New York Style Sausage Co. began in 1951, when newlyweds Frank and Tina
D’Ambrosio moved from New Haven, Connecticut to Palo Alto, California.
Although they loved California, they had difficulty finding quality
food items at the local markets, which they were accustomed to back
east. This was especially true for meats, which were necessary for the
fine Italian dinners that Tina often prepared.
The Turning Point
Both frustrated by this, followed by a brief argument, Tina suggested that Frank should start making his own
Italian sausage, since he was so unhappy with what Tina had been
bringing home from the local grocery store. With the very first batch
being ground and mixed by hand, Frank began to make sausage right out
of his own garage. Then he decided to sample out his creation to local
restaurants and pizzerias, where it became a winner almost overnight.
When they asked what kind of sausage it was, Frank simply replied, “you
know, like back east…New York Style”. And thus the company and its
name, was born.
The Reward
Frank continued to build the business by purchasing some machinery and
also had his four sons to help make up the labor force. In 1971, His
sons took the reins and the company grew into what it is today: the
largest, and still the number one, manufacturer of fresh Italian
sausage in the Northern California.
