Our Story
More Than 75 Years of Family, Service and Innovation
At Nappies, growth has never come at the expense of service. Our team brings together the purchasing power, product selection and logistics capabilities of a major distributor with the responsiveness and accountability of an independent, family-owned company.
Through The Years...
Hover to pause...
Otello Napoleone, a World War II veteran, returned home and opened a small poultry and fish shop on 4th Avenue in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. Otello processed chickens by hand, sourced fresh fish from Pittsburgh, and ran the business with his wife.
The Napoleone family shifted their focus from walk-in retail to serving local restaurants. Angelo, Otello’s son, began helping in the business as a boy — processing chickens before age 10, running deliveries by 15, and by 17, balancing high school with helping his mother run the business after Otello fell ill.
When Otello passed the business to Angelo, annual revenue was about $450,000. With help from family and friends, Nappies survived as a lean, family operation. With Angelo managing operations and his brother Eddie focused on sales, the business began to grow steadily.
The company’s reputation for service and fairness attracted customers who valued personal relationships as much as price. By the late 1980s, Nappies was serving independent restaurants, diners, and small chains. Nappies launches deeper into the Italian specialty and pizza distribution market, which became a major driver of growth.
Outgrew 2,000-square-foot storefront and moved to a new 140,000-square-foot facility in North Fayette. Soon, the warehouse doubled in size — and then again.
Nappies was among the first independents to computerize its systems, streamlining operations and allowing the company to keep pace with rising demand. This was all spearheaded by Eddie.
Through the 2000s, Nappies expanded its reach while maintaining its philosophy of growing only at a pace where service would never be compromised. Customers trusted Nappies not just for pricing and quality, but because they knew the company’s success was tied directly to supporting a family and community.
In 2023, Nick joined his father, Angelo, and uncle, Ed, marking the beginning of the third generation of Nappies family leadership. As the next generation steps forward, Nappies continues to build on the values that have guided the company for decades while embracing new opportunities for growth, innovation and exceptional customer service.
Today, Nappies Food Service celebrates three-quarters of a century in business. From Otello’s small poultry shop on 4th Avenue to a major distribution hub serving restaurants across the region, the company has remained rooted in its founding mission: superior service, competitive prices, and the spirit of a family-owned business.