Cuizina Italia Expansion Opens

September 1, 2003 - WOODINVILLE, WA- Cuizina Italia, Inc, a specialty pasta, soup and sauce manufacturer officially opened a new state-of-the-art sauce and soup production facility adjacent to it's existing plant.

After the repurchase of the business by co-founder Ric Ferrera in June of this year, work began on a plant expansion of soup and sauce manufacturing and freezing that doubled existing capacity and increased overall production space by 20%. As with their existing facility, the new space is approved for USDA and organic production.

The new facility adds more jacketed steam kettles with cooking and chilling capability and a custom-built blast-freezer that exceeds industry standards for quick freezing.

"Since we do not use preservatives in our products, it was imperative to have a sophisticated refrigeration system that could freeze our products quickly and lock in fresh flavors that could only be achieved in small, kitchen batches before," says Ferrera.

"Our new freezer is made with redundant compressors that boost chilling capacity when warm products are introduced and quickly bring them down to freezing with minus 30 degree temperatures and 60 miles-per-hour air circulation. The effective temperature is equal to 60 below zero."

While Cuizina was started 20 years ago making ravioli to supply to the local restaurant trade, that business has now expanded to also making tortellini, cut pastas, soups and sauces.

Cuizina has become a leader in soup and sauce development by supplying products to manufacturers of seafood, poultry, beef, pork and vegetables to allow them to take advantage of value-adding their products and removing their commodity label. Restaurant groups have found that current recipes have more consistency by having them standardized in Cuizina's plant.

Cuizina's flexibility to package in 2-64 ounce pouches as well as 30 pound pails and 4-32 ounce tubs allows manufacturers, retailers and restaurants the ability to take advantage of the value of Cuizina's unique strengths.

For more information about Cuizina contact Erik Bugge Vice President at 425.486.7000