Press
Cucina Fresca Goes National with Gourmet Mac & Cheese
America’s Largest Grocery Chain Retails Four Varieties This Summer
June 1, 2011, Seattle, WA – With orders rolling in from Kroger distributors looking to stock some 740 frozen-food aisles across the country with “The Best Mac and Cheese You Ever Tasted,” the Cucina Fresca factory kitchen is bubbling with the delectable aromas of homemade cheese sauce.
Smoked Gruyere, Tangy Gorgonzola, Creamy Fontina and Sharp Cheddar are the four, all-natural, signature flavors created by Cucina Fresca owner and executive chef, Bradley Glaberson.
Cucina Fresca’s line of gourmet Mac and Cheese debuted with Northwest retailers in 2009. Now Glaberson and his culinary team are preparing to introduce their cheesy creations to the nation’s taste buds. Kroger stores across America will begin offering our Mac and Cheese to their customers beginning in July.
Cucina Fresca Mac and Cheese is made from scratch, with simple, fresh ingredients and the best imported and domestic aged cheeses. Cheese sauce is made in small batches, then poured over eggless penne noodles and hand assembled in ovenproof trays. Entrees are sold in 20-ounce packages and retail for about $10.
“When I bought Cucina Fresca in 2006, I never thought we’d be retailing gourmet frozen food,” said Glaberson. “Our Mac and Cheese has become so popular that we’re now expanding our frozen-food selections. We’ve introduced our Lazy Lasagna, and I’m working on new gourmet meals and side dishes.”
Cucina Fresca, founded three decades ago in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, has long been “Seattle’s secret ingredient” at fine dining establishments across the Northwest, providing premium fresh pastas, ravioli, tortellini and gnocchi to the region’s chefs. About eight years ago, Glaberson, then Cucina Fresca’s general manager, developed the company’s retail arm, which today boasts more than 30 products.
