"It's all taken off really well," a modest Mr Melosi said.

Just last month Mr Melosi was inducted into the 2011 Food Hall of Fame published in the(sydney)magazine, for his contribution to the food industry.

The Melosi smallgoods story began in 1949, when Mr Melosi's grandfather Giuseppe, from Montecatini, Italy, started G.Melosi & Sons in Yennora.

Roland Melosi's father Wily later took over and Roland then took over from him in the 1980s.

In 1992, he sold the business (which by then was located at Wetherill Park) and was to retire — which didn't go according to plan. Mr Melosi's son, Giovanni, "missed out on the Melosi days and he was always interested in smallgoods", Mr Melosi said.

After some "pestering" from Giovanni to go back into business and a suggestion from Mr Barone, Roland continued creating again, but this time with more niche-targeted products such as salami with truffle, salami with provolone and pancetta with rosemary.

(The ingredients, Mr Melosi said, were described by Mr Barone as the "abracadabra".)

"My father would be turning in his grave now," Mr Melosi said, describing Wily as a traditionalist.

He said 40 years ago a lot of these products would never have been sold.

While keeping the tradition alive, Mr Melosi said they were always coming up with new, innovative products.

Mr Melosi said he was "very humbled" by the induction.

"It's something that I never expected," he said.

Mr Melosi has also been appointed chief judge at the Easter show for the smallgoods category and is a member of the Australian Meat Industry Council.

Montecatini, 1/6 Robertson Place, Jamisontown, is open to the public Monday to Friday, 8am to 3pm, and Saturday, 9am to noon.