Hey Ma, Where Do San Marzano's Come From?

Hey Ma, Where Do San Marzano’s Come From?

Visiting a new local market the other day, I commented on their Sam’s Club Sized cans of San Marzano tomatoes (not pictured) – at over 5# for just about $10, I mused, it might be the perfect size for family dinner at our house. (Mind you, we fed 9 teenagers last night. But it was hardly San Marzano fare.)
Whilst comparing the size/price of the larger can to my usual brand, the proprietor mentioned that the can in hand (likeness pictured) did not, in fact, hold Italian San Marzano’s. The label was printed in Italian, the can looked awfully familiar, but the fine print said the tomatoes were grown in the US.
Apparently, a (ahem) not so savory importer sold them to the store as Italian San Marzano’s…and the store owner was forthcoming about this fact. But I might not’ve ever read the label so thoroughly myself, so I wonder if this is a common occurrence?
At $4+ per can for imported tomatoes (and teenagers multiplying at our house at an alarming rate), I guess I can’t leave the Fine Print Reading to work anymore….
:Lisa Meid