O.B. Macaroni Co., the pasta maker that got its start in Fort Worth in 1899 as the Fort Worth Macaroni Co., has a new owner. The McLane Group, a privately held company based in Temple, completed its purchase of the business on Thursday, the Fort Worth Report reported Sunday.
The deal covers the Q&Q Pasta brand as well. Q&Q, which dates to 1910 and was first called Quality and Quantity Pasta, is stocked by grocers including H-E-B and Kroger, and its vermicelli is a common choice for fideo, the Mexican noodle dish. McLane Group did not release the terms of the sale, according to the Report.
Plans for the brands
Company officials said they intend to keep the century-old brands intact. "McLane Group is excited about the opportunities ahead and looks forward to carrying these Texas brands into their next chapter," the company said in a statement quoted by the Report.
Frank J. Case III, identified by the Report as president of Q&Q Pasta, said in a statement that the goal is "to respect what has made O.B. Macaroni and Q&Q special for so many years."
A long run near downtown
Fort Worth businessmen Giovanni Bastista Laneri and Louis Bicocchi founded the company, and a company history cited by the Report credits its spot beside the railroad tracks with helping it ship pasta across the Southwest. The "O.B." in the name stands for "Our Best."
