Great Harvest Bread Co. rises to meet needs

With more people breaking bread at home these days the Great Harvest Bread Co. is busy.

With more people breaking bread together at home these days the Great Harvest Bread Co. in Mentor is busy working to provide the nourishing staple.

Not only are crew members keeping shelves stocked for in-store patrons they’re ramping up their customary contributions to local food pantries by baking and donating extra loaves throughout the week.

And to lend a hand financially 10 percent of all profits raised through April 4 will be donated to food cupboards at St. John Vianney in Mentor and St. Gabriel in Concord Township.

“We are all in this together. We depend on our community and our community depends on us. We will continue to provide bread for as long as we are able,” said Kris Lariccia who owns the business along with his father Fred and uncle, Tony. Kris’s sister Molly Birt works as the assistant manager.

Providing food for the county and surrounding areas is a longtime endeavor for the Lariccia family.

Fred and Tony Lariccia were the owners of the former Terrace Room restaurant which opened in Mentor in 1973. They currently partner with their cousin Jerry Silvestro to head up operations at Silvestro’s Depot Café in Painesville.

Although Great Harvest’s efforts have intensified lately, helping out the community is a year-round mission.

Undertakings include a Christmas in July fundraiser

“We now just clean more often in the high traffic areas. We are always sanitizing our tools and work stations throughout the day normally. Now, we are just doing it more frequently.” — Kris Lariccia, owner

where holiday-specific items are made and donations accepted for specific organizations.

In 2019 the business partnered with University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. All proceeds from the sale of specialty flavored cupcakes went directly to the hospital. Shipments of necessary provisions have been steady throughout the trying times of the coronavirus pandemic.

“So far, we have not had any issues getting ingredients,” Lariccia said. “Our suppliers have assured us they are well stocked and running efficiently.”

Bread is baked from scratch every day. Thus, crew members are able to take orders a day ahead to ensure that customers are supplied not only with items they want but also in the amounts they’re requesting.

Honey whole wheat, cheddar garlic, caraway rye, cinnamon chip and nine-grain breads as well as scones and muffins are some items available on various days.

For those preferring to make fewer trips to stores, several loaves can be purchased at once and frozen for later use.

“All of our breads last on the counter for seven to 10 days, making sure they are out of the sunlight, with the exception of our Gluten X products which last three days on the counter, two weeks in the fridge and three months in the freezer,” Lariccia said. “Everything freezes great for up to three months. For freezing, we do recommend double-bagging or putting in a freezer bag for all of our products.”

He notes that cleanliness is a consistent priority at the store but now staffers are putting in extra time to rigorously disinfect equipment and all surfaces.

“We have always had high standards for cleanliness,” Lariccia said. “We now just clean more often in the high traffic areas. We are always sanitizing our tools and work stations throughout the day normally. Now we are just doing it more frequently.”

SUBMITTED Great Harvest Bread Co. owner Kris Lariccia bakes bread for customers as well as local food pantries.