OUR STORY
In 1914, Anna Cerrone, migrated from Sicily, touching ground in her new nation at Ellis Island and then moving west to Magna, Utah. In 1918, she met and married a coal miner named Rocco Polidori. When Rocco’s health started to decline due to his occupation in coal mining, the couple moved to Denver, Colorado in search of cleaner air and economic prosperity. Fulfilling their version of the American dream, Anna and Rocco opened their own small grocery store in 1925. Anna worked at the meat counter as the butcher while Rocco tended the front of the store.
During her work, Anna not only sliced and prepared cuts of meat for the customers, but also cooked up heirloom sausage recipes inherited from her Sicilian family. Soon, shoppers were clamoring to know how they could get their hands on the delicious sausage, the smell of which permeated the store.
In 1945, Anna’s sons Louis and Augie Polidori took over the grocery store. For the next 37 years the two brothers would grow the sausage business into a successful industry. After the passing of Anna in 1982, the grocery store is sold and Louis Polidori moved the meat processing plant to a tiny USDA facility.
Lou’s grandson and 4th generation Polidori, Steven joined the business in 1992 and brought along fresh ideas for automating the processing which allowed the business to run more efficiently.
In 2003, with the business growing, Melodie Polidori Harris, Steve’s sister and great granddaughter to Anna joined the company. With her she brought insights into small business and marketing. Together, the 4th generation Polidori’s land several new customers focusing on the long standing traditions of Anna’s quality and consistency.
Today, Polidori Sausage continues to upgrade equipment and operating procedures in an effort to continue producing the highest quality sausage products. In 2016, Steve and Melodie moved the business to a new state of the art USDA plant that was awarded a Green Certification. Polidori takes extreme pride in operating in full compliance with the SSOP/HACCP programs as outlined by the USDA.
Polidori was recognized as a Colorado Business to watch in 2017 and also holds the accolade of Best Italian Sausage. Polidori continues to make all sausage products with less fat by using only the finest cuts of pork and all natural spices with no MSG or preservatives just like Anna did back in 1925. Today, Polidori Sausage produces over 60 types of sausages that are distributed to thousands of restaurants and over 2,500 grocery stores nationwide including Kroger, King Soopers, Safeway and City Markets. In addition to Italian sausage, Polidori Sausage offers a full product line that includes chorizo, breakfast sausages, pizza toppings, bratwursts and their heirloom meatballs. A large number of Polidori products are available through food service purveyors throughout Colorado and the rest of the country
We appreciate the loyal support of our customers. We are proud to carry on our great grandmother’s family recipes and take great pride in operating a family run company. Anna would be proud to see her family traditions live on in Polidori Sausage.