CHICAGO — There are plenty of ways a bakery can predict if business is ready to boom.
It can look at sales projections, market conditions, data analysis and a host of other things. But sometimes, it’s just in the air.
“You can drive through the city with your windows down, and when you smell the grills going, you’re like, ‘Alright, it’s started,’” said Tim Lotesto, senior director of national retail key accounts for Chicago-based Alpha Baking Co. “That’s when you know it’s bun season.”