Products and Services
Talluto’s Authentic Italian Food produces more than 90 varieties of fresh Italian pasta and Italian-American meatballs and sauces, and at the Co-Op we sell their products frozen, with an entire case dedicated just to them! Talluto’s is very mindful of the ingredients they use in their products, with each component being made to their specifications. For instance:
“When ordinary ricotta cheese is made, the whey from the milk is added back into the cheese so that it is less expensive, but also produces more in terms of volume. Our ricotta does not have whey, which allows it to have a super creamy, velvety texture. We hand grate wheels of pecorino romano to ensure there is no filler/impurities in our cheese. You’ll notice our ingredient statements are not very long because all of our ingredients are simple and clean—everything can be read and there’s nothing to question. Some of our products will have a lengthy statement only because of the complexity of the recipe.”
Looking very closely at the ingredient list, you may stumble on terms listed in parentheses after the flour; these are simply vitamins and nutrients that are routinely added back into enriched flour because they are removed in the milling process for finely ground flour.
Here in Swarthmore, you can choose from a variety of flat pastas, stuffed pastas, sauces, and meatballs.
History
Often, family-owned and –operated companies like to highlight the purity of their brand, the fact that they’ve been doing what they do for decades or generations. Talluto’s celebrates the diversity of their family along with their commitment to tradition (they are three generations into this business, after all!).
The founders of Talluto’s, Genevieve Bednar and Joseph Talluto, both grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania. But while Talluto’s is known for hearty and delicious Italian food, Genevieve was born to Slovakian immigrants, and grew up eating foods like ham and kielbasa, hard-boiled eggs, horseradish, and beets. She learned how to cook Italian food over the years, until her grandchildren could remember her whipping up Italian dishes in the blink of an eye.
Talluto’s has grown steadily from its original single ravioli machine at 61st Street and Elmwood Avenue in 1967 to three storefronts—Philadelphia, Norristown, and Ridley Park—and a 50,000 square foot production facility in Folcroft. Their products are sold in grocers all over, including at ShopRite, Acme, Giant, Weaver’s Way Co-Op, 320 Market Cafe, and Di Bruno Bros.
Sustainability
Talluto’s production facility is located just under six miles from the Swarthmore Co-Op! Like Severino Pasta, Talluto’s is one of our vendors with the shortest distance between production and point of sale. Eating locally-produced food like this is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint.
As a reminder, if there’s something sold at any of Talluto’s retail locations—the closest being just three miles away in Ridley Park!—that you wish was available here in Swarthmore, let us know!
About the Author
Stephanie Bonner (she/her) graduated from Oberlin College with majors in Biology and English and a minor in Environmental Studies, with significant research experience in insects, particularly native bees. She completed a permaculture design course and worked for a range of companies including a nonprofit permaculture demonstration site, an organic vegetable CSA and wholesale farm as the CSA manager, and she has extensive experience as an editor and project manager in academic publishing. Stephanie is committed to sustainability, particularly regarding energy, transportation, waste, and agriculture.