Monteleone Foods was born in 2010 by its co-founders, Dino and Susanne Martin, to bring a product to market that has been produced in many northeast Ohio homes and restaurants for decades, Italian Style Peppers in Oil (peperoni sott'olio).
Italian Style Peppers in Oil originated in the Italian region of Calabria and made their way to Youngstown, Ohio by way of the many Italian immigrants who settled there, including our grandparents. Our mother, like many other Italian-Americans in the area, preserved the legacy of making these flavorful peppers for her family and friends. Monteleone Foods continues this Calabrian tradition by starting with the freshest, all natural ingredients, blended with Italian spices to create a flavor like no other.
Our mother, Connie Bruno Martin, put up cases of these peppers every fall when Dino and his brothers were growing up in Youngstown, Ohio. These peppers would be on their table for every meal; eggs for breakfast, sandwiches or pizza for lunch, and pasta or steaks for dinner. The Monteleone name pays homage to Dino's father, Joe Martin, whose original name was Joseph Monteleone and was the person that always made sure that my mother made enough peppers for not only our household, but for friends and other family as well.