Regional Oral History Office the Bancroft Library University of California Berkeley, California the Dedomenico FAMILY: GROWTH OF
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Regional Oral History Office University of California The Bancroft Library Berkeley, California THE DeDOMENICO FAMILY: GROWTH OF THE GOLDEN GRAIN COMPANY THROUGH INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP Interviews with: Vincent M. DeDomenico Thomas D. DeDomenico Anthony Victor DeDomenico Donato Ferrigno Lois M. DeDomenico Dennis T. DeDomenico With an Introduction by Benton Coit Interviews Conducted by Ruth Teiser and Lisa Jacobson 1987-1989 Copyright 0 1994 by The Regents of the University of California Since 1954 the Regional Oral History Office has been interviewing leading participants in or well-placed witnesses to major events in the development of Northern California, the West, and the Nation. Oral history is a modern research technique involving an interviewee and an informed interviewer in spontaneous conversation. The taped record is transcribed, lightly edited for continuity and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewee. The resulting manuscript is typed in final form, indexed, bound with photographs and illustrative materials, and placed in The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley, and other research collections for scholarly use. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account, offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is reflective, partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. This manuscript is made available for research purposes. All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publish, are reserved to The Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. No part of the manuscript may be quoted for publication without the written permission of the Director of The Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. Requests for permission to quote for publication should be addressed to the Regional Oral History Office, 486 Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720, and should include identification of the specific passages to be quoted, anticipated use of the passages, and identification of the user. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows : To cite the volume: "The DeDomenico Family: Growth of the Golden Grain Company Through Innovation and Entrepreneurship," an oral history conducted 1987-1989, Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 1994. To cite an individual interview: [ex.] Lois M. DeDomenico, "The Recipe for Rice- a-Roni and Community Service," an oral history conducted in 1988 by Ruth Teiser and Lisa Jacobson, in "The DeDomenico Family: Growth of the Golden Grain Company Through Innovation and Entrepreneurship," Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 1994. Copy no. San Francisco Chronicle Fekruary 22, 1992 Thomas DeDomenico Thomas DeDomenico, whose sales and marketing expertise built the Golden Grain Macaroni Co. into a major pasta and rice-mix firm, died Tuesday of a heart at- tack. He was 72. A resident of Piedmont, he was in Crescent City for a long fishing trip at the time of his death. Mr. DeDomenico, a San Fran- cisco native born into the family that founded Golden Grain, work- ed with his father and three broth- ers during his early years making and selling pasta products. During World War 11, the Army. took him to France and Germany, and upon his return he rejoined the family business on Bryant Street and mar- ried Lois Bruce of Canada. By 1950, the steadily growing company moved to San Leandro and in 1957 introduced Rice-a- Roni, a now-famous mix of rice and vermicelli that was based on a recipe of Lois DeDomenico's. Under Mr. DeDomenico, who served as executive vice president and national sales manager, the company came to dominate the I western pasta market and the na- tional rice-mix market for 30 years. Golden Grain was sold to Quaker Oats Co. in 1986, and Mr DeDomenico retired in 1989. He was a member of the Sales Managers' Club of Northern Cali- fornia and the Sequoia Country Club and was also an avid fan of golf, fly fishing and bird hunting. In addition to his wife, of Pied- mont, Mr. DeDomenico is survived by a son, Dennis DeDomenico of Oakland; three daughters, Donna Holpainen of Seattle, Deborah De- Domenico of Oakland and Claudia DeDomenico of San Francisco; three grandchildren; two broth- ers, Vincent DeDomenico of Napa and Victor DeDomenico of Oak- land; and two sisters, Jean McCombs of Sonoma and Kather- ine Reichert of Danville. A private funeral will be held. A memorial service is scheduled at 2 p.m. March 2 at the First Presby- terian Church of 'Oakland, 27th and Broadway. Donations may be made to the Tom and Lois DeDo- menico Fund at the East Bay Com- munity Foundation in Oakland. Cataloging information THE