Milwaukee’s own Palermo’s Pizza is more than just a frozen pizza brand—it’s a family legacy that started as a small Italian restaurant and grew into a nearly billion-dollar business. As reported by TMJ4, the Fallucca family, whose roots trace back to Sicily, transitioned the restaurant into a frozen pizza manufacturer in the 1970s, and today they produce 500,000 pizzas daily at their Menomonee Valley facility.
Nick Fallucca, a third-generation family member involved in management, explained the artisan approach to their pizzas: “You take an individual dough ball and roll it down into an oval first and then into a round,” he shared. Emphasizing the importance of a quality foundation, Nick added, “The crust is the most important thing. I mean, that’s the base—that’s where you get your texture, your flavor.”
From locally sourced Wisconsin cheese to imported Italian ovens, every Palermo’s pizza reflects the family’s attention to detail and passion for their craft. After baking the crust, the pizzas are topped with sauce, cheese, and various toppings before being flash-frozen and packaged for distribution across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
CEO Giacomo Fallucca shared how the business evolved: “Not until our first planning process… From that point on, it changed the trajectory of our company.” Palermo’s has expanded its offerings over time, including the recent acquisition of Milwaukee-based Funky Fresh Spring Rolls in 2022.
For inspiration, the Falluccas look close to home. “We look to the restaurants first… I love Zaffiro’s, I love Calderone, I love Brute sourdough,” they said. With multiple production facilities in the Menomonee Valley, West Milwaukee, and Jefferson, Palermo’s continues to grow and evolve, on track to soon achieve its goal of $1 billion in sales.
