It seems like when you join the Pusateri’s family – the gourmet Italian grocer that’s became famous among Toronto shoppers – you might just never leave. John Mastroianni, sales manager for merchandising, has been on the team since 1988; the corporate chef, Tony Cammalleri, has been on board for over a decade.
“We’ve seen it grow over the years. Things have changed immensely, but in great ways,” says John. “You’ve got to keep moving with the times.”
In 2016, Pusateri’s made the exciting expansion of their first food hall, opened in partnership with neighbouring department store Saks. “It’s really the first of its kind in North America because food halls don’t exist here like they do in Europe,” says John.
He also explains that the inspiration for the sprawling market – complete with hot and cold counters, a dedicated prosciutteria and even a Nutella café – came from food halls in department stores like Harrods and Selfridges in Europe and East Asia.
Huge missed opportunity. Shadow of the Avenue road store. Inconsistent availability of products. Poor service. No one appears to be in charge. Too bad. In my view it won't survive, unfortunately.