Built on tradition but not stuck in it, Anthony & Sons Bakery, Denville, NJ, is a classic Italian family-owned bakery. Founded in 1984 by Anthony Dattolo and his two sons, Baldo and Joey, Anthony & Sons has pivoted and evolved to remain relevant with its most recent innovation, avocado bread. This has kept the company in a place of growth, and Baldo Dattolo, president and chief executive officer, attributes that to their passion and their family values. 

“We’re still passionate, and we have an innovative spirit,” he said. “The avocado bread is a long way from our beginnings, but it really came from a place of passion.”

Yes, avocado bread, or bread that has avocado baked right into it. Throughout Anthony & Sons’ history, the company has pivoted from fresh to frozen, from foodservice customers to retail. But the most innovative move must be the avocado bread the bakery debuted a year and a half ago under a new brand: The Avocado Bread Co. Inventing a completely new variety of sliced bread may seem risky, but the well-documented popularity of avocado toast had the Anthony & Sons team confident to take the leap. The gamble has paid off as this latest innovation is poised to overtake the conventional demi-baguette as Anthony & Sons’ No. 1 seller within the next year. 

“It’s creating a traffic jam on our production room floor,” Baldo Dattolo said, laughing. 

The company will debut two line extensions for The Avocado Bread Co. at this year’s International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA) conference as well as its Italian Classic line. 

The company’s passion for baking and innovating as well as its size has allowed it to remain nimble and creative. Ben Rizzitello II, vice president, sales and marketing, pointed out that Anthony & Sons is big enough to serve its large customers with its 65,000 square-foot facility and five production lines, but it’s small enough to innovate quickly.  

“We can turn around an item based on a request without hesitation,” he said. 

This foundation of passion, innovation and quality bread has kept Anthony & Sons growing for 40 years, and the company is looking ahead to even greater growth. 

This article is an excerpt from the May 2024 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Anthony & Sons Bakery, click here.