Colavita
 | |
| Private (family-owned) | |
| Industry | food processing |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Headquarters | Edison, New Jersey, United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | John J Profaci (Founder), Enrico Colavita (Founder), Giovanni Colavita (CEO), John A Profaci (VP Marketing), Robert Profaci (COO, VP Purchasing), Anthony Profaci (VP Sales and Quality Assurance) |
| Products | Pasta, Olive Oil, Tomato Sauce, Soup, Vinegar, Wine |
| Revenue |
 $ 91.65 million (2013)[1] |
Number of employees | Approximately 80 (United States) |
| Website | http://www.colavita.com/ |
Colavita USA is an Italian company that produces olive oil, dried pasta, vinegar, various sauces, and other Italian food products.
History
Colavita USA was founded by John J Profaci, who, at the time, was a resident of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Profaci was introduced to Enrico Colavita in 1978 after Colavita came to the United States in search of someone who had knowledge on producing olive oil.[2] Profaci, who had been in the olive oil business for years, agreed to go into business with Colavita, and the business was born. Today, Colavita produces some of the best-selling authentic Italian extra-virgin olive oil in the United States, and its output comprises roughly 9% of the total market.
Impact on the environment
In 2011, Colavita moved to its current location in Edision, New Jersey. In 2012 the company invested in a 1-megawatt solar system involving the installation of nearly 3,000 photovoltaic panels on the building's roof, which spans over 100,000 square feet. This green initiative not only benefited the environment, but the company as well— Colavita draws nearly 90% of its required energy from the solar panels. A significant amount of this energy is used to power the bottling and warehouse operations, which are located on site. As a result, over 1,600 metric tons of annual carbon offsets and 3.5 million pounds of greenhouse gasses were reduced from the outputs that the building would have previously expended.[3]
Popular culture
Today, the company remains largely family-based as John Profaci Sr. works alongside his sons Anthony, John, and Robert. On the Italian side, Enrico Colavita (now retired) passed the business on to his nephew Giovanni, the CEO of Colavita USA, as well as Giovanni's cousin Andre, the CEO of Colavita Italy.
The company also distributes leading Italian brands such as Cirio beans and tomatoes, Riso Scotti rices, and San Benedetto beverages to restaurants and stores across the United States. Colavita also produces and distributes products for well-known Italian food connoisseurs such as Rachel Ray and Patsy's Restaurants. It is also the sole U.S. importer and distributor of Italian chocolate company Perugina.