The Vaccaro Brothers
Encyclopedia
Joseph Vaccaro was born in Contessa Entellina
, Sicily
in 1855 and came to the US in 1867. Felix and Lucca Vaccaro joined him later. Their sister, Maria Vaccaro married Salvador D'Antoni and the Vaccaro brothers and D'Antoni pooled their resources and began importing bananas and fresh produce from La Ceiba
, Honduras
in 1899. They imported coconuts first from Honduras, then later bananas. They incorporated as the Vaccaro Bros. and Co. in 1906. They began operating steamships and cultivating fruit crops. By 1915, they rivaled United Fruit in the banana trade in New Orleans. During World War I the two companies were competing for ice to refrigerate the ships. The Vaccaro brothers were able to trump the competition by buying all the ice houses in New Orleans and Joseph Vaccaro became known as the "Ice King". They were able to expand quickly after the war by buying surplus ships at a discount. In 1924, the company's name was changed to Standard Fruit Company
and in 1926 to Standard Fruit and Steamship Company. By 1935, 35 ships were in operation.
Contessa Entellina
Contessa Entellina is a small comune of 1,981 inhabitants in the province of Palermo, in Sicily, southern Italy...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
in 1855 and came to the US in 1867. Felix and Lucca Vaccaro joined him later. Their sister, Maria Vaccaro married Salvador D'Antoni and the Vaccaro brothers and D'Antoni pooled their resources and began importing bananas and fresh produce from La Ceiba
La Ceiba
La Ceiba is a port city on the northern coast of Honduras in Central America. It is located on the southern edge of the Caribbean, forming part of the south eastern boundary of the Gulf of Honduras...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
in 1899. They imported coconuts first from Honduras, then later bananas. They incorporated as the Vaccaro Bros. and Co. in 1906. They began operating steamships and cultivating fruit crops. By 1915, they rivaled United Fruit in the banana trade in New Orleans. During World War I the two companies were competing for ice to refrigerate the ships. The Vaccaro brothers were able to trump the competition by buying all the ice houses in New Orleans and Joseph Vaccaro became known as the "Ice King". They were able to expand quickly after the war by buying surplus ships at a discount. In 1924, the company's name was changed to Standard Fruit Company
Standard Fruit Company
Standard Fruit Company was established in the United States in 1924 by The Vaccaro Brothers. Its forerunner was started in 1899, when Sicilian immigrants Joseph, Luca and Felix Vaccaro, together with Salvador D'Antoni, began importing bananas to New Orleans from La Ceiba, Honduras...
and in 1926 to Standard Fruit and Steamship Company. By 1935, 35 ships were in operation.