Baking & Snack - May 2024 - 34

ANTHONY & SONS BAKERY
four packaging lines for slicing and bagging.
The Avocado Bread Co. sliced bread is sliced automatically
and then the loaf is split in half to create the 24-oz half
loaves before being bagged. It's the way Anthony & Sons
had traditionally done its sliced breads, such as the rye, so
it was only natural to continue with the new loaf. The formerly
manual process of splitting the loaf has since been
automated with this new investment in custom equipment.
The slicing and packaging line can do 2,800 units per hour.
Anthony & Sons recently purchased a backup slicer in case
the slicer goes down for maintenance.
Burford closure machines seal the bread bags before
they are loaded into cases that are erected and sealed by
a Niverplast case erector.
Frozen product is stored in a freezer on-site. It's shipped
out either LTL or the customer picks up the product from
a distribution center. Fresh product is made on the overnight
shift and delivered through Anthony & Sons' directstore-distribution
network of 65 trucks.
Despite a wide array of products, Anthony & Sons has
organized its line management so that efficiency doesn't
suffer at the hands of flexibility.
" Every line is dedicated to a set of products, so that
allows us to be efficient, " Baldo Dattolo said.
Each line also has a manager who supervises producAvocado
bread
exits the oven to be
cooled before being
sliced and packaged.
tion schedules and orders. Frozen orders are put in by
the customer two weeks in advance so line managers can
schedule production accordingly. For niche products for
long-term customers, benchwork bakers make products
that are too labor-intensive or small to run on the
automated equipment. These products are baked in the
Revent rack ovens still housed in production.
Anthony & Sons is a flurry of activity with production
employees scoring bread and ensuring packaging
Sliced avocado bread is packaged in 24-oz half loaves.
is running smoothly. Despite these manual processes,
Baldo Dattolo says the company doesn't struggle to keep
positions staffed. The average tenure of employees in the
office and on the production floor is about 15 years, he
estimated. While the company recently hired a new human
resources director who is working to ensure people
feel seen and appreciated, Baldo Dattolo chalked up
their workforce success to a simple principle.
" You just have to be kind, treat people with respect
and remember to have a little fun, " he said.
It is obvious to anyone who spends a bit of time at
Anthony & Sons that the team is full of respect, kindness
and a capacity for fun. Nick Sorresse, senior vice president,
has been with the company for more than 20 years,
and he says that's because it simply hasn't stopped being
fun yet.
When the leadership at Anthony & Sons looks to the future,
they certainly have their business goals. The Avocado
Bread Co. and Italian Classic lines in addition to their already
solid foundation have the company hoping to hit
$100 million in revenue in the next five years. Creating a
brand new product has been an invigorating experience
that everyone at Anthony & Sons is proud of, but at the end
of the day, Baldo Dattolo pointed to something more.
" I feel blessed that I've gotten to do something I really
love with people I care about, " he said.
With passion and innovation at the helm, Baldo
Dattolo and his team see nothing but clear skies for
Anthony & Sons Bakery on the horizon.
34 Baking & Snack May 2024 / www.bakingbusiness.com
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