Rice-A-Roni facts for kids
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| Type | Flavored rice, pasta mixes |
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| Owner | Quaker Oats Company |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1958 |
| Markets | U.S. |
| Previous owners | Golden Grain Macaroni Company |
| Tagline | "The San Francisco Treat" |
Rice-A-Roni is a popular boxed food mix. It combines rice, thin vermicelli pasta, and special seasonings. To make it, you first brown the rice and pasta in butter. Then, you add water and the seasonings. The mix simmers until all the liquid is soaked up. Rice-A-Roni is made by the Quaker Oats Company, which is part of PepsiCo.
Contents
The Story of Rice-A-Roni
How Rice-A-Roni Began
The story of Rice-A-Roni started with Domenico DeDomenico. He was an immigrant from Italy who came to California in 1890. Domenico opened a store selling fresh fruits and vegetables. He was a very successful businessman.
Later, he married Maria Ferrigno, who was also from Italy. Maria's family owned a pasta factory back home. In 1912, she convinced Domenico to start a similar business. They opened "Gragnano Products, Inc." in San Francisco. This company delivered fresh pasta to local Italian stores and restaurants.
From Pasta to a New Idea
Domenico's sons, Paskey, Vince, Tom, and Anthony, all worked in the family business. In 1934, Paskey changed the company's name to "Golden Grain Macaroni Company."
Tom's wife, Lois, was inspired by a pilaf recipe. She got the recipe from an Armenian immigrant named Pailadzo Captanian. Lois decided to create a new dish using rice and macaroni. She served it to her family, and they loved it!
The Birth of Rice-A-Roni
In 1958, Vince DeDomenico had a brilliant idea. He took Lois's rice and macaroni dish and added a dry chicken soup mix to it. This was the moment Rice-A-Roni was invented!
It was first sold in the Northwestern United States in 1958. Just three years later, it became available all across the country. Because of its beginnings in San Francisco, it was given the famous slogan: "The San Francisco Treat!" The dish is actually similar to a Middle Eastern dish called rizz bi-sha'riyya.
Expanding the Product Line
After a trip to Italy in 1964, Vince came back with another idea. He wanted to create "Noodle Roni Parmesano." This new product was based on a creamy Italian pasta dish called Fettuccine Alfredo.
As the company made more types of pasta mixes, the name "Noodle Roni" changed. In 1995, it became "Pasta Roni."
Ownership Changes
In 1986, the Quaker Oats Company bought the Golden Grain Company from the DeDomenico family. Then, in 2001, PepsiCo purchased the Quaker Oats Company. This meant Rice-A-Roni became part of PepsiCo.
In 2003, the American Italian Pasta Company bought the Golden Grain brand. However, Rice-A-Roni stayed with the Quaker Oats part of PepsiCo.
New Flavors and Products
Rice-A-Roni also offers versions of its products with less salt. They have also sold a line of products made with brown rice.
In 2024, a third line of products was released. It is called Mac-A-Roni. These new mixes come in cheddar and white cheddar flavors.
See also
- Reissa roni, an insect named after the product
