More than that, Bommarito is committed to the promise she made to her consumers from the beginning. That includes having a clean label and the mouthfeel expected from any traditional baked good. So, when she receives requests for a dairy-free bar — and she receives a lot of them — she’s cautious not to react too quickly or put a product out that doesn’t hold up to her high-quality standards, even when she feels a personal responsibility to make something else that’s special in the marketplace.

“While it’s easy to try to think of quick ways to expand a line that might create extra revenue, I’m not willing to cut corners,” Bommarito said. “If I’m going to launch cookies, they’re going to be grandma-worthy every bit of the way, and you’ll never know they’re gluten-free.”

Ultimately, Bommarito is here for the long game. And her hope is to build a legacy brand that takes care of people long after she’s gone, the same way her grandmother Ethel cared for her all those years ago.

This story has been adapted from the August | Q3 2024 issue of Commercial Baking. Read the full story in the digital edition here.