Angelic Bakehouse’s James and Jenny Marino know their dough. A former hedge fund manager, he acts as chief operating officer and she is president and CEO of the Cudahy company, a Women Owned Business certified through The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. The couple has operated Angelic for five years, after purchasing Cybros, a 45-year-old Waukesha bakery. They updated, revamped and rebranded the product line.
Since then, the company has grown fivefold. The firm has expanded distribution, built a new state-of-the-art facility, improved the quality of its ingredients (it is now totally GMO free) and increased staff. Angelic uses freshly-ground sprouted grains instead of processed flour, a process involving much trial and error to get to required quality levels, according to Jenny.
In addition to a superior product, hard work, patience and creativity, Angelic is successful because of “it is a fun, approachable brand,” says Jenny. In a time where there is such a huge demand for transparency in food, with consumers wanting to know what they are putting into their bodies, Angelic breads play perfectly. According to Jenny, “Angelic is both healthy and approachable, hitting a sweet spot that resonates with consumers.”
Angelic is found from coast to coast in an ever-growing number of retailers, including Milwaukee’s Outpost Natural Foods, as well as Whole Foods, Safeway, Sprouts Farmers Markets and several smaller chains. The bakery annually produces approximately 1,500 tons of hearty ediblesor about three million loaves of bread. Customer favorites are the sliced sprouted seven-grain bread, multigrain flatbread, hamburger buns and Flatzza pizza crusts.
Research is important in keeping Angelic on top of the bread game, with the Marinos working with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and UW-Madison. James spent time at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s cereal grain research facility at UW-Madison, studying germination techniques to ensure that Angelic gets top quality ingredients. The couple also continually monitors consumer trends from both a marketing and product development standpoint.
The firm will continue to build its national brand by adding more stores and accounts, asserts James. Premium sprouted seven-grain wrap and frozen heat ‘n serve dinner rolls are to be launched in 2015.
