Bauducco's $200M Zephyrhills Bakery Opens, With 600 Jobs and a Store on the Way

Brazilian bakery giant Bauducco Foods has officially opened its new production plant in Zephyrhills, cutting the ribbon on a roughly $200 million facility that the company says will eventually employ about 600 people — most of them hired locally — and will be followed by a Bauducco retail store opening in town later this fall.

The ribbon-cutting took place June 26 at the plant, built on a 72-acre site at the Zephyrhills Airport Industrial Park, according to local news reports. For a community where a new career often means a long drive toward Tampa, a bakery-scale factory hiring right here is a rare kind of good news: steady work close to home, plus a sweet new destination for families.

The plant makes the products Bauducco is known for — panettone, wafers and biscuits — for the U.S. market. Founded in São Paulo in 1952 and now run by the third generation of the Bauducco family, the company has operated in the U.S. for more than two decades.

Hiring is happening in phases

Bauducco isn't filling all 600 jobs at once. The company said hiring is rolling out in phases, starting with production-line positions, as the facility itself is built out over time.

The project is being developed in three phases, according to reports: the first phase — roughly 120 full-time positions — was targeted to be operational by mid-2026, with the second phase expected by 2028 and the third by 2030. By the time the full facility is running, about 600 jobs are projected across the Tampa Bay area.

A local, bilingual hiring push

Company leadership has been clear that the goal is to hire from the surrounding community. Bauducco's CEO, Stefano Mozzi, said the company is trying to hire mainly from the area and build long-term jobs, according to local media outlets.

A notable part of the strategy is a focus on bilingual workers. The company has partnered with local staffing agencies to recruit at hiring fairs, and a leader at one of those agencies said it has already helped place dozens of people in jobs through those events, local news reports said.

For employees, that emphasis has made a difference. Edmelinda Arce, who works on Bauducco's quality-control team testing products before they ship, said she used to pass the building every day thinking she wanted to work there. She said being bilingual lets her help coworkers who are still learning the job feel comfortable and understand the process — and that the position has opened doors toward a better future, according to local media outlets.

A store is coming this fall

Beyond the jobs, there's a treat for shoppers: Bauducco plans to open a store in Zephyrhills later this fall, according to local news reports. That would give residents a direct spot to buy the brand's panettone, cookies and wafers close to where they're made.

Exact details on the store's location, opening date and hours had not been confirmed as of this writing. Residents watching for hiring events and store news should rely on official company and local announcements rather than unverified posts.

Why it matters for Zephyrhills

A phased build toward roughly 600 jobs is one of the larger private employers to land in the immediate area in recent years, and it anchors the growing industrial park near the Zephyrhills airport. For local families, it means production and warehouse careers within town limits — and, soon, a bakery storefront to go with them.

For updates on hiring events, the store opening, and other growth in town, keep it locked to Zephyrhills Community Website, and tell us what you'd want to see at the new store over in our Community Forum. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X so you don't miss a job-fair announcement.

Want more like this? Read more business & development stories and browse the latest in our Coming Soon section.