James Leprino

James Leprino (born 1937/38) is an American billionaire, businessman, and chairman of the world's largest manufacturer of mozzarella cheese, Leprino Foods.[2][3] He was listed as the 265th richest person in the US with a net worth of $3.1 billion, according to the 2017 Forbes 400 list.[4]

James Leprino
Born1937/1938 (age 84–85)[1]
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Chairman and CEO, Leprino Foods
Spousemarried
Children2
ParentMike Leprino Sr.

Early life

James Leprino was born circa 1938.[3] He is the youngest of five children of Mike Leprino Sr., who emigrated from Italy in 1914, aged 16, settled in Denver, and was a farm worker before starting a grocery store in Denver's Little Italy in 1950.[5][1]

Career

After graduating from high school in 1956, he worked full-time with his father, but due to pressure from large grocery chains, his father's store closed in 1958, so he started Leprino Foods with $615, focusing on making cheese for pizza, sales of which were booming.[1]

Leprino is the chairman and CEO of Leprino Foods, the largest manufacturer of mozzarella cheese in the world.[3] In October 2017, his net worth was estimated by Forbes at US$3.1 billion.[3]

He supplies major pizza chains including Pizza Hut, Domino's, Papa John's and Little Caesars, and controls up to 85% of the US pizza cheese market.[1]

In 2022, his two nieces, who hold a 25% stake in Leprino Foods, filed a lawsuit claiming they, as minority shareholders, were disfavored in terms of profitability and global management.[6] A dismantlement of the group won't occur.[7]

Personal life

Leprino is married with two children.[3] He resides in Indian Hills, Colorado.[3]

Political lobbying and support

From 1990 to 2017, Leprino Foods contributed $1,521,894 to political lobbying, with 75 to 80 percent of Leprino's political contributions going to Republicans."[8]

References
  1. Chloe Sorvino. "This Secretive Billionaire Makes The Cheese For Pizza Hut, Domino's And Papa John's". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2017-07-10.
  2. "Denver's big cheese".
  3. "#211 James Leprino". Forbes. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  4. "Leprino". Forbes. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  5. "Knopf: Why does Colorado make it so hard for immigrant to get driverБ─≥s licenses? (column)". SummitDaily.com. Retrieved 2017-07-10.
  6. Sorvino, Chloe. "Family Feud Forces Reclusive Domino's Cheese Billionaire Into Court". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
  7. Demetrakakes, Pan (2022-11-10). "Judge: Nieces of Leprino Foods Founder Can't Break Company Up". Food Processing. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
  8. Njegomir, Dan (25 May 2017). "Colorado's most reclusive billionaire isn't shy about supporting the GOP". Colorado Politics. Retrieved 26 May 2017.


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