A PROBLEM. A SOLUTION. THE REST IS HISTORY... In the late 1960s, a pizza maker in Columbus, Ohio longed to find a "better way" to slice and apply pepperoni onto pizza. At that time, pizza shops were slicing and applying pepperoni by hand, making preparation very time consuming. Jim Grote invented the Peppamatic machine to automatically and consistently slice and apply pepperoni onto pizza. Jim learned that frozen pizza manufacturers were still slicing and applying pepperoni to pizzas by hand. Recognizing its potential for industrial use, Jim began marketing the Peppamatic to frozen pizza processors in 1972. This marked the beginning of the Grote Company. The Peppamatic, with its innovative slicing and applying technology, dramatically cut labor costs while increasing productivity and efficiency. In 1975, Jim Grote partnered up with engineer, Tom Hochanadel, to expand on the Grote Companys slice and apply technology. Tom's innovation and expertise took the company to a new level. The invention of the Slicer/Applicator was key to the companys success, with the ability to now slice and apply a wide range of food products in a single operation. The Grote Company has continued to build on its product line over the years. Some additions include slicing and weighing equipiment for exact weight portions, fresh-cut produce slicers, and pizza topping applicators. Our experienced engineers continue to innovate new products to help today's food processors meet their production needs with leading edge technology.