DeDOMENICO FAMILY: GROWTH OF THE GOLDEN GRAIN COMPANY THROUGH INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, 1994, v, 380 pp. Second and third generation family members and a key employee trace the growth of a family-owned company from its beginnings as Gragnano Products in 1912. Life history of founders Domenico "Charlie" De Domenico and Antonio Ferrigno; development of packaged pasta products under the Golden Grain Company; expansion to Seattle under Paskey DeDomenico and to San Leandro under brothers Thomas and Vincent DeDomenico; sales and marketing techniques; the Rice-a-Roni story and changes in pasta industry; community service; acquisition of Ghirardelli Chocolate Company; sale of company to Quaker Oats. Interviews with Vincent M. DeDomenico (b. 1915), Thomas D. DeDomenico (1919-1992), Anthony Victor DeDomenico (b. 1912), Donato Ferrigno (1899- 1996), Lois M. DeDomenico (b. 1927), and Dennis T. DeDomenico (b. 1946). Introduction by Benton Coit. Interviewed 1987-1989 by Ruth Teiser and Lisa Jacobson. Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley. TABLE OF CONTENTS--DeDomenico Family INTRODUCTION--by Benton Coit i INTERVIEW HISTORY--by Ruth Teiser and Lisa Jacobson iii AN INTERVIEW WITH VINCENT X. DeDOHENICO BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION GOLDEN GRAIN: THE STORY OF A FAMILY OWNED COMPANY--by Vincent DeDomenico, July 1989 GOLDEN GRAIN COMPANY AND THE PASTA INDUSTRY Paskey DeDomenico The Move to Seattle, 1941 Decision to Sell the Company Northwest Market and Acquisitions National and Local Macaroni Manufacturers' Associations Unions and the Great Depression Efforts to Increase Market Share in the Northwest Entering the Candy and Bean Business Fires and the Pasta Industry Cellophane Packaging Consumer Education National Pasta Association Government Contracts during World War I1 Mechanization of the Plant Joint Ventures and Industrial Business Broadening Pasta's Market Appeal Wine Train GOLDEN GRAIN PRODUCTS AND PACKAGING Promotions: Cotton Bag Business during World War I1 Company Labels on Packaging Brand Promotion Creation of Packaging Test Marketing and Market Surveys More on Packaging New Products Bean Line Jells Best Line Soup Mixes Spaghetti Italiano Rice-A-Roni Packaging Macaroni & Cheddar and Stir-N-Serv, and Noodle Roni Lines Wild Rice Mix Product Failures Packaging Successes Advertising Competition More on the Wine Train AN INTEBVIEU WITH THOW D. DeDOHENICO BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION I THE DeDOMENICOS AND GOLDEN GRAIN: AN HISTORICAL OVERVIEW Domenico and Maria DeDomenico Gragnano Macaroni Company Seattle Plant Development, Distribution, and Marketing of Rice-A-Roni Noodle Roni Products Pasta Company Acquisitions Planning Meetings FAMILY BACKGROUND AND COMPANY BEGINNINGS First Years in San Francisco Domenico DeDomenico Maria DeDomenico and the Ferrignos Early Work Experience at the Company 1941 Fire and Opening of the Seattle Plant Depression Years Death of Domenico DeDomenico I11 SALES AND MERCHANDIZING Learning Sales Techniques from Domenico DeDomenico Arthur Yim's Efforts to Enter the Chinese Market Close Relationship with Grocer Trade and Loyalty of Sales Force Introduction of Cellophane Packaging In-Store Samplings "Luncheon is Served" Program IV GOLDEN GRAIN COMPANY: THE LATE FORTIES AND FIFTIES Management Roles of the DeDomenico Brothers San Leandro Plant Entering the Candy Business Manteca Bean Company New Plant Technology Drying Automation of the Industry Dyes Changes in Labor Force and Maintenance Costs Profit-Sharing Plan V THE RICE-A-RON1 STORY Developing the Product Naming the Product Early Marketing and Promotion Entering Rural Markets Daytime Television Advertising New Flavors VI GOLDEN GRAIN COMPANY: THE SIXTIES, SEVENTIES, AND EIGHTIES Advertising Other Products Vantage Advertising Warehousing, Shipping, and Distribution New Technology at Bridgeview Plant Product Sales Macaroni-and-Cheddar Ghirardelli Chocolate Company Marketing Ghirardelli Products Improving Chocolate Formulas Sale of the Company, 1986 Changes in Pasta Business and Pasta Consumption Test Marketing Competitive Products and Markets AN INTERVIEW WITH ANTHONY VICTOR DeDOl4ENICO BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION I THE DeDOMENICO FAMILY AND EARLY YEARS OF THE BUSINESS History of DeDomenico Family in Italy Domenico DeDomenico Comes to California Getting into the Macaroni ~usiness Anthony Victor's Work at the Factory 1941 Fire Rebuilding the Factory AN INTERVIEW WITH DONATO FERRIGNO BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION DONATO FERRIGNO AND GOLDEN GRAIN COMPANY, 1921-1974 Donato's Family Background Immigration to the United States First Job at Gragnano Products Fire at the Macaroni Plant: 1941 Ferrigno's Diverse Job Responsibilities Domenico DeDomenico The Founding of Gragnano Products Competition