April 23, 2021
When was your company founded? How many employees did you start out with; how many do you have now?
My parents started the company in 1947 in Quincy with family members helping. I was not born yet, so not sure how many employees there were. It was a very small building so I would guess around 5 people.
Today we have a manufacturing facility in Brockton, four retail locations and many wholesale accounts. We have approximately 175 employees.
What makes your business stand out; what has allowed you to grow?
Producing high-quality baked goods along with striving for perfection and exceeding customer expectations. We are proud of our staff who safely produces our delicious large variety of Italian and American bakery products. Our family history and great reputation in the South Shore/Boston/Cape Cod areas is a gateway to our business for new generations. We often hear from customers how we made their grandparents wedding cakes, their wedding cake, all the family birthday cakes and baby shower cakes. We fortunately have become a part of our customers’ lives and memories for special occasions. We stand out because of our high-quality products and great customer service!
Do you have any suggestions for people considering starting a business?
Do your research on location you are thinking of opening your business. You will need to have access to a competent labor force. Our manufacturing facility is in Brockton and we are very happy with our ability to attract great employees!
Has the way you operate your business changed due to COVID; have you done anything to “pivot” temporarily?
A year ago when COVID hit, we lost most of our wholesale business and all weddings. So, we focused on our retail locations. We used our social media such as Facebook and our website offering cookie and cupcake decorating kits families could do at home. We also increased our “grab and go” meal selections. Many people did not want to go into the big grocery stores, but, were very happy we carried meals they could just heat up such as lasagna, meatballs and pasta, chicken and broccoli, arancini and salads, along with our pizzas and sandwiches. We began selling half gallons of milk, Almond milk, pounds of butter and a dozen eggs along with our bread; items that the big grocery stores were running out of. We displayed these items in grab and go showcases from which we used to just sell pints of milk or bottles of soda. We used these grocery staples as a “draw” to get customers to swing by our store and do some grocery shopping along with picking up their baked goods.
Why do you use a payroll service, and why a local one?
We are not payroll specialists! We are in the bakery business. One of BizChecks’ best accolades is the consistent personal interaction with the same people at BizChecks. If we have any questions or issue, we speak to the same person every time, and they get right back to us. We are not passed around to a different person who we do not know. Personal connection and service is very important, and BizChecks delivers!
We also need BizChecks expertise to keep us in compliance with all the fast-changing government regulations. Especially during these times with COVID sick time for our employees, and new unemployment percentages the state just implemented.
Personal connection, reasonable fees, along with exceptional service is why we choose BizChecks!
Photo: Ernestine Montilio, second from right, with family members and the mayor of Weymouth at the opening of their Weymouth location in 2015; photo via the Patriot Ledger.
