The Claxton Bakery facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | confectionery |
| Founder | Savino Gillio-Tos |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | fruitcakes |
The Claxton Bakery is a company in Claxton, Georgia, that makes delicious baked goods. They are especially famous for their fruitcakes! This company is a type of confectionery business, which means they make sweet treats.
The Bakery's Beginning: A Sweet History
The Claxton Bakery was started by a man named Savino Gillio-Tos. He was born in Italy in 1885 and moved to the United States in 1902. Savino was a very skilled baker. He first worked at a hotel in New York City. Later, he moved to Macon, Georgia, and then to Claxton.
In Claxton, Mr. Gillio-Tos opened his own bakery. It quickly became known for its tasty baked goods. He also made homemade ice cream and, of course, fruitcakes. In 1945, Savino Gillio-Tos decided to retire. He sold his successful bakery to one of his employees, Albert Parker.
Albert Parker Takes Over: Focus on Fruitcakes
When Albert Parker took charge, the Claxton Bakery started to focus more on fruitcakes. This was a big change for the company. In the 1950s, they began selling fruitcakes to help groups raise money. This idea became very popular.
One of their first partners was Civitan International. Since 1951, local Civitan groups have sold millions of pounds of Claxton fruitcake. They do this every holiday season to support their work. This work helps people with developmental disabilities.
Sharing Fruitcakes with the World
In the mid-1960s, the Claxton Bakery became even more famous. They were part of the 1964 New York World's Fair. This was a huge event where many companies showed off their products. Mr. Parker saw how successful this was. He found new ways to get his fruitcakes to more people.
He entered several floats in big parades. These included the Orange Bowl Jamboree Parade in Miami. He also had floats in the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington, D.C.. These parades helped show off Claxton fruitcakes to a wider audience.
Today, the Claxton Bakery works with over a thousand organizations. These groups are all across North America. They continue to sell fruitcakes for fundraising. Albert Parker passed away in 1995. Now, his three sons and his daughter run the company. They continue the family tradition of making famous fruitcakes.
