Fresh-cut processor Freshway Foods is mourning the loss of co-founder Frank Gilardi, who died unexpectedly July 8, according to a news release.
Born and raised in Sidney, Ohio, Gilardi is remembered as a successful entrepreneur who, along with his brother Phil Gilardi, co-founded Freshway Foods in Sidney in 1988 after purchasing the assets of their father’s wholesale company. Both men had worked in the multigenerational business previously and wanted to refocus the strategy to provide pre-cut and shredded lettuce to the foodservice industry.
“We are all so utterly heart broken by the loss of Frank Gilardi,” Dan Purdy, Freshway Foods vice president of sales and marketing, said in the release. “Frank was so much more than a colleague and a boss. Frank was the father of the Freshway family.”
Jim Sanfillipo, owner of Sanfillipo Produce and one of Frank’s first customers, recalled the day an unannounced 30-year-old man walked into the front door of his wholesale produce business when it was in an old downtown warehouse.
“He introduced himself as Frank Gilardi. He explained that he and Phil were going to get started in the next few weeks and asked for our business. I agreed,” he said.
Gilardi’s commitment to customer service was immediately evident when he rode with the truck driver on the first delivery to train him on where to go and which dock to back up to, the company said. Sanfillipo Produce was one of three deliveries on that first truck.
“I always remained loyal to Frank because he was a good man,” Sanfillipo said. “Friendly, sincere and honest is how I would describe him. Frank Gilardi will be missed by everyone who knows him. I hope he’s playing golf in heaven.”
Growth of a company
The humble origin of the business featured a customer transaction cycle that began with Frank Gilardi securing the order, his brother making the order and Gilardi again delivering the order. The 100-hour work weeks for both brothers translated into a successful business a few short years after it began, the company said.
“As Frank would often say, he enjoyed the chase of growing a business,” said Devon Beer, president and chief operating officer for Freshway Foods. “Customers will remember Frank as a man of his word. He was very focused on making sure that promises made were kept, and he took Freshway’s critical role in the value-add supply chain very seriously.”
By 1992, Freshway Foods says opened a 12,000-square-foot facility to accommodate growth. In 1995, Gilardi landed his first national restaurant chain, which expanded the distribution beyond Midwestern states.
The following year brought more expansion when the company opened an additional processing plant to meet the increased demand. In 1997, the Gilardi brothers accomplished another milestone by entering the retail market with a line of fresh deli salad kits.
Growth and expansion continued in the early 2000s with a new 60,000-square-foot processing facility, followed by the addition of another 36,000-square-feet by 2005. In 2006, Freshway was awarded Processor of the Year by the International Fresh-Cut Produce Association, the release said.
The Gilardi’s sold Freshway Foods to US Foods in 2016.
Beyond business
Gilardi was passionate about giving back to his community and served on the board of many local associations, the company said, including the Holy Angels Soup Kitchen, the American Heart Association, Lehman Catholic High School, the Lehman Catholic High School Foundation, the Sidney Airport Advisory Board, the Sidney Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, the Western Ohio Development Council, the Wilson Memorial Hospital Foundation Board, and the Athenaeum of Ohio. He was currently serving on the board of directors for The Taste of Immokalee in Naples, Fla.
For over 40 years, Gilardi had a passion for flying as a skilled pilot. He was part of Veterans Airlift Command, a national community of generous aviators who give our country’s injured combat veterans free flights for medical and compassionate purposes.
His adventurous spirit took him on many trips with his wife, Julie. While they enjoyed cruising to destinations around the world, one of their favorite trips was the short one to South Bend, Ind., to cheer on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Gilardi’s favorite team, the company said.
Gilardi also placed high value on spending time with family and friends, enjoying frequent gatherings with family and many close friends in both Ohio and Florida. He especially loved spending time with his grandsons, Theo and Luca, talking about airplanes and cars, and swimming with them in the family pool, the company said.
