Turano Baking Company

The Turano Baking Company, headquartered in Berwyn, Illinois, was founded in 1962. It has remained a family-owned business. Originally known for the Old Fashioned Italian Round known as Pane Turano, today the company produces sliced breads, buns and rolls in addition to supplying artisan breads to a number of local and national restaurant chains. Turano bread can be found on the deli shelf of most Chicago area grocery stores.

Pane turano -Old Fashioned Italian Round

History

In 1962, Mariano Turano, an immigrant from Calabria, Italy, founded the Campagna Bakery in Chicago, Illinois. Not long after its opening, Mariano merged bakeries with his brothers Carmen and Eugenio forming Campagna-Turano Bakery in Berwyn, Illinois.

In 1967, Campagna-Turano Bakery expanded their product line to include new items such as French and Vienna Breads, Kaiser Rolls, and Mamma Susi Pizzas. It was then that Campagna-Turano Bakery, now known only as Turano Baking Company, decided to take on the wholesale market, introducing Mamma Susi’s Pizza to local Grocery stores. The pre-cooked, frozen panned pizza was popular with local grocers. Soon after, the business also began supplying restaurants. When in the 80s food services started to boom in the US, the Turanos expanded their frozen business. In the 90's they established one of the first factories which could provide authentic bread as a par-baked frozen product.[1]

Today, in addition to delivering fresh bread daily throughout the Midwest, Turano also services the entire nation with frozen, par-baked and fully baked bread products. Their product line now consists of over 400 breads and baked goods. The company now has a second plant in Bolingbrook, Illinois, producing frozen, par- and fully baked breads and rolls and has expanded outside the Chicago area with plants in Georgia and Florida. While the business has grown, it is still family owned and managed under the leadership of Mariano's three sons, Renato, Umberto, and Giancarlo and the next generation of Turanos.[2]

Local favorite

Turano delivery truck - a familiar sight in the Chicago area

Turano products have been a local favorite in Chicago for close to 50 years. Locals recognize Turano's iconic trucks that can be seen in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and southern Wisconsin. The company’s 100 routes serve retailers and restaurants, with its freshly delivered breads and rolls.[3]

Being headquartered in Berwyn, IL, the Turano logo is a familiar sign in the Chicago area. Locals speak fondly of the "heavenly smell" of bread being baked that engulfs the neighborhood. The 160,000 sq ft (15,000 m2) Berwyn plant has custom production lines designed for efficiency while producing artisanal quality. Attached to the plant is the Mamma Susi's Bake Shop where visitors can buy freshly baked bread, cookies and classic Italian pastries like cannoli and sfogliatelle. All items are baked in-house and by hand, often in the original oven purchased by the founder Mariano Turano. [4]

Turano products

While originally known for rustic table breads like the old-fashioned Italian round and the Pane Mariano, today Turano is known for all kinds of breads. Among their flagship products are French rolls, sliced Italian and wheat breads and a variety of buns in addition to rustic Italian favorites like paesano and ciabatta.

Many Chicago restaurants provide rustic Turano products as table breads. In addition several regional and national restaurant chains use Turano products.

References

  1. ↑ "The Turano Empire", p.28 Baking+Biscuit International, Issue 03 2005
  2. ↑ Turano Family History
  3. ↑ Il Forno Romano - Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, August 2006. Vol. 95 No. 8
  4. ↑ "A Family Affair: Mama Susi Bakeshop" - Aired on NBC Chicago. December 8, 2009"

External links