Business ships iconic state foods in CT and nationwide. Customers loving ‘every bit of it’
New Haven Direct Connect sends products from Lucibello’s Bakery all over the country. They are mailed in a kit, so the shells don’t become soggy.
Contributed photo.
Liuzzi cheese is among the products shipped throughout the country through New Haven Direct Connect.
Contributed photo.
A woman tired of being flagged by the TSA every time she flew with Hummel’s hot dogs to bring to her friends finally turned for help to Steve Thomas.
He’s the founder of New Haven Direct Connect.
Thomas’ business, which ships iconic New Haven foods to other states within two days, was also the solution for Louis and Margaret Nasti, a former New Haven couple who retired to Maine and craved calzones, freselles, and poppy horns from Apicella’s Bakery.
“I loved every bit of it,” Margaret Nasti said of the foods she had shipped to Maine. “It brought me right back to Wooster Street. It brought me back to my childhood.” Her husband, Louis Nasti added, “Everything was so fresh, as if we went in the store and picked it up.”
Thomas, who had a long career in marketing for other companies, started the business shipping New Haven favorites around the country about 18 months ago because he had long noticed on social media pages there was a demand for the foods from people who had moved away from New Haven.
“I have a great love for the food of New Haven,” said Thomas, whose original Italian name was Tommassi, then shortened because of pronunciation issues when the family got to America.
“People would write things on Facebook like, ‘I miss Lucibello’s,”‘ he said.
So far, he ships products of 13 partner businesses that include: Lucibello’s Italian Pastry Shop, Apicella’s Bakery, Petonito’s Bakery, Claire’s Corner Copia, Napoli Foods, Liuzzi
Cheese, Lamberti Sausage, Hummel Bros. meats, Foxon Park Soda, Blackie’s Hot Dog Stand Relish, Durante’s Pasta, Grand Apizza, Ferraro’s Meats.
Thomas said they are places “people trust,” that remind them of childhood. “I just think food from home makes it more powerful,” Thomas said.
He also sells kits with ingredients to make New Haven Sunday Sauce and other specialty dishes such as make your own charcuterie.
The Sunday Sauce kit comes with two cans of Napoli San Marzano whole tomatoes, a pound of Lamberti’s Sausage, 1 pound of Ferraro’s Braciole, and 1 pound of Ferraro’s gourmet meatballs.
“We try to make people happy,” Thomas said. “I just think food from home makes it more powerful.”
The demand is particularly high in Florida and the Carolinas where many New Haveners have retired, Thomas said.
Pignoli cookies from Lucibello’s Bakery are among the products sent throughout the country by New Haven Direct Connect.
Contributed photo.
Pork cutlets from Ferraro’s are among the New Haven area foods shipped around the country by New Haven Direct Connect.
Contributed photo.
While there are other companies that will ship broader products from New Haven and other places, Thomas does detailed shopping and sends the food in ice and packaging that retains freshness.
So far, they’ve shipped more than 1,900 packages and there’s a 27 percent repeat purchase rate, he said.
Peter Faggio, owner of Lucibello’s Italian Pastry Shop, so popular here they had long, winding lines at Christmas, is one of the partners. “It worked out great for us ” Faggio said of Thomas’ service, noting more and more orders as word gets out. “It’s something you can’t get in other states.” Faggio said: “People like getting pieces of their childhood… they’re thrilled to know there some way to have it brought back to them.”
Joe Patten, a Derby resident who grew up in New Haven, became Thomas’ customer after his son, Justin, in graduate school at UCLA, complained he couldn’t find any good Italian food out west.
So, the Pattens sent Justin a kit for spicy cavatelli and two pizzas from Grand Apizza. Justin’s package included an appetizer and even Lucibello’s pastry for dessert.
“He said it was delicious and the (partially cooked) pizza didn’t taste like it had been frozen,” Patten said. “He said it was phenomenally fresh. It was a treat for him.”
Thomas said, “My customers aren’t rich,” so the markups aren’t as high as some other similar services. The shipping adds money, but he’s soon going to another system that will save the customers money.