$6 million project keeps flavor in the Valley

BOARDMAN — Summer Garden Food Manufacturing, formerly known as Zidian Manufacturing, Monday announced a $6 million expansion project in the 500 block of McClurg Road.

“It is a dream I shared with my late father, John, who started the business years ago by making spaghetti dinners for Sacred Heart Church,” said Thomas Zidian, president and chief executive officer of Gia Brands.

“He always talked about manufacturing (bottling) sauce. If he was here today, I know he would be very proud,” Thomas said of his father.

The Gia Russa pasta sauce, one of the company’s better known products, got its start in Thomas Zidian’s kitchen, where he experimented bottling the sauce until it had the fresh taste he wanted.

For more, see Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com