The Rotella family’s strong work ethic and pride in their family has driven them to grow and expand Rotella’s Italian Bakery, Omaha, Neb., to become a supplier of frozen breads and rolls to foodservice customers across the country. Two of its patriarchs were inducted into the Baking Hall of Fame, and now the fourth generation of leadership — Lou Rotella III and John Rotella — are being awarded Baking & Snack’s Operations Executives of the Year for 2024. 

Lou Rotella III and John Rotella balance their ambition with humility, just like their forefathers. Each expressed a wish of helping their father realize his vision for the bakery, while also beginning to pave a path forward for their own dreams for the baking company. 

“Their ideas — both of my sons — have definitely taken the business to the next level,” said their father, Lou Rotella Jr., chief executive officer. “It’s mind-boggling the ideas that they have and how well they present those ideas and then follow through and make things happen. There is case after case of them taking us to the next level, and I’m really proud of that.” 

In the past few years, Lou Rotella III, chief operating officer, and John Rotella, general manager, have upped the ante of their previous work to bring Rotella’s into new arenas and address the company’s challenges. A new cold storage facility opened this year to bring that function in-house rather than outsourcing warehousing. Ground broke on a new bakery across the street that will be their fastest and most efficient yet, and John Rotella started Ag Alchemy Animal Nutrition, a companion animal food company that addresses some of Rotella’s bakery by-product and reduces the company’s waste. 

These dreams will support the baking company for years to come and provide new paths to further diversify the family business.

This article is an excerpt from the December 2024 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Rotella's Italian Bakery, click here.