Italian Ice Company Expands Healthy School Lunch Program to 37 States
Italian ices may not be the first thing that comes to mind when asked to name a healthy school snack that also conforms to federal guidelines. But when those ices are Rosati Ices, they not only conform, but are one of the fastest growing snacks in school meal programs across America. Rosati Ice is currently available at schools in 37 states.
The secret is in the 104 year old company’s innovative recipe, which substitutes fruit juice for sugar, to qualify as a 1/2 cup serving of fruit. Rosati’s proprietary formula was created by the company’s Vice President of Great Taste, Al Everetts, to comply with school lunch guidelines while also appealing to students. Said Everetts, “The product tastes exactly the way kids expect Italian ices to taste, plus they also get healthful nutrients, all packaged into one, four ounce cup.”
Rosati Ice’s school lunch products are available in 10 flavors, including Birthday Ice, which tastes just like a birthday cake, and American Hero, a popular strawberry lemonade flavor combination. A portion of the profits from American Hero are dedicated to helping fund veterans’ rehabilitation programs through a partnership with an organization called SoldierStrong. Rosati also offers seasonal flavors to celebrate different holidays throughout the school calendar year. For example, Rosati’s holiday flavors include Swee’Heart for Valentine’s Day and Luck O’ the Ice for St. Patrick’s Day.
Rosati Ice is also dairy-free, gluten-free and contains no artificial dyes. All of Rosati’s products are also made in a peanut-free and tree nut-free facility, making them enjoyable for allergy sufferers as well.
Said Rich Trotter, Rosati Ice’s owner and President, “Rosati has the fastest growing school cafeteria snack program in the U.S. Ours has gained traction because we offer just the right combination of nutrition and fun. The product satisfies everyone: schools, students and parents.”
Rosati’s school lunch program began in 1999, with the Norristown, PA school district, the first to feature Rosati products on its lunch menus. Since then, the program has expanded to hundreds of schools nationwide, thanks to the efforts of Rosati’s national brand ambassadors for children’s nutrition: Sean Trotter, Nate Todd and Greg Hoffman.
Rosati Ice was founded in 1912 by Sam Rosati, an Italian immigrant who made his first Italian ices cranked by hand in the basement of his West Philadelphia home. The company grew and Sam soon became known as “The King of Water Ice,” having his popular ices sold from horse drawn wagons throughout the city and at the New Jersey shore. In the mid 50’s, the company moved to its current headquarters in Clifton Heights, PA and management was taken over by Sam’s daughter Rosemary and her husband Jim Salomone. In 1997, the company was sold to their son-in-law, Dave Schumacher and Rich Trotter, its current owner. The company is arguably the oldest operating company in the United States marketing Italian Ices and it is the Philadelphia metropolitan region’s largest Italian Ice manufacturer.
