The iconic Brazilian brand — beloved for its cookies, wafers, and specialty baked goods — makes a landmark U.S. investment, deepening its commitment to American consumers and strengthening a retail partnership built on a larger domestic production.
ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla., June 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — For three generations, Bauducco® has done one thing exceptionally well: make food worth sharing. Its Wafer Cookies — layered, crisp, and impossible to eat just one of — have been a staple of Brazilian households for decades. Its rich cream-filled cookies, classic butter biscuits, and beloved seasonal specialties have traveled from pantries in São Paulo to celebrations across more than 50 countries. Today, that story takes its most ambitious chapter yet.
Bauducco® officially opened the doors to its largest U.S. manufacturing facility at 40334 6th Ave, in Zephyrhills, Florida. The 160,000-square-foot facility brings state-of-the-art production technology and double the manufacturing capacity previously available for the American market under one roof — streamlining the supply chain, shortening lead times, and enabling Bauducco® to respond to retail demand with greater speed and precision than ever before. The campus is designed to scale beyond 1.2 million square feet of production and distribution capacity as the company’s U.S. footprint grows, making today’s opening not just a milestone but a foundation — the most permanent and ambitious commitment Bauducco® has ever made to American consumers.
Founded in 1952, Bauducco® built its reputation on a deceptively simple idea: that the best baked goods require no shortcuts. The company’s U.S. wafer portfolio reflects that philosophy at every layer. The signature Wafer Cookies — available in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and coconut, and across multiple formats including a 40g single-serve, a 5oz multipack, a 9oz Family Pack, and a Sugar Free line in 5oz and 4.2oz — are made with a proprietary process that has remained largely unchanged since the brand’s earliest days. The result is a product that has achieved something rare in the snack category: genuine loyalty across generations.
The plant brings Bauducco®’s full wafer lineup under a Made in USA designation for the first time, operating at double the production capacity of what the brand previously had available for the American market. The demand signal was clear. What Bauducco® needed was the infrastructure to meet it — and now they have it.
The decision to build that infrastructure in the United States was not made quickly. For a family-owned company with deep roots in Brazil, it was a question of identity as much as strategy: was Bauducco® ready to make the expansion and build out the portfolio?
The answer, ultimately, was yes. And it’s expanding with a bet on Florida.
Zephyrhills — a growing community in the heart of Pasco County, northeast of Tampa — offered the combination of infrastructure, workforce, and community character that Bauducco®’s leadership was looking for. Pasco County’s economic development team was a key partner in making the case, helping to connect the company’s expansion vision with the resources and relationships needed to turn it into reality. The company expects the facility to employ over 600 people at full production capacity, making it one of the more significant food manufacturing employers in Pasco County.
“Bauducco’s decision to expand in Zephyrhills and create 600 jobs is a tremendous win for Pasco County. These are the kinds of opportunities that change lives and provide quality jobs for our residents while strengthening our local economy. We are proud that a globally recognized brand like Bauducco sees Pasco County as a place where it can grow and succeed, and we look forward to supporting their continued success for many years to come.” – Bill Cronin, President/CEO, Pasco Economic Development Council
The State of Florida and local government played an equally important role in bringing the project to life, with support that reflected the kind of public-private collaboration that Bauducco®’s leadership says made the decision clear.
“Today marks an exciting milestone for the City of Zephyrhills. We are proud to welcome Bauducco Foods and celebrate the opening of its largest U.S. manufacturing facility right here in Zephyrhills. Bauducco’s investment brings new high-wage jobs, strengthens our local economy, and further demonstrates the momentum taking place throughout our growing Industrial Corridor. Beyond its investment, Bauducco has already demonstrated a commitment to our city through its support of local organizations, events, and initiatives. On behalf of the Zephyrhills City Council and our residents, we are honored that this globally recognized company chose Zephyrhills for this important expansion and look forward to a long and successful partnership that will benefit our community for years to come.” – Melonie Bahr Monson, Mayor, City of Zephyrhills
For Stefano Mozzi, Bauducco®’s recently appointed Global CEO, the Zephyrhills facility is the physical expression of a strategic conviction he has championed since joining the company: that Bauducco®’s future in the United States depends on being present here in every sense of the word.
Speak to the vision behind this investment — why the U.S., why now, what this facility enables for the brand’s product quality and growth ambitions. Personal tone encouraged. Reference the brand’s 75-year legacy and what it means to bring that craftsmanship to American manufacturing. – Stefano Mozzi, Global CEO, Bauducco®
Bauducco®’s growth in the United States has been driven by retail partners who recognized early what American consumers were beginning to discover: that the brand’s commitment to quality was something worth putting on a shelf and standing behind. Those partnerships — built on consistent product performance, strong consumer pull, and a brand story that resonates across demographics — are now supported by something they have not had before: domestic production.
The Zephyrhills facility changes the equation for Bauducco®’s retail relationships in meaningful ways. Manufacturing on U.S. soil means shorter lead times, greater supply chain reliability, and the ability to respond to demand signals with speed and precision. For the retailers who have invested in the brand, it is a signal that Bauducco® is not here to test the market — it is here to serve it.
The facility also positions Bauducco® within a broader movement among major U.S. retailers to prioritize domestic sourcing and American-made products — a shift that has created new opportunities for brands willing to make the infrastructure investment to match.
“Bauducco’s investment in U.S. manufacturing is a strong example of how companies can create jobs, strengthen local communities and serve Walmart customers closer to home,” said Melody Richard, Senior Vice President, Pantry, Walmart U.S.
Bauducco® products are currently available at major retailers across the country, with the Zephyrhills facility expected to support expanded distribution and shelf presence as domestic production capacity grows. Bauducco® is the world’s largest producer of Panettone — a distinction earned over decades of perfecting the Italian-origin holiday bread that has become synonymous with the brand across more than 50 countries.
Bauducco® remains a family company. The founders’ descendants remain active in the business, and that ownership structure — with its long time horizons and personal stakes — is something company leaders say directly shaped the decision to invest at this scale in the United States.
The Zephyrhills facility is not a licensing arrangement or a co-manufacturing deal. It is Bauducco®’s own building, Bauducco®’s own lines, and Bauducco®’s own people. That distinction matters to a company that has always insisted on controlling what goes into every product it puts its name on.
For the Bauducco® family, today’s ceremony is a milestone measured not just in square footage and production capacity, but in what it represents across generations: the belief that something built carefully and honestly will always find its audience.
About Bauducco®
Founded in Brazil in 1952 by an Italian immigrant, Bauducco® is one of the world’s largest producers of baked goods, globally. Inspiring unforgettable moments with recipes crafted with innovation and passion, Bauducco®’s products are synonymous with The Feeling of Family. As a global company exporting to more than 50 countries, Bauducco® has been doing business in the U.S. for more than 20 years and has a national presence. Panettone, one of Bauducco®’s most iconic products, is a strategic player in the U.S. market, where the brand holds an 86% value share in this category. Bauducco® is the leading wafer producer nationwide. Bauducco®’s signature Panettones, Wafers, Cookies and Toasts are sold in most major retailers across the U.S. To learn more about Bauducco®, please visit www.bauducco.com and follow @bauducco.us on Instagram.
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