Newtown ‘Food Pioneer’ Recognized

By Italian Trade Commission

By Nancy K. Crevier

Newtown resident Rudy Magnan was surprised and pleased to be awarded a Distinguished Service Award in the food importing and distribution industry this past June, by the Italian Trade Commission.

At a special ceremony held Thursday, June 24, in New York City, Mr Magnan was among those recognized as having demonstrated “a longtime commitment and contribution to the country of Italy” and as having “contributed to the success of sales of authentic Italian food products in the United States,” according to a release from the commission.

It was the early 1980s, said Mr Magnan, when he had the opportunity to dovetail his love of education, travel and food into the food importation business. A good friend of Lou Todaro of Todaro Brothers market on the east side of New York City, he was invited to attend several food shows in northern Italy with Mr Todaro.

 “I had always had an unusual interest in new foods, even as a young man,” recalled Mr Magnan. “My mom was a big cook and I learned to appreciate good food from her. When we visited family in northern Italy on vacations, I would see foods there that I couldn’t believe, and wonder, ‘How come we don’t have this at home?’” he said.

Mr Todaro and Mr Magnan had both noticed an increasing interest in the US by home cooks for Balsamic vinegar, and only food emporium Dean & DeLuca was importing it at the time, along with sun-dried tomatoes from the San Remo region “which no one else was carrying.”

The men believed that they could build on America’s blossoming interest in exotic ingredients, particularly those of Italy. They met with the owner of Federzoni Balsamic in Modena, Italy, and soon were bringing in the aged vinegar to stores and restaurants all up and down the East Coast, as well as sun-dried tomatoes, and extra virgin olive oil.

“Americans wanted these things, and they wanted to know about them,” Mr Magnan said. Food writers began picking his brain for information on what are now pantry staples, but what were gourmet items 25 years ago. As interest in Mediterranean foods by home cooks began to pick up, Mr Magnan began importing Gorgonzola, Taleggio, and double and triple cream cheeses from Italy.

“At that point, bringing in oils and vinegars was not a problem, but cheeses had to be refrigerated,” he said. Through his efforts and those of other importers jumping on the bandwagon, airlines began providing refrigerated containers, allowing importers to broaden the product line of new imports.

“Now people here were starting to appreciate really good cheeses and other specialty foods,” said Mr Magnan of the mid- to late-1980s. “We brought in an incredible number of cheeses from Italy.”

He continued to seek out specialty foods for the increasingly particular American palate, traveling to food fairs not just in Italy, but in France, Germany, and Switzerland, as well. He dabbled throughout the 1990s with importing Italian wines, coffees, and espressos.

“American have fallen in love with bringing food and wine to the next level,” said Mr Magnan, “and that’s a good thing.”

In the course of their relationship, Mr Magnan and Mr Todaro received three national awards over the years, including The Marcel Recorbet Award for packaging and new product for a line of flavored vinegars, jams, and jellies.

For the most part, Mr Magnan has retired from the food importing business. He periodically attends the national food shows to see what is new in the industry, however, and continues to consult with food writers and foreign businesses trying to get into the American market. At the New York food show this spring, he said, he came across a young entrepreneur from the Abruzzi region of Italy.

“He makes all natural, low-sodium, ready made soups, pastas, risottos, and polentas that are tasty. I’m trying to help him find an importer,” said Mr Magnan.

He is pleased to be recognized now as one of the early food pioneers, whom he believes have helped improve the quality and variety of foods that Americans consume, and to have been part of an industry that has seen the growth in people cooking at home and valuing the quality of food items.