The Inside Scoop...

Everyone loves a sneak peek at the works inside a factory.  The big machines and oversized kitchen tools are fascinating enough that the Food Network has a show devoted to touring food factories.  Although Marc Summers has not filmed an episode of Unwrapped at La Esperanza - not yet anyway - here's a glimpse of the journey our delicious bread makes before being loaded on those big green trucks!

The bakers:

Oldest grandson, Matthew is the family rep at night.  He is Peter's go to guy on the factory floor and Papa's pride and joy:

The rest of the night crew:

Willie:

Jonathan:

Reynaldo:

This guy has been manning these ovens for over 25 years !

Zacharia:

Fernando Rivera - El Nene:

El Nene has been with La Esperanza since he was a boy, hence the nickname!  He started out in our first factory on Wilkins Avenue in the Bronx, over thirty-five years ago.

That's the who -
This is the what and where:

All that equipment and machinery results in lots and lots of this:

Warm crusty bread rolling out of the oven - all night long!

After baking, the hot out of the oven bread takes a trip around the entire plant on a cooling conveyor belt.  It is then packed and sorted, ready to be distributed to all the waiting trucks.

We have a hardy group of packers - for example:

Danilo:

Jose:

Wilson:

These are just some of the men that organize everything for our drivers.  

Working at the bakery is a tough job.  The summers are brutally hot with the ovens roaring and the winters can mean freezing temperatures and rough roads for all the employees, especially the driver.  But, at La Esperanza, the customer always comes first and the bread has to reach the restaurants and grocery shelves on time !