ABOUT US
WHO WE ARE
Drum Rock Products, located in Warwick, Rhode Island, has been manufacturing and blending batters and breaders for fried food applications for 74 years. Drum Rock uses the freshest and highest quality ingredients, and our products are all natural with no added preservatives.
Drum Rock Products is committed to food safety and maintains SQF safety and quality certification, Kosher certification, and HAACP certification.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The Drum Rock Specialty Company Inc. was founded by Edward McCabe, Sr. in 1950. Starting out as a venture, Mr. McCabe began by blending a unique clam cake mix, which eventually came to be the Fritter & Clam Cake Mix still manufactured today. As the business continued to grow, he developed a second product, our well known Fis-Chic Wonder Batter. Today we have an increased selection of all purpose batters & breaders.
The Hinger family has owned and operated Drum Rock since 1993.
Ed "Buzz" McCabe, Jr. with the VW buses originally used for Drum Rock deliveries
A VW delivery bus docked in loading bay
Ed "Buzz" McCabe, Jr. with the VW buses originally used for Drum Rock deliveries
A VW delivery bus docked in loading bay
The Drum Rock in Warwick, RI
THE HISTORY BEHIND THE NAME
The 'Drum Rock' name comes from an historic stone formation located in Warwick, believed to have been set in place by the Narragansett Indian Tribe long before European settlers arrived in Rhode Island. Resembling a stone-age turtle, the 'drum rock' is actually a 3-ton stone (measuring 10 feet long, 6 feet wide, and about 2 feet thick) that is set on top of a base rock. When the stone is rocked, it is said that it can be heard as far away as Providence (about 10 miles away), and even across Narragansett Bay.
Local Native Americans used the rock to drum out information to tribes in the area. It is said the Drum Rock of Warwick, RI was one of several rocks in New England that sent signals. The Native Americans would place rocks within range of each other so signals could be sent from one rock to the next, serving as a primitive telegraph. The Drum Rock sends sound signals when the smaller stone is rocked back and forth on top of the larger base stone. It is said that the rocking stone produces a sound like a horse cantering on frozen ground.
The name sake rock of Drum Rock Products is located in the Apponaug section of Warwick, RI. Over 50 years ago, the rock was repositioned on its base so it could not be rocked in order to stop the group of vandals drumming the rock at all hours of the night and disturbing local residents. In 1984, the rock was donated to the City of Warwick by George Pesce and Arnie Brier of Commercial Realty after they acquired the land on which the Drum Rock rested. At that time, the stone was repositioned on its base so it could sound out again. The Drum Rock was formally dedicated in a ceremony on August 18, 1984.
The original Drum Rock Products company logo depicted a Native American standing on top of the Warwick Drum Rock, holding a bar of gold to show that Drum Rock products are as good as gold. This logo was retired in 2021.