Left to right: Brian Saval, Mike Pastore Sr. and Paul Saval in front of the Pastore’s building (Photo courtesy of Saval Foods’ website).
Saval Foods LLC has acquired Pastore’s Italian Wholesale Distributor, a move that “brings together two historic family-owned Baltimore businesses and creates new opportunities to expand on [Pastore’s] Sun of Italy brand while enhancing Saval’s existing portfolio of Italian offerings for foodservice customers,” noted Saval in a statement.
The acquisition aims to provide restaurant operators greater access to Italian specialty products, preserving the authenticity of a beloved retail brand, and positioning Sun of Italy for meaningful growth in both product variety and market reach, while the addition of experienced Pastore staff and leaders at Saval will ensure a smooth transition without loss of momentum.
“I grew up on Lombard Street — Corned Beef Row — where my family ran a grocery store,” recounted Pastore’s owner Mike Pastore Sr. “Just down the block was Saval Foods, making corned beef, roast beef and pastrami. We all knew each other back then, and that connection is what led me to reach out to Paul and Brian [Saval].”
Added Pastore: “I’m very proud of the Sun of Italy label and keeping the tradition going in the family, so I’m very proud that Saval Foods is interested [in] building on the label and making it bigger than what it is today.”
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