The earthy simplicity of avocado toast, America’s brunch obsession of the last decade, might seem like it can’t be improved upon. But trust New Jersey ingenuity to further refine this beloved dish: The Avocado Bread Company in Denville has created a bread with succulent Hass avocados baked right in.
Made from a blend of natural grains, The Avocado Bread Company’s products “capture the healthy spirit of avocado toast, with true texture and flavor,” says Nick Sorresse, whose role is to translate recipes into finished products. “We’ve been on the shelves only since December 2023, and bread customers have really taken to it.”
Got wellness-related New Year’s resolutions on the brain? Avocado bread is high in protein and fiber, with none of the potentially harmful additives found in most commercial breads. Recipe boss Ben Rizzitello calls the company’s products “power bread—they’re plant-based, vegan and packed with powerful nutrients including healthy fats, fiber and antioxidants,” he says.
Another innovation: their seven-grain bread, laden with crunchy seeds and grains and sparked with guacamole spices “that make people want to pair this bread with everything,” says Sorresse. “Personally, I’m into grilled cheese, and this makes the ultimate.”
The Avocado Bread Company has a presence in 4,000 supermarkets in the U.S. and Mexico, including Kings and Stop & Shop in New Jersey. Customers can choose from sandwich-ready sliced loaves, dinner rolls, ciabatta buns, focaccia, filoni (baguettes), twists and more. The breads are sold fresh and ready to freeze, or to be enjoyed following a few minutes in your oven or toaster oven.
The Avocado Bread Company is a new brand of Anthony & Sons, which was founded in 1984 by Anthony Dattolo, a Sicilian baker who emigrated to the Garden State in 1952 as a teenager. “Our dad originally worked for other bakeries but wanted to be his own boss and create a family legacy,” says son Baldo Dattolo. “We all grew up loving to bake.” Baldo was 22 and his brother, Joey, was 21 when their father started up Anthony & Sons. At first, he says, it was a struggle: “We almost never had a day off.” But as word of mouth spread about their bread quality, he says, they began expanding.
In 2000, the company moved to its current facility in Denville, a sparkling, state-of-the-art, 65,000-square-foot bakery that runs 24/7, 365 days a year. Anthony Dattolo passed away in 2015. Baldo—known on Instagram as Baldo the Breadman—is now president and CEO; Joey is vice president, and 25-year-old Joey Jr. manages the factory’s two market & café locations in Denville and Succasunna.
“The bread business is extremely competitive,” Baldo notes. “Just to get a shot at success, you have to make the right decisions. But to grow the way we have, your bread has to be what people want at that moment.”
And Baldo feels that this is the moment for his healthy, versatile avocado bread. “Bottom line: This is bread that’s good for you,” he says. “We’re a family-owned, New Jersey-rooted company, and we care deeply about our customers.”
“There’s love,” he adds, “in every bite.”
