PRODOTTI ITALIANI

Prodotti Italiani gourmet

The original product and recipe for Bulone Enterprises, Vince’s Caponata Italian Relish, is a play off of the Bulone family recipe.

Vince Bulone, another part to the Bulone Enterprises company, is a professional chef and inspiration to the business.

Whether trying to impress on a first date or impress a mother-in-law with a flavorful meal, anyone can be a gourmet chef while using Vince’s Italian products.

One local family has developed a line of prodotti Italiani gourmet, or gourmet Italian products that aims to reach the heart of anyone who tries it, through their taste buds.

Bulone Enterprises, currently out of Shell Knob, is a line of Bulone born Italian recipes and products that will have any guest convinced that you are a gourmet chef.

Dan and Sharon Bulone are the developers and owners of Bulone Enterprises LLC, and started the business in 2013.

“We offer gourmet food products with an Italian flair,” Sharon Bulone said. “We have five products with the brand name Vince’s.”

Bulone Enterprises, out of Shell Knob, aims to help anyone cook at a gourmet level with Vince’s Italian products. With five products to choose from, customers who buy Bulone Enterprises gourmet Italian flavor sauces can guarantee a delicious meal.

Local family builds business on Italian flavors

Sharon said the name Vince’s is also a Bulone family name, and Dan’s brother Vince Bulone, has been an incredible inspiration for the business, and was a major part in the development of the first product, Vince’s Caponata Italian Relish.

“It all started at a Bulone family gathering,” Sharon said. “He made a giant pot of his caponata and everyone just loved it, in fact, I joked and told him it should be sold in stores.

“That recipe was based on Dan and Vince’s grandmother's recipe.”

Since then, the recipe has been tweaked and tried until the perfect combination of ingredients could be packaged and sold so other families could enjoy the gourmet food.

“Dan and I spent two years doing research and getting our FDA registration so we could open our business,” she said. “Once we got everything approved, we were ready to get to work in 2013.”

Vince lives in Detroit and has come to the area a few times to help in the kitchen when possible.

“He is a professional chef and is a mentor for us,” Sharon said. “He is the namesake of our products and helps inspire us with new ideas and products.”

At this time, customers can find Bulone products, with the brand name Vince’s, on shelves in more than 150 stores in five states.

“We also have our online sales as well as Amazon,” Sharon said. “We do retail and wholesale as well.”

The Bulone business started with very little investment, and has continued to grow in sales every year.

“We market, deliver, package and make our products with our own hands,” Sharon said. “Last year we started expanding our market in the farmers markets.

“We did four last year on top of all of our other avenues for sales.”

Since the business started first in wholesale, the farmers markets opened new doors for the Bulone’s in brand recognition.

“I am not Italian, but Dan and Vince’s dad is, so we stayed with that theme to make it great,” Sharon said. “Another way we have succeeded is by listening to our customers.

“Everyone of our products, except for our lemon basil pesto, is dairy, nut and gluten free, which makes them vegan.”

Sharon said they heard what their customers said about allergies and what they needed and developed it.

“We have lived in this area since 2011,” Sharon said. “We were actually looking to come to the area to retire, but events occurred that led us to starting a business.”

The couple moved to the area as newlyweds.

“We were married in 2010,” Sharon said. “We were both widowed. Dan found himself as a single father with a

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young child, and I was an empty nester. We found each other.”

At this time, all of the products are being prepared in the Shell Knob Community Center kitchen.

“It has been a great help, and we are so thankful for the use of it, or we wouldn’t be where we are now,” Sharon said. “But, we are going to have our own building soon with a commercial kitchen.”

The new kitchen space will be located in Lampe, only minutes from the Bulone home.

“That will be great help to us, and it is something that is all ours,” Sharon said. “Today, we are able to do four times more in one day than what we could do when we started. With a new commercial kitchen, we could quadruple that again.”

Sharon said although there isn’t just one “most popular item,” each one of the products have their time in the spotlight.

“One thing we try to focus on is using as much local produce as we can to help promote the local businesses too,” she said. “The best selling product changes from week to week, so they all sell well.”

Sharon said Vince’s experience in the restaurant field and knowing what the customers want has been true inspiration to the business.

“He has a point of view on things that we don’t,” she said. “He has new thoughts on possible new products and ideas.

“We have new products that we are working on in the horizon and we are constantly communicating with our customers.”

Bulone Enterprises also sells pasta, however, they do not make the pasta.

“It is another family business trying to get their name out there,” Sharon said. “We can help facilitate that by carrying their product.”

Bulone Enterprises is focused on maintaining manageable growth in the company and the community.

“The beauty of our products is that it can make a gourmet cook out of anyone,” Sharon said.

For more information or to order one of the Bulone products people may visit the website, www.buloneentllc.com, follow the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ buloneentllc/.

If a business would like to add Bulone products to their shelves, they may contact Dan or Sharon at 417-779-0075. n