Vantia, a family-affair
Vantia's story begins with two brothers, Phil and Joe Musco. In 1926, their grandfather established Musco & Sons, a grocery store and food import company with deep roots in Sicily, Italy.
The company flourished throughout the years, importing rich Sicilian olive oils, fruity tinned tomatoes, bracingly sharp Provolone, and other deliciously aromatic specialties. Their father eventually took over the business, and both brothers stepped in to help as soon as they were old enough to roll a drum of olives across the warehouse floor (which, it turns out, is quite young!). Their teenage and adult years revolved around the business - with Phil only stepping away for his service in the Vietnam War.
In the 1990s, the two brothers took over the company from their father. Eager to make their own mark in the industry, they founded Vantia. The brand would become their vehicle to import and distribute all the wonderful specialties they discovered during their yearly trips to Italy. An 18-month, silky Prosciutto? Absolutely! Squat jars of baby clams from Sicily, barely larger than a fingernail? Yes, this is the place. How about an Incanestrato cheese so sharp it makes you breathe fire? Right this way!
Eventually, Joe Musco left the family company to start his own retail store in Manhattan (a fabulous specialty food emporium called Agata & Valentina - don't miss it if you're in the city!). Phil remains at the head of the company to this day and is more passionate than ever about bringing the very best specialty foods to market under the Vantia brand.
Our Vantia product selection
Vantia began with just a handful of treasures: robust Pecorino cheese, rotund Provolone Mandaronis, and vibrant green Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Each product was sourced with extraordinary care through countless trips to Italy and long days spent with producers who became like family. In fact, we've maintained our relationship with our Extra Virgin Olive Oil supplier across three generations!
Over the years, our collection expanded to meet the evolving American palate. The Vantia family welcomed delicate Octopus salad from Apulia in southern Italy, aromatic Basil Pesto from Liguria, and sublimely fragrant Mortadella from Bologna.
Today, Vantia encompasses over 200 products, each selected with the same meticulous attention and passion that defined our beginnings three decades ago. When you see the Vantia label, you can trust you're choosing an authentic Italian delicacy worthy of your table and the people you share it with.
Where to find Vantia
The Northeast of the United States is our home - in fact, our warehouse is still in the heart of New York City, right at the border between Queens and Brooklyn. You can find Vantia specialties across most independant food stores from New York to Boston - in regional chains such as De Ciccos & Sons and Iavarone, but also your local King Kullen and Shoprites, and your local cheese shops and delis.
A small selection of our shelf stable goods are also available online, through small retail boutiques such as Cerini Coffee, or on Amazon.
Looking for a specific product? Drop us a line and your ZIP code at ciao@vantiafoods.com, we will get right back to you. Thank you for choosing us for your table!
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