Amodeo peddles pasta in family business

By Fran McCann
Bengal News West Reporter

The Pasta Peddler, which operates at Horsefeathers Market, sells a variety of pastas, sauces and many other products. 

The Pasta Peddler started in 1994 making gift baskets. In 1999 Mike Sedia bought the business but a few years later he was ready to sell.  A young man who was engaged to Sedia’s daughter decided to take a stab at the business, and in 2003 Eric Amodeo became the co-owner  of the Pasta Peddler.

When Amodeo hopped on board with the business, it was very difficult for him to figure out how to operate things.  He not only had to understand how to sell the pasta, but he also had to figure out how to make it.

“The first pasta I made was absolutely terrible,” Amodeo said. “The old way we used to make the pasta was with counter top machines and it required us to work the dough a lot more, which resulted in not a very good product.”


Eric Amodeo, on the machine behind The Pasta Peddler:

When Amodeo helped take over the business, his initial plans were to only concentrate on it during the summer. Working from his basement in the double he and his wife lived in, Amodeo, with the help of father-in-law Sedia, was selling product to the Lexington Cooperative and the Elmwood-Bidwell farmers market. In 2004 Amodeo’s wife, Andrea, decided to join her business, Blackbird Sweets, and try and help grow the business.

 As demand grew bigger, Amodeo soon realized the business was taking off and it was time to move into a bigger location. In March 2013, The Pasta Peddler moved into the Horsefeathers building  at 346 Connecticut St. Amodeo, his wife, and father-in-law worked together to maintain the business and keep its reputation  up. 

Although the business is doing well, the economic downfall in 2008 forced the Pasta Peddler to change its prices.

“During that time the price of wheat quadrupled,” Amodeo said. “We were forced to raise prices but since that time, our prices have not gone up.”

The Pasta Peddler sells a variety of gourmet pastas in individual 10-ounce packets, starting at $3.75.  Depending on the size of the order, the Pasta Peddler offers a discount and also a 10 percent discount for students with a valid I.D. card.

Blackbird Sweets also works with the Pasta Peddler selling baked goods. 

Joe Kirchmyer, a West Seneca resident and longtime customer of the Pasta Peddler, was never a huge fan of pasta until he came across the business.

“The ravioli is out of this world,” Kirchmyer said. “The freshness and flavor is so different and way better than something you would buy at Wegmans or Tops.”

Kirchmyer said people should consider buying local and keep the money in the community. He guarantees the food to be fresh and says it is great to “support the little guy.”

This upcoming spring to fall, you will find the Pasta Peddler at various farmers markets. Starting this spring, it will be at the Hamburg, Elmwood-Bidwell, East Aurora and Williamsville Farmers Markets.

Regular farmers market-goer Margaret Lalley is a supporter of local food businesses. During the summer, she finds herself going to a market at least once a week.

“I love the Pasta Peddler’s pasta and sauce,” Lalley said. “When you buy local and freshly made, you definitely pay a little more. In the end, I believe the quality is definitely worth paying a little bit more.” 

The demand for the Pasta Peddler is growing,  and Amodeo is looking into the future.

“Right now we’re in talks with a business called Mercado,” Amodeo said. “It’s a large-scale community market and we’re looking to add a location with them in the next 12 months.”