Francesco Rinaldi Pasta Sauce

Francesco Rinaldi is about an Italian family’s tradition of hard work, respect, and integrity. This tradition began in 1937 in Rochester, New York, when Assuntha and Giovanni Cantisano made spaghetti sauce in their basement and sold it on their front porch. The brand name they gave to their sauce later became probably the most iconic brand for pasta sauce – Ragu.

In the 1970s, Ralph Cantisano sold Ragu and founded Cantisano Foods. He passed the management to Giovanni LiDestri, the protégé he handpicked from the Ragu production floor. Giovanni began to produce a pasta sauce based on an Italian family recipe handed down for generations. He branded the sauce Francesco Rinaldi, and created the classical label with a beautiful woman in the centre. Giovanni’s daughter Stefani described the woman in these words – “she was called Madonna, ‘my lady’ in Italian. She is a realistic depiction of the many strong, hard-working and gorgeous women in our family.” 

Today, consumers are choosing Francesco Rinaldi’s red and white pasta sauces for their authentic Italian flavour and great value.