About Our Bakery

Bringing Traditional Italian Baking to Our Customers for Over 110 Years

Calise Bakery was founded in 1908 with the goal of bringing the freshest, highest quality authentic Italian breads and rolls to our customers across the Northeast, Tri-state area and Mid-Atlantic. While we have grown in size and distribution over the years, we maintain our unwavering commitment to our founding values of prioritizing the quality, safety, and freshness of our products. We refer to this commitment as “The Calise Way,” and it remains what guides us to preserve our reputation as the highest quality specialty baker in the region.

The Calise Way

As told by President Michael Calise

“What makes Calise so special? The answer is quite simple: The “Calise Way.” We produce the highest quality products at competitive prices in a safe and clean work environment, all while offering an unparalleled level of customer service. Our unwavering commitment to quality, food safety and excellent service alongside our blend of unique family recipes and modern technologies distinguish us from other bakeries.

We manufacture more than 140 varieties of baked, par-baked and frozen products and distribute a full line of bread products, bagels, breakfast pastries, pockets and wraps for food service accounts. The Calise brand has grown to be one of the strongest brands in the Northeast and now Mid-Atlantic, creating rapid growth in sales and profits for both its retailers and customers.

Whether you are buying for your family or running a deli, supermarket, restaurant chain or cafeteria, reach out for Calise and you will know that you are buying the best.”

 

Sincerely,

President, Calise Bakery

Our Mission

Our unwavering commitment is to produce high quality bread and rolls in a safe and clean work environment while delivering excellent customer service at a competitive price. We shall continue to strengthen our relationships with our employees, customers and vendors as we operate with trust and integrity.

Our History

  • 1908

    1908

    In the early 1900’s, Francesco Calise immigrated to the United States from the Isle of Ischia, Italy in pursuit of the American Dream. In 1908, he founded Calise & Sons Bakery, Inc. and brought the authentictastes of Italy he grew up with to his new home. A small bakery on Federal Hill in Providence, RI, Calise Bakery produced fresh Italian bread, rolls, cookies, pastries and biscuits which were delivered door to door by horse and buggy.

  • 1954

    1954

    Francesco retired and passed the bakery on to his four sons, Gaetano, Peter, Michael and Joseph. The brothers continued to focus on the core values of the Calise brand to drive increased sales and consumer loyalty.

  • 1972

    1972

    The second generation bakery fell on hard times and was virtually bankrupt when sold to the third generation of brothers, Michael, Robert and Joseph. These brothers took a different approach and closed the retail bakery to focus on wholesale accounts.

  • 1980’s

    1980’s

    Calise bakery expanded and moved operations to the Silver Lake section of Providence. The larger bakery provided the opportunity to grow the business through increased production and sales. As such, Calise experienced rapid growth, acquiring competitors and expanding distribution routes, sales staff, and customers.

  • 1990's

    1990’s

    The Calise brothers invested in the brand to bring in more efficient machinery and technology to increase productivity and safety. These new processes combined with organizational growth and the addition of national accounts helped the bakery to reach full capacity.

  • 2000

    1999-2000

    In 1999 Calise Bakery broke ground on its new bakery, providing potential growth opportunities for years to come. In July 2000, a new state of the art bakery with the business’ first fully automated production line opened in Lincoln, RI.

  • 2007

    2007

    Daily operations management transitioned to Michael R. Calise, President and 4th generation leader of the family-owned business. Along with a strong management team and Board of Directors in place, the family also celebrates Michael C. Calise becoming VP of Operations after graduating from the American Institute of Baking.

  • 2008

    2008

    Calise Bakery reaches its 100th anniversary as the family reflects upon and celebrates its years-long growth and contributions to the community across the Northeast from Maine all the way to Virginia.

  • 2009-2016

    2009-2016

    The bakery expands with a 14,000 foot addition and second fully automated line. In August 2015, business expands into Boston with the acquisition of Quinzani Bakery, creating a base of business for Calise to further its concentrated market areas in New England. In 2016, Calise opens two new distribution facilities in Wilmington, MA and Wallingford, CT, expanding to 81 routes providing services to major retailers and food service customers in RI, MA and CT.

  • Present

    Present

    Calise Bakery continues to develop and expand distribution routes by growing relationships with food service companies and retailers along the East Coast. The company remains committed to “The Calise Way” of providing high–quality production, safety and excellent customer service that has led to more than 110 years of success.