The Ferlita Macaroni Co.

The Ferlita Macaroni Co. was founded by Giuseppe Rosario Ferlita who immigrated from Santo Stefano Quisquina, Sicily to the United States September 25, 1905.   When Giuseppe sailed toward Ellis Island he passed "Lady Liberty" who like him was only was only eighteen years old.  Giuseppe and his father, Rosario Ferlita, joined his son Angelo who had immigrated a year earlier to West Tampa, a predominant Spanish and Italian community. 

“El Cetro de Oro” The Golden Sceptre Bakery

Giuseppe's father, Rosario, immigrated to the United States in 1905 and later purchased the G. Ficarrotta & Co. building, located at 636 Main Street for a bakery called, “El Cetro de Oro” The Golden Sceptre Bakery.  Seen from the old family photograph of the bakery is the fleet of bread delivery wagons of Rosario Ferlita and his family. 

Bread deliveries were made early in the morning with a loaf of Cuban bread placed through a nail mounted at the front door.  Frank Ficarrotta, the son of Giuseppe Ficarrotta, spoke of how the bakery typically purchased the horses for their delivery wagons from the fire department and would tell the story of when the old fire horses would hear a fire bell they still would perk up and be ready to gallop. 

Standing on the upper porch from left to right are Ignazio Diecidue and his wife Teresina holding her infant son Gus, Rosario and his wife Maria Leto and standing next to her are their youngest son Americo and daughter Lilly.  The other sons standing in front of the wagons are Tony, Angelo, and Giuseppe, who later opened the Ferlita Macaroni Factories in West Tampa and Ybor City.

About 1912 Giuseppe Ferlita began his macaroni production from his home in West Tampa (a predominant Spanish - Italian community).  His equipment was basic and pasta was dried on the back porch.  Giuseppe originally named his macaroni company "Golden Eagle" but later changed it because of a complaint from Golden Eagle Milk.     Click here for more on the Macaroni Factory in West Tampa.

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