Turano Baking introduced many products over the years, and the Berwyn, IL-based company achieved considerable success with its innovations — most recently debuting ciabatta and other stress-free artisan products. Still, the family bakery today is anchored by the same flagship products that its founder, Mariano Turano, was baking in the company’s earliest days in the 1960s, namely French rolls, French bread and the 2-lb homemade round, also known as Pane Turano.

“Our market demographics have changed considerably: German, Polish, Italian, Indian, Arab-origins,” said Giancarlo Turano, a principal with his brothers Ron and Tony, of the company. “We make Old World bread. As product has evolved into artisan, we have been at the forefront. Chicago is such a big market for sandwiches, and we dominate the market with French bread and club rolls.”

While Turano is known as an Italian baker, Ron Turano said the company also is associated with the artisan baking movement, a linkage helped by the custom baking it has done for restaurant chains.

“It has given us an edge,” he noted. “And we’ve gone into a lot of varieties.”

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