Jimmy Kimmel's Instagram 'thumbs up' gets Cannoli Bar from Ariola Foods noticed

For nearly a century family-owned Ariola Foods Inc. has had a successful Italian pastries business, but it operated under the radar and never sought the spotlight. Then Jimmy Kimmel  happened.

After years of owner Peter R. Ariola Jr. thinking about creating a candy bar that tasted like a cannoli, about two years ago it reached shelves. The larger stores carrying it include Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace locations on Long Island and in New Jersey. And without any advertising at all — just word-of-mouth — things heated up beyond the baked goods company’s ovens.

“We got an offer from QVC in February 2022,” Ariola said of the TV network that offers viewers in-home shopping. “A person who works there ate a Cannoli Bar and loved it so she contacted us.”

A few months later, Ariola was surprised with a review of the candy from late-night talk show host Kimmel. “Multiple thumbs up,” Kimmel wrote in a July 16, 2022, post on his Instagram page. He included a photo of an empty Cannoli Bar wrapper and got nearly 5,000 likes.

“He was on vacation and just happened to try it,” Ariola, 59, of Babylon, said of Kimmel. “My daughter’s friend noticed it and called her, and she [his daughter] called me. It was very exciting to see Jimmy Kimmel taste it and love it enough to post about it.”

Ariola has even created a subsidiary dedicated to the new product, Cannoli Bar Corp., which operates out of the same nearly 15,500-square-foot facility in Farmingdale as Ariola Foods. Ariola, who is CEO of both companies, said nearly 4,000 cases of the candy has been sold in stores and online. He noted he has not taken QVC up on its offer yet because it asked for special packaging that he is not ready to produce at this time.

“I would have to invest money and time into packaging to accommodate them,” Ariola explained. “I can easily keep up with the demand for Cannoli Bar, I just didn’t have the package they wanted.”

All of this would have likely made Ariola’s grandfather Crencenzo Ariola very proud. The elder Ariola founded the Ariola business as a Brooklyn retail bakery in 1923, then Peter Ariola’s father later took over and the business moved to Queens. In 2008 the Ariola factory opened in Farmingdale, where more than 6,000 cannoli can be produced an hour — making Ariola the largest supplier of Italian artisan pastries, such as cannoli and sfogliatelle, on the East Coast, Ariola said.

“I added on the wholesale when more and more bakeries needed cannoli shells pre-made due to lack of space,” Ariola added. “Cannoli shells require a lot of equipment and space to make them.” Ariola also has a brick-and-mortar cafe in Farmingdale where Cannoli Bar is sold.

Newsday spoke to Ariola about the history and workings of his business.

Where did the recipe for your cannoli come from?

My grandfather, Crencenzo, came here [to the United States] in 1920 from a small town in Italy called Scisciano, near Naples. He had the original recipe from Italy. Then my dad, Peter Sr., improved upon it.

How and when did the inspiration for Cannoli Bar come about?

In 2014, I had the idea. I was trying to figure out a way that people could enjoy our cannoli anytime and anywhere without refrigeration. The shelf life for Cannoli Bar is 18 months and a fresh cannoli lasts for one day.

Why haven’t you done any advertising for Cannoli Bar?

We have never done advertising for Ariola Foods. People have been finding them by word-of-mouth. We have sold 2,000 cases (each containing six boxes of 24 bars) and about 1,800 boxes (containing 24 bars).

Where did you get your startup money for Cannoli Bar Corp.?

I took a line of credit and used some personal savings.

Why did you want to hold onto the retail business when you became a wholesaler?

I continue to keep the retail open in honor of my father. The retail was his first love.

How many hours a week do you work?

Sixty hours a week, sometimes more.

Why have a separate corporation for Cannoli Bar?

Because Cannoli Bar crosses into a different market requiring a different distribution.

What’s the best thing about owning your own business?

The relationships with my employees and customers.

Have you made any mistakes along the way with your business?

With Ariola, I tried to expand my production line and manufacturing line too rapidly, and the cost of increasing the production flow was catastrophic. It almost killed me. I should've put a toe in the water and moved cautiously.

What’s your advice for others who might be thinking of starting a candy business when there are a lot of established names out there?

Have a sweet tooth.

What do you hope your Cannoli Bar business will look like in five years?

A box on every shelf in every store.