L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 32 L'Italo-Americano W hat do football super- stars Richard Sherman and Rob Gronkowski, baseball outfielder Hunter Pence and motorsports competitor Travis Pastrana have in common? They're all company spokes- men for one of the most iconic and beloved of Northwest com- panies: Oberto Brands, a family- owned business that produces beef jerky, pepperoni and other smoked meats. Oberto's most recent round of advertising illustrates the compa- ny's quirky and playful approach to marketing. The commercials revolve around "the little voice in your stomach," a character played by ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith, who encour- ages the star athletes to take time out of their busy practice sched- ules to enjoy a high-protein snack. As the commercial puts it: "You get out what you put in." Truth be told, this tagline could also describe the Pacific Northwest company itself. Exhibiting great energy and enterprise, and staying true to its own distinctive style, Oberto Brands has grown into a national leader in the snack-meat market. Established in 1918 as the Oberto Sausage Company, Constantino Oberto, an Italian immigrant, made his living sell- ing sausage, salami, pastrami, capicola and other specialty meats. Using traditional family recipes, Oberto sold his products to small delis and grocery stores in the Seattle area. When Constantino died unex- pectedly in 1943, his 16-year-old son Art took over, even though he was still in school. Art would ride his bicycle from West Seattle High School to the plant, supervising its small staff and delivering sausages to customers. Friends and family members encouraged him to sell the busi- ness but he refused. At the time, the country was caught up in World War II, which meant meat was in short supply. One of Seattle's meat inspectors felt sorry for the young owner and encouraged other butchers to share their meat with him so he could stay in business, or so the story goes. Somehow the family man- aged to survive the war years. By 1953, Oberto and his mother had saved up enough to start con- struction of a small sausage fac- tory on Rainier Avenue in the Italian neighborhood then known as "Garlic Gulch." Halfway through construc- tion, funds ran out and the Oberto family had to put the pro- ject on hold. The following year, Art married Dorothy Vennetti and together they took out a loan to get the construction moving again. To save money, the newly- weds moved into the basement of Oberto's boyhood home. The couple later attached a small house onto the side of the new factory, and moved in there when the building was complet- ed. Oberto was a natural sales- man and a gifted entrepreneur; his wife was friendly and fun- loving. Together, they made a formidable pair. The couple was married for 58 years until Dorothy's death in 2013. In the 1960s, Oberto began producing jerky for a customer who wanted an inexpensive food item to sell in his bar. Easy to pack and ship, jerky was the per- fect product to help expand the business. It remains the compa- ny's best seller today. Over the years, Oberto tried all kinds of gimmicks to promote his business. He bought a 1957 Lincoln Town Car, painted it with the company's distinctive green, white and red color scheme, and called it the Jerky Mobile. He also had a mobile home decorated with the Oberto logo which he let employees bor- row for family vacations. In the 1950s, the company got involved in sports promotion. Oberto was an early radio spon- RITA CIPALLA Oberto Brands: Seattle snack-food giant is set to celebrate 100 years sor of the Seattle Rainiers, a Pacific Coast League baseball team, but his company is best known for hydroplane racing. On and off for about four decades, Oberto sponsored a boat on the hydroplane circuit called, "Oh Boy! Oberto"— the company's popular slogan at the time. The Oberto hydroplane won the national championship several times. Nearing 90, Oberto is no longer involved in running the business on a day-to-day basis but his unique marketing flair can still be felt. Besides the cur- rent sports stars' advertising campaign, the company sponsors the Tough Mudder obstacle course races and Jim Dunn Racing. Poised to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2018, Oberto is still privately owned and employs about 300 workers. It has long outgrown the Rainier Valley location and now operates out of a 170,000-square foot facility in Kent, Wash. But the original red brick building con- tinues to play an important role as the company's factory outlet, complete with neon green and red lights. The outlet store is packed to the ceiling with all kinds of jerky— beef, pork, turkey, bacon—along with other meat products such as microwavable pork rind. With most items dis- counted, it's a popular destina- tion for locals and out-of-town visitors. Although Oberto Brands is a top national manufacturer of beef jerky, the company, like so many others, has changed with the times. Recognizing increased consumer interest in all-natural foods, Oberto has adjusted its meat recipes, removing corn syrup, preservatives, dextrose and other artificial ingredients. The newest Oberto snack product to hit the shelves is a trail mix launched last year. The combination of jerky with nuts, seeds, dried fruit and chocolate pieces might seem a little unusu- al to some, but it seems to be a big hit. Through it all, the company has maintained its deep roots in the Northwest. Recently, Oberto Brands donated $100,000 to help build a YMCA in Kent close to its manufacturing plant. The new facility will serve more than 22,000 families and teens, a prime audience for this local snack-food giant. Undaunted by his upcoming 90th birthday, Art Oberto continues to promote his brand, including this appearance at a 2016 hydroplane race. (Alison Grande/Twitter) The Oberto factory outlet is housed in the company's original sausage fac- tory in Seattle's Rainier Valley. "Oh Boy! Oberto" was the company slogan for several decades SEATTLE ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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