DiCamillo Bakery facts for kids
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| Industry | Bakery |
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| Founded | 1920 |
| Founder | Tomaso and Addolorata DiCamillo |
| Headquarters | |
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Number of locations
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5 (2017) |
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Areas served
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New York State (local area distribution) United States (mail order) |
| Products | Biscotti, cookies, breads, cakes |
DiCamillo Bakery is a well-known Italian American family-run bakery. It was started in 1920 in Niagara Falls, New York. Today, you can find their stores in Niagara Falls, Williamsville, and Lewiston. The bakery is especially famous for its delicious biscotti.
Contents
The Story of DiCamillo Bakery
The DiCamillo Bakery was founded by Tomaso and Addolorata DiCamillo in 1920. They started their business on 14th Street. All 11 of their children also joined the family business.
DiCamillo’s was one of the first Italian bakeries in Niagara Falls. They baked bread in the basement of a three-story building. They even delivered fresh bread to local homes using horse-drawn wagons! In 1931, the bakery faced some tough challenges. The oldest son, Tom, refused to pay money to a group that demanded it. After this, the bakery was damaged in an attack.
Growing the Business: 1940s to 1970s
Tomaso DiCamillo passed away in 1941. His four sons then took over the family business. In 1942, they moved the bakery from 14th Street to 20th Street. The bakery stayed at this new location until 1976.
By 1954, the company had three stores in Niagara Falls. They offered many different kinds of traditional Italian pastries.
New Ideas: 1970s to 1990s
In the late 1960s, the third generation of the DiCamillo family joined the business. David, Thomas, Francis, and Michael DiCamillo opened a new baking facility in 1976. In 1979, the company started sending their products by mail order. They packed their treats in special tin boxes.
Michael DiCamillo also started a special gourmet department. This department sold products to fancy stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy's in New York. They also sold to Marshall Field's in Chicago. In 1980, DiCamillo opened their first store outside of Niagara Falls. This new store was in Lewiston. The bakery kept its unique business style. Michael DiCamillo explained that they sold directly to customers. They did not use other sellers or agents. This was very unusual for a bakery business.
DiCamillo’s most popular product in the 1980s was biscotti. Their Biscotti Di Vino was especially popular. These were red wine biscuits topped with sesame seeds. They were first sold in 1979 in a brown coffee-style bag. In 1990, "Biscotti Di Vino" became a registered trademark. Another popular product from the 1980s was traditional focaccia bread, introduced in 1983.
The DiCamillo family was even featured on a book cover in 1984. The book was called Food Finds: America's Best Local Foods and the People Who Produce Them. The authors loved the Biscotti Di Vino. They said it had an amazing taste, crunch, and flavor. In 1989, an article in The Washington Post praised DiCamillo’s "Dolcetti Delicati" tin. The article said that the beautiful tin and neatly arranged cookies were as good as the baked goods themselves.
The Fourth Generation Today
By 2002, four brothers from the DiCamillo family were running the bakery. Each brother was in charge of a different part of the business. These included baking, money, advertising, and running the stores. DiCamillo added many new kinds of cookies and sweets. These were sold in famous stores like Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.
In 2006, the bakery opened its fifth store. This store is in Williamsville. It is located in a historic building from 1840. The building has a special Greek Revival style.
