Pantano Produce of today has roots reaching back to the 1930s in Chicago. Then, J. Pantano and Sons Produce was a well established and respected company. Joseph Pantano and his two sons Fred and Lee, were well known throughout the food service industry of Chicago. Times change and people move on. Fred got married and moved to Florida to start a family. In the 1960s Joe and Lee both eventually ended up in Arizona. Joe started selling mushrooms in Phoenix from a grower he knew in Kingman. One day he met Woody Johnson of Macayos Resturant and was asked if he could get tomatoes for salsa. One thing led to another and J. Pantano Produce was a full line produce company again. Things got tough in 1977 and Joe called Fred who moved his family to Arizona to save the business. Business got better and soon there after the name was changed to "Pantano Produce Company". Joe eventually retired and today the company is run by Fred and Sherri Pantano, daughter Gina and son Antonio.