Philadelphia Macaroni Co. has acquired A. Zerega’s Sons, in a marriage of family-owned, long-established businesses that will form the largest privately owned pasta company in the United States.

Philadelphia Macaroni, which makes dry and frozen pasta for the industrial ingredient, private label retail and co-pack channels, was formed in 1914. Zerega, which makes dry pasta for the foodservice, industrial ingredient and retail channels, was started when Antoine Zerega built America’s first pasta plant in Brooklyn in 1848.

The acquisition will bring Philadelphia Macaroni’s capacity to more than 700 million pounds annually. It includes Zerega’s manufacturing and distribution facilities in Fair Lawn, N.J., and Lee’s Summit, Mo.

“The combination of two great family businesses allows us to advance our diversification strategy and compete against larger players in the critical foodservice category with the required competitive scale,” Luke Marano Jr., Philadelphia Macaroni executive chairman, said in a statement.