Susquehanna Business Life

Business Profile

Businesses have come and gone. But the DelGrossos have stood the test of time to become the oldest major family-owned manufacturer of pasta sauce in the United States, along with owning a popular amusement park in Tipton.

Family Tradition in Tipton

By Jennifer Pencek

The secret to the DelGrosso family's success isn't really a secret at all, family members say. It has to do more with good business practices handed down through the generations, starting with Marianna "Murf" and Ferdinand "Fred" DelGrosso.

The customer comes first

In 1946, the couple, both now deceased, sold DelGrosso's Café in Altoona and bought nearby Bland's Amusement Park. From the park kitchen, Fred and Murf worked 10-hour days to make one batch of five cases of sauce, using four 10-gallon pots and a hand sealer, which took 24 revolutions to seal one can. Fred and two friends formed a small sales force and gradually increased distribution.

In 1979, DelGrosso Foods moved into a new state-of-the-art, 40,000-square-foot plant next to Bland's Park. Eventually, an 18,000-square-foot warehouse was added, along with expanded office and label-storage facilities. Modernization of the production line took place with design and installation of new conveyor systems, labeling machines and jar-filling equipment. In 2000, a 55,000-square-foot addition was created. That same year, the DelGrosso brand had become even more obvious — the family put its name on its beloved amusement park.

The expansions, upgrades, and other work done to improve the family business came with a lot of hard work, tenacity and always making the customer No. 1. Joe DelGrosso, vice president of DelGrosso Foods and the youngest of Murf and Fred's seven children, says his parents instilled those traits in the family.

"She worked until she was 90 years old," Joe, 51, says of Murf. "We always say my father said to give back to the consumer. In some ways, we've tried to maintain that." He cites examples such as competitive product prices and free amusement park parking and admittance.

Keeping it in the family

For the DelGrossos, professional success comes in trusting who you work with—for them, family. Fred and Murf's children — Joe, Mary Ann Crider, Fred, Linda, Cindy Gardella, James, and Robert "Bo" — are all stakeholders in the family business, and Mary Ann's sons, Carl Jr. and Scott, manage the amusement park with Carl serving as general manager. There are seven to 10 third-generation DelGrosso's involved in various capacities, and even up-and-coming fourth-generation members like Carl's daughter, Haley, who's been involved with everything from marketing to running game booths at the amusement park.

Carl, 51, adds customer service is more than simply smiling and being pleasant. "The other keys to great customer service are those items that do not even involve face-to-face interaction, but by their very nature convey a feeling to the customer that you truly care about them, like cleanliness, safety, affordability and quality," he says. "We have to work at these items every day and are confident they are paying dividends as evidenced by the very favorable comments by our guests."

The family also doesn't hold onto titles when it comes to work getting done. On an average day, people might find Joe with his sleeves rolled up in the park kitchen prepping food for the day, or another member helping at the park.

"It is a family," Joe says. "Have we had arguments? Absolutely. We are all probably talking about the same thing, but because of our hardheadedness, we agree but don't agree. It is truly family-run."

To be a success

Carl says you need a team with the same goal to make a business successful.

"If we can get up and pay everyone and our bills and make a living, we're pretty content," he says. "We always have to look forward to changing the park in some way whether it's new food or rides. Because we get so much repeat business, it's important to take care of someone like it's their first visit."

Between 350,000 and 400,000 guests visit the amusement park each year. Part of that success likely comes from the non-9-to-5 life many family members lead.

Some of that time is spent meeting challenges, like achieving consensus with decision making; hiring, training and retaining staff; and managing large cost outlays as it relates to purchasing amusement park attractions.

But Carl says the family overcomes challenges by utilizing an outside consultant who offers advice and helps keep the stakeholders focused on issues, developing a strong internal training program utilizing industry standards, and developing a financial plan and carefully choosing attractions that maximize financial goals.

Advice for the future

Carl offers the following advice to fellow business owners: Develop a sound business plan, provide a quality product or service for a reasonable price, put your time into the business, be able to change as business conditions change, take care of your employees with communication, praise and monetary issues, and have fun.

It also helps to think of the future. For the DelGrossos, that includes family members like Haley Crider, 20, a senior at Penn State University.

"Since I've been in college, I've gotten involved with helping more for marketing and doing demos," she says. "I've learned a lot from my family and it's changed my mind about a lot of things. As I'm older now, I think I have a greater appreciation for everything."

So what does the future hold for the DelGrossos? Haley says people have approached them about opening a restaurant and creating a cookbook.

"It would be great things to talk about," she says.

Jennifer Pencek is a freelance writer based in State College, Pa., and associate editor of the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State.