In this week’s episode of the Titans of Food Service podcast, Nick Portillo speaks with Chris Nisi, Founder and CEO of Nisi’s Craft Bakery. Chris shares his fascinating upbringing in an Italian-American family and how those roots influenced his career in the food service industry which now spans over 25 years. He discusses the unique processes behind creating his bakery’s high-quality frozen artisan bread, emphasizing the importance of long fermentation times and using century-old natural starters. 

Quotes

• "I've been making people rich my entire life, so in a way, building this company and being an entrepreneur was assisted by the training I received in helping other brands grow their businesses." -Chris Nisi

• “In our sourdough, we use only a natural starter. Ricardo got a super old starter that's over 100 years old. So he's been keeping it alive for 30 years. He's got it growing in six different places so that nothing ever happens to it." -Chris Nisi

TIMESTAMPS

(00:12) Italian Heritage and Food Service Industry Success

(06:50) From Food Sales to Bakery Success

(12:50) The Journey of Building a Successful Food Service Business

(23:04) Disrupting the Baking Industry with Frozen Artisan Breads

(27:59) Nisi's Bakery's Success and Distribution

RESOURCES

Portillo Sales

CONTACT 

Nick: nick.portillo@portillosales.com