Vicky Bakery has reached 50 years of age since its founding, and the proof is in its pastries and loyal fans.
Founded in 1972, Cuban brand Vicky Bakery continues its franchising journey. With the hiring of CEO Mauricio Romero in April this year, the brand is poising itself for saturation of the Florida market and beyond.
“The original founders had kids that run their business,” said Romero. “And now I’m here to run their business.”
Arriving to the United States from Cuba as political exiles, founders Antonio and Gelasia Cao already had experience baking together at La Vencedora, a famous bakery in Cuba. Bringing knowledge from home, the two opened their own bakery, which has since expanded to 22 locations in Florida. Vicky’s offers pan Cubano, pastelitos de guayaba (guava pastries) and many other sweet and savory treats.
Mauricio Romero.
Romero—previously a vice president of franchise operations at Five Guys and fractional chief operations officer of FranSmart—has been a customer of Vicky’s since 1988, going almost daily for a pastelito de carne, or maybe a guayaba treat, and a café con leche (coffee with milk). He fell in love with the brand 35 years ago and is ecstatic to bring his experience to Vicky’s.
“I came here for my honeymoon,” said Romero. “Every time I came down to Miami, I picked up pastries from Vicky’s.”
Vicky’s has lasted 50 years making Cuban classics, so Romero’s goal is to spread the brand further while working with the founding family, who now serve as the board of directors. The recipes have been unchanged for 50 years, with a few additions, including vegan pan Cubano (which is typically made with lard, an animal product).
In those 50 years, the world changed. Other Cuban immigrants and exiles aged and established themselves, beginning their own families. It’s the third- and fourth-generation Cuban immigrants that Romero hopes to reach.
In an effort to bring a taste of Cuba to more people, Romero has a few ideas for brand growth. Hiring a marketing manager, Laura Dominguez, in the younger generation was the first step. Her focus has been on social media presence for Vicky’s and bringing the menu to a new audience.
The plan is saturating the Florida market and spreading out from there. He estimates the Florida market can handle 60 to 65 stores. To that end, he’s using his experience from FranSmart to find partners and investors to sign multi-unit deals, while keeping the family values and treating the franchisees as such through the process.
Once Florida is full, Vicky’s will move north and west. Romero is looking at the Carolinas, Alabama and Texas specifically for now.
Vicky Bakery is known for its Pan Cubano, the traditional bread for Cuban sandwiches. Normally made with lard, the brand also now offers a vegan version.
Despite the changes around it, Miami residents have grown up with the brand, which Romero attributes to its staying power. Whether they’re trying Cuban pastries for the first time or eating them every day, Vicky’s determination to stick with what the founders knew already gave the brand a foothold for the last half century.
“It feels good because it’s family, and it’s still family roots,” said Romero. “I’m living with the board and all the board members are family members.”