Carrying a belly-full of Italian passion and driven by his love of good food, Rosario Di Palermo was so moved by watching a child eating a plate of fat-rich chips in a pub 5 years after moving to the UK from his Italian home, that he decided to do something about it.
“I felt sad and wanted people to try ‘Arancino’ as they contain everything a child needs for energy, vegetables, carbohydrates and protein.” Says Rosario
Having been made redundant from his job at Roborough manufacturing firm, Plessey Semiconductors Limited, Rosario took his situation as an opportunity to follow a dream and launched his risotto ball food business, Arancino, after having access to workshops and one-to-one sessions provided by Outset Plymouth.
“I came up with the idea a year ago and started trying our recipes. I was put in touch with Outset and they were very good. They gave me the opportunity to plan what I wanted to do so that I could start the business.”
Mr Di Palermo, who came to England five years ago from Italy, named his business ‘Arancino’ which is how the risotto balls are known and is the Italian word for oranges, which the balls resemble.
Travelling Arabian people used these style foods as they were easily transportable and provided a balanced mean; shortly after, Sicilian people adopted them as part of their diet. The balls contain different combinations of vegetables with ragu sauce. Some are carbonara balls and some aubergine.
“I wanted to try out my products in the UK because it is such a hard market to crack. British people don’t like to try new things so if I can attract customers here, I know it will go well.”
Mr Di Palermo now caters online and supplies businesses such as juice Moose in Drake’s Circus.
Outset Plymouth has been funded by the ERDF Competitiveness and Employment programme, which invests in activities that will have a long-term impact on the growth and develop of the local economy.
For more information on Rosario Di Palermo please contact Outset Plymouth on 0800 028 5699
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