one of Roma's house brands but I'm not sure who actually manufactures it. 

Most of my favorite pizza places are supplied by ROMA, so I was saddened  when I learned of their current "to the trade only" policy. 

Regards,

David

[dankfoot]

PyeGal,

There is a Vinny's Pizzeria in Apex that might have some things you are looking for.

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,816.msg11428.html#msg11428

[davtrent]

PyeGal,

Dankfoot's suggestion is a good one for sourcing Grande cheese and some Stanislaus products.  However, the Vinny's in Hillsborough, NC (Churton Grove Center, 133 N. Scotswood Blvd., Hillsborough, NC 27278, 919-732-9219) may be a bit closer to you.

Regards,

David

[pizzaqueen]

If you check out our stores website at www.pennmac.com you will see that we sell both grande and escalon products by the piece and by the pound. Also, if you order them from our website, we will ship them directly towards your house. thanks
rose

[pam]

Just a "heads up" for the folks in/around Raleigh: the Super-WalMart off of 540 @ 70 has 1 lb. blocks of whole milk and part skim Polly-O in stock right now for $2.98. (Not sure whether it's a regularly stocked item 'cuz I don't shopt there all that often, but it's the first time I've seen it.) No, it ain't Grande, but it's a durn sight better'n a lot of the other stuff you find around here.