CLEVELAND — Baking is in John Orlando’s blood.
“I started nodding dinner rolls with my aunts, my cousins and my uncles, and you just grew up in the business,” Orlando said.
This factory and the Orlando family is a statewide staple, providing wholesale bread to restaurants and retail stores across Ohio and many other Midwest states. The Orlando Baking CEO said he has seen a lot of changes in the restaurant and baking industry over the years, but he added nothing has been as impactful as the coronavirus pandemic.
“A lot of people we know a lot of people working in industry and to see what they were going through was really tough,” Orlando said.
Not only has the art of bread baking been passed down through generations in the Orlando family, the tradition of giving back has been passed down as well. Orlando said dozens of restaurants in Northeast Ohio carry Orlando products. The family felt now was the time to support them. In partnership with The Hunger Network, the Orlando Baking Company has launched the Share the Bread—Build the Hope Restaurant Workers Relief Fund initiative.
“When we saw the need for the restaurant workers we thought how can we help. We reached out to The Hunger Network and you know they came up with some ideas to help us, you know, get food raise money for the people in need. “ Orlando says.
With every purchase of any Orlando product, the company will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Share the Bread initiative. The campaign will directly help restaurant workers. Julie Johnson is the CEO of The Hunger Network, the county’s largest emergency food provider. She said food insecurity has become a growing issue among those in the foodservice industry. She adds that women make up most of the food service industry.
“Last year, about 53% of our patrias were women,” Johnson said.
“With reduced hours, reduced tips, reduced wages or even laid off permanently, that’s tough,” Orlando said.
Orlando said as long is his family is in Cleveland, they’re going to keep baking and helping as much as they can.
“We’re thinking this is going to be an ongoing thing. so we’re going to have the share of the bread program on this time it’s going to be for restaurant workers. but next time will be for someone else in need,” Orlando said.
Visit the company’s website for more information on the Share the Bread—Build the Hope Restaurant Workers Relief Fund initiative.
