CLEVELAND — Thinking outside the box to strengthen both a business and a food bank is happening right here in Cleveland, where a local wholesaler has become part of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s mission and community.
For 42 years, Catanese Classics has supplied restaurants with seasonings, cheeses, seafood, and nearly everything a kitchen might need.
“Between our seafood side and our dry side, you can start your own sushi restaurant tomorrow,” said Joey Catanese, Catanese Classics' director of operations.
Originally operating out of a warehouse in the Flats — now sold to the Metro Parks — Catanese Classics recently relocated to a 42,000-square-foot leased space inside the Greater Cleveland Food Bank on Waterloo Road, expanding its operations to serve not just the food service industry, but the broader community.
“People ask, ‘How do a nonprofit and a for-profit business exist together?’ And it’s been a wonderful experience,” said John Catanese, CEO of Catanese Classics.
Since the top of the year, the food bank has faced funding cuts, SNAP confusion, inflation, and a level of need even higher than during peak COVID. That pushed leaders to explore new ways to generate revenue.
“Well, I think every nonprofit should be thinking creatively about how to bring in revenue and cover costs,” Kristin Warzocha, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank continued, “Having a great partner, like Catanese here, who's paying rent every month, helping us cover some of the costs of utilities and helping us pay some of the program costs of doing all this wonderful work in our Community Resource Center has really been great.”
The move is more than just revenue; it’s a partnership.
“There are coats and shoes for kids, and we’ve been involved in some of the programs they run. We also donate food to the warehouse as well,” said John Catanese.
The city and county celebrate and support the partnership, noting that it keeps business local and helps boost the economy.
“Catanese had over 80 employees at their old location, and moving to this new, larger location, they'll be able to hire more employees,” said Neighborhood Investment Manager Will Asberry.
It’s something the Food Bank has never done before, but both partners are excited about what lies ahead.
“This has been a great solution for us as one nontraditional revenue stream, and it's putting a really important asset, some space that we have available to work for the community in a new and different way,” said Warzocha.
“We have a family business, and I feel like now this is our family as well. So I love being involved with them. They are trying to help the community. I mean, honestly, when I retire and the boys take over the business, I would like to kind of retire and go down the hall and maybe help and do more,” said John.
