DEMACO

The best pasta mixer in the world.

The largest capacity fresh pasta machine- by DEMACO

DEMACO was the recipient of the 2025 Corporate Safety Award Level 1 Bronze by the Florida Safety Council. The award was presented on March 27, 2026. Bravo Zulu to all.

In 1914, V. La Rosa and Sons Macaroni Company in Brooklyn purchased their first press from I. DeFrancisci and Son (now DEMACO). The two companies forged a great partnership over the years. LaRosa had many innovative ideas for the pasta industry, which prompted DEMACO to develop new technology. We are thankful for the great feedback from our customers, which helps us build better machines.

Ignazio DeFrancisci, founder of I. DeFrancisci & Son Macaroni Machinery Manufacturers, also founded the Metropolitan Macaroni Manufacturing Company in Brooklyn on 14 April 1915 along with his partners Giuseppe Tobia, Ignazio Buscemi, Ignazio Digiovanna and Louis Tavormina. The company was located as 110–126 Waterbury Street in Brooklyn, just a few blocks away from I. DeFrancisci & Son at 219 Morgan Avenue. This close proximity was an advantage as the macaroni machines were heavy and had to be moved by horse and carriage, a tricky undertaking. Indeed, it was said the whole company shut down to provide the manpower required to move the machines during installation. Ignazio was president of Metropolitan Macaroni, a position he held in addition to his responsibilities at I. DeFrancisci and Son. This label was found above the basement ceiling of a house near the old factory, and given to DEMACO by the Wallin/D'Acunto family.

Napoleon was recognized as a master of logistics and he famously noted, "An army marches on its stomach". These modern military field rations are from the United States and Canada. These rations pack a high calorie meal in a relatively lightweight and compact pouch compared with older rations based on canned foods. At one time, about ½ of the main entrées in the U.S. Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) contained some form of pasta, such as spaghetti, macaroni, ravioli, tortellini, fettuccine or noodles. These main entrées are ready to eat without preparation, although a flameless heater is available. The reduced moisture food is in retort pouches with a minimum shelf life of 3 years. A fighting Marine typically burns over 4,200 calories a day, and a U.S. MRE has 1,200. They are packed in a sturdy cardboard box of 12, a pallet of which can be parachute delivered for resupply.

From the Pasta Museum at DEMACO.

Two items from the DEMACO Pasta Museum. Box of Quaker Macaroni by the Quaker Oats Company in Chicago and can of Big Boy Spaghetti from the Scottsburg Canning Company in Scottsburg, Indiana.

HoJo’s Mac and Cheese! As the popularity of frozen foods exploded in the United States in the late 1950s/early 1960s, “heat and eat” mac and cheese was a wildly popular item. People appreciated the convenience of a hearty meal or a tasty side prepared in minutes. DEMACO was on the forefront of this new food segment, developing technology that enabled self-manufacture of America’s favorite pasta entrées.

And dogs love it too!

Once upon a time in Brooklyn. They worked hard and formed a brotherhood. Many DEMACO personnel left the military at the end of WW2, looking to build a life for themselves and their families. They did it.

Making spaghetti on Consolidated Macaroni Machine Corporation hydraulic presses at Los Angeles Pacific Macaroni Company in Vernon, California in June 1932. Consolidated became DEMACO in 1952. The Los Angeles Pacific Macaroni was formed in 1928 as a merger of the Los Angeles Macaroni Company, Pacific Macaroni Company and United States Macaroni Company.

From the Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection.

Celebrate World Pasta Day

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Consolidated Macaroni Machine Corporation presses making spaghetti at the H.J. Heinz Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania circa late 1920s. The photo showed workers trimming the ends of spaghetti that was hanging on sticks loaded on a trolley. The process of giving the spaghetti a "haircut" was called "bobbing". After the spaghetti was hung on sticks, it required a trim to ensure the lengths were even.

The Heinz plant employed a unique way of transporting pasta from the press room to the drying rooms by using a suspended trolley system. Sticks holding freshly made spaghetti were placed on trollies suspended from a rail on the ceiling. The workers could easily push the trollies loaded with spaghetti to the drying rooms, where the sticks were then unloaded from the trolley and placed in the dryer.

Consolidated became DEMACO in 1952.