Stella D'oro facts for kids
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Former factory in the Bronx in August 2010
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Formerly
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Stella D'oro Biscuit Company |
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| Private (1919–92) | |
| Industry | Food |
| Fate | Company closed, brand sold to Lance in 2009 |
| Founded | 1919 |
| Founder | Joseph Kresevich |
| Defunct | 2009 |
| Headquarters |
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U.S.
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| Products | Cookies, breadsticks, biscottis |
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Stella D'oro is a well-known American brand of cookies and breadsticks. The name "Stella D'oro" means "star of gold" in Italian. The cookies and breadsticks are inspired by traditional Italian baking. Some popular Stella D'oro products include breadsticks, Swiss Fudge cookies, biscotti, and their special S-shaped breakfast treats.
The original Stella D'oro company, called "Stella D'oro Biscuit Company," was started in 1930. It was founded by Italian immigrants Angela and Joseph Kresevich. They also ran a restaurant next to their factory in the Kingsbridge area of the Bronx, New York City. Over the years, the company changed owners several times. In 1992, the Kresevich family sold the business to Nabisco. Later, in 2006, it was sold to a company called Brynwood Partners. Finally, in 2009, the brand was bought by Snyder's-Lance, which still owns it today.
The Story of Stella D'oro
How It All Began
Joseph Kresevich came to the U.S. from Trieste, Italy, in 1922. He started working in bakeries in New York City. He was very creative and developed his own special recipes. In 1928, he married Angela, who was also a very skilled baker. Together, they founded the Stella D'oro bakery.
Their baked goods were different from other Italian treats because they were less sweet. They were made to be enjoyed with coffee or tea. A big reason for their early success was that many of their cookies were "pareve". This means they didn't contain any meat or dairy products, which made them popular with people who follow kosher dietary rules in New York. This popularity helped the company grow and move to a larger building in the Bronx.
Changes Over Time
In 2006, the Stella D'oro Biscuit Co. was bought by Brynwood Partners. A few years later, in 2008, the workers at the Bronx factory went on strike because of disagreements over pay and benefits. After a long period, the company decided to close its factory in the Bronx.
In September 2009, Brynwood Partners sold the Stella D'oro brand to Lance. Lance is a large company that makes snack foods. Lance decided to move the production of Stella D'oro products to a different factory in Ashland, Ohio. The old factory in the Bronx closed down and was later taken down in 2012.
Special Cookies
Stella D'oro's bakery was originally located in the Bronx, New York City. However, after the company was sold to Lance, the production moved to Ohio.
One interesting fact about Stella D'oro's Swiss Fudge cookies is that they are made without milk or butter. This makes them "pareve" (pronounced "PAR-ev"). This is important for many Orthodox Jews who follow Jewish dietary laws, as pareve foods can be eaten with both meat and dairy meals. These cookies are sometimes even nicknamed "shtreimels" because their round shape reminds some people of the fur hats worn by certain Hasidic Jews on the Sabbath.
When Kraft Foods owned Stella D'oro, they briefly removed the pareve label from the products. However, after sales dropped and many customers complained, they brought the pareve designation back.
