Frank Isernio was born to parents Frank Sr. and Angetina, both from neighboring Italian immigrant families, who married in 1932 and set up a family home in Seattle’s Beacon Hill area. Frank Sr. farmed the land where Boeing Field now stands, and his family was one of the very first fresh produce vendors at Seattle’s legendary Pike Place Market.

Angetina, born in Foggia, Italy, took pride in preparing delicious, traditional Italian dishes for her family using the freshest ingredients from her backyard garden – inspiring in Frank Jr. a love for good food, good company, and a true appreciation for culinary simplicity, the best ingredients and uncompromising quality. The dedication to hard work and accountability Frank saw growing up spurred his belief that if he could dream it, he could do it.

Frank made sausage for friends and family as a hobby. Inspired by his mother’s own traditional recipe, handed down through the generations, Frank’s sausage was well loved by friends and family, who told him over and over that he should try to sell it. At the time, there was little quality, traditional Italian sausage available commercially in Seattle. Frank wasn’t convinced at first, but finally he was persuaded to take up an offer to share working quarters with a neighboring family who made pasta in a converted basement of a home in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood.

After working all night at his full-time pipefitting job in the shipyards, he would then start making sausage at 5 a.m. He promoted his product by loading the ice-filled trunk of his car with sausage and driving around to local restaurants to sample his creations.

Soon the Isernio’s name was well known in the Seattle culinary community. Then Frank approached local grocery stores, who agreed to sell his sausage in their fresh meat departments. Isernio’s Sausage was truly the first premium sausage available at retail in the Northwest.

Up until then, only commodity sausage was available – mostly made from “mystery meat” and uninteresting seasonings – most of the public had never tasted anything like Frank’s sausage made from whole cuts of pork and classic, natural spices. Frank logged thousands of hours going store to store and demonstrating his product and establishing a strong presence and loyal following.

First Chicken Sausage 1990

Isernio’s customers had always appreciated the wholesome, lean quality of the pork Frank used in his recipes. By 1990, Frank took note that more and more consumers were leaning toward poultry as a healthy substitute for pork and beef. He thought he could recreate his tried and true Italian sausage recipes and create an even leaner poultry option to appeal to these same consumers. Standing by his conviction that there is no substitute for the highest quality ingredients, Frank crafted Isernio’s Italian Chicken Sausage, using only fresh, 95% lean all-natural chicken thigh for its juicy and flavorful qualities. The Italian Chicken Sausage has become a fan favorite and Isernio’s #1 selling item, with the pork varieties close behind.

Expanding the Line

We continued to build our reputation as the fresh chicken sausage leaders by launching several more chicken varieties, including Chicken Basil & Sun Dried Tomato, Chicken & Apple, Chicken Breakfast, Chicken Spinach & Feta and Chicken Bratwurst. Being an aficionado of all kinds of international cuisine, Frank also developed a fresh Spanish Chorizo and a British Banger.

#1 Fresh Chicken Sausage 2009

By 2009, Isernio’s Chicken Sausage was the #1 Fresh Chicken Sausage in the United States. Although at the time our items were still available only in select states, five of the top ten selling fresh chicken items in the whole country were Isernio’s items.

Gill Centioli Memorial Award

Each year Festa Italiana, Seattle’s major Italian festival, and The combined Italian Clubs of Seattle honor an outstanding local Italian American with the annual Gill Centioli Memorial Award. In 2009, Frank was presented with this award, as recognition of a lifetime of achievement and contribution to the Italian American community.

Launch of Chicken Sausage Rolls

Isernio’s customers have come to expect only the best quality and flavor from us, and in early 2010 we introduced the new wave of chicken sausage – the chicken sausage roll. We are all familiar with those pork sausage rolls found in every grocery store, but until now there have been no tasty poultry options. Truly an innovative product, the Isernio’s chicken sausage rolls – available in 5 Italian and Breakfast flavors – are versatile enough for use in any of your family’s favorite recipes, and they really do taste great. Many people say it’s very hard to tell they’re eating chicken sausage, because it’s so juicy and flavorful.

National Expansion

With the launch of the Chicken Sausage Rolls, we have been able to take our products across the nation. Now shoppers everywhere can find Isernio’s lean, all-natural chicken sausage in their local store. Our company is growing, but Isernio’s will never lose sight of Frank’s original vision and commitment to uncompromising quality, and most of all, great taste. Buon Appetito from the Isernio’s team!

Increase in Capacity

In August of 2012 Isernio’s moved to a new 27,750 square foot state of the art manufacturing plant in Kent, WA

New Facility

Isernio’s believes that leadership in the market is the result of constant dedication to the pursuit of quality in our products, services, relationships with our vendors, customers and in our operations and personnel.

Invest in Community

In October of 2013 Isernio’s announced its expansion and with Kent, WA Mayor Suzette Cooke, inaugurated its new state-of-the-art, 27,750-square-foot production and office facility in Kent, WA.

The Angelo Pellegrini Foundation announced Frank Isernio as the recipient of the 2013 Angelo Pellegrini Award, which is presented annually to an awardee who is distinguished by long and dedicated service to the ideals espoused by author and Italian food and wine evangelist Angelo Pellegrini. From the words of a Pellegrini family member, “This award exists for, and because of people like Frank, and all they’ve done and continue to do for our community here in Seattle.”