IDEAL MACARONI CO., a family-owned pasta company located in the Cleveland area for over 90 years, began in 1903 when grocer Pasquale Ippolito first rolled out pasta behind the family store at 1506 Scovill Ave.; by 1919 he had organized the Ideal Macaroni company. After Pasquale's death in 1920, Ideal was operated by members of the Ippolito and Dodero families with his son, Leo C. Ippolito, becoming company president in 1925. Under his leadership, Ideal, located at 2018 Scovill Ave., was incorporated in 1931 with capital of $50,000 and by 1957 had grown from 10 to 30 employees who produced about 6 million lbs. of pasta a year. With the INNERBELT FREEWAY scheduled to occupy the company's location, Ideal built a $750,00 plant at 26001 Richmond Rd., BEDFORD HTS., in 1958, producing 100 different varieties of spaghetti and macaroni which it sold to wholesalers and distributors. As a result, annual sales increased by 40% to $750,000 in 1959. Ideal Macaroni combined with American Mushroom Corp., joining WEISS NOODLE CO. as part of the Iron Mountain food conglomerate, in 1969; both firms retained their company name and family management. Leo relinquished the presidency of Ideal to his son Patrick in 1970, becoming chairman of the board, and by the time he died in 1985 the firm had 50 employees and estimated sales between $1-1.5 million. Ideal was acquired by Hershey Foods Corp. of Hershey, PA, in 1993, and in 1995 its estimated sales rose to over $10 million.
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