Boscoli Foods, Inc. wins 2016 Louisiana Lantern Award

For many local residents, using Boscoli Foods Italian Olive Salad has become a culinary tradition. The company, which manufactures a variety of Italian, gourmet foods in Jefferson Parish, focuses on using quality goods in its products to ensure customer satisfaction. This dedication to excellence has allowed Boscoli to become a household staple in the region while also ensuring its advancement into other markets across the country and internationally. Boscoli Foods is a leader in its industry, a quality that helped the company to earn a special distinction for Louisiana manufacturers: a 2016 Louisiana Lantern Award.

Don Pierson, Louisiana Economic Development (LED) Secretary, presented Boscoli Foods with the highly prestigious award at a special reception at the Governor’s Mansion in Baton Rouge Tuesday evening. The Louisiana Lantern Awards provide an opportunity for the State to celebrate manufacturers from across Louisiana. The winning companies for each district showcase a contribution to the Louisiana economy and to their local communities through employee growth, increase in revenue, facility expansion, and community engagement.

The Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) nominated Boscoli Foods for the District 1 award this year. The gourmet food producer was selected from the Greater New Orleans region to receive the highly-coveted State award.

Founded in 1992, this iconic Jefferson Parish company came from humble beginnings. Boscoli Foods started out as a small mom and pop shop with products made from traditional family recipes passed down from generation to generation. In the beginning, the family mixed and bottled each of the products by hand in a 750-square-foot space.

Twenty-four years later, Boscoli has experienced exponential growth. Boscoli regularly produces 17 different products out of its 6,500-square-foot automated manufacturing facility in the City of Kenner. These products are stocked on shelves in all 50 states as well as in Mexico and U.S. military bases overseas. As the family-owned company continues to grow, so does its vision for the future. In addition to expanding into new markets, Boscoli is focused on enhancing its product line as well. This year, the company introduced new products, such as the Infused Dirty Martini Juice, into the market.

In recent years, Boscoli has experienced high growth in sales and an increase in employees. In just the last three years, Boscoli revenues have grown by over 10%. In order to meet capacity of its sustained growth, Boscoli Foods plans to add an 8,500-square-foot warehouse and additional office space to its existing manufacturing and bottling plant.

Not only does the manufacturer provide a continual boost to the Jefferson parish economy, but Boscoli Foods is also heavily involved in improving the community. Boscoli donates time and resources to numerous charities and organizations, including the National Kidney Foundation, American Lung Association, Kenner Food Bank, Wally Pontiff Jr. Foundation, and many others.

“Boscoli Foods is incredibly deserving of the 2016 Louisiana Lantern Award,” says JEDCO President & CEO Jerry Bologna. “The company demonstrates all of the qualities of a successful manufacturer. It is clear that the family behind Boscoli Foods takes great pride in producing the highest quality products while also bringing our regional traditions to a national and international audience. We are proud of the company’s growth over the years and the innovative spirit that has allowed it to provide new offerings to loyal customers. We look forward to watching the company grow and find success in Jefferson Parish moving forward.”

“We are honored to have a company as dynamic, innovative, and successful as Boscoli Foods based out of Jefferson Parish,” says Parish President Michael S. Yenni. “This unique business embodies the true spirit of Jefferson Parish and the City of Kenner through hard work, a focus on excellence and community engagement. We thank Boscoli for choosing to grow in our community and we look forward to supporting that growth for many years to come. I am thrilled to offer my congratulations to the entire Boscoli Foods team.”

President John Occhipinti accepted the award on behalf of Boscoli Foods on Tuesday. He was presented with a custom-built, hand-crafted copper Lantern donated by Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights of New Orleans. The lanterns have become an internationally recognized trademark of New Orleans.  Bevolo is the oldest and largest copper gas lantern manufacturer in the U.S. and the second-oldest in the world. For more information about the Louisiana Lantern Award, click here.