New Haven Independent: Chabaso Eyes $2.5M Expansion

Chabaso Eyes $2.5M Expansion

by Allan Appel | March 14, 2007 12:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

The 33-year New Haven economic success story that is Chabaso Bakery — “artisanal” bread in the form of the beloved, aromatic ciabatta — kept on shaking and baking when a panel voted in favor of a grant of $168,000 towards a $2.5 million expansion of the sweet-smelling facility on Murphy Drive (off James) by the Mill River.

Chabaso’s founder, Charles Negaro (in the tie in front of photo) told the aldermanic Community Development Committee Tuesday night that the expansion will provide from 30 to 40 additional jobs over the next three years. Currently Chabaso’s facility employs 100 people (up dramatically from only five or ten in 1995 when the bakery moved to Fair Haven), in addition to the 30 who work for the Atticus cafe, which Negaro founded in 1976.

What accounts for this great success? “I think,” said Robert Melvin (in the white shirt beside Negaro), an officer with the city’s Office of Economic Development, “that Chabaso is a terrific model for what can happen when a business invests in the city.” Chabaso is community oriented, giving away bread every night in front of Atticus, as well as on election day (if you vote) and on Labor Day on the occasion of the New Haven Road Race.

“But the key thing,” said David Cox (behind Melvin in the photo), who is the CFO of Chabaso, “is a real dedication to Fair Haven. Out of the 130 employees we have, about 90 percent come from the immediate area, and many walk to work.”

“Several, who have started on the floor as packers and spoke no English,” Negaro said in his presentation to the alders, “are now working their way up in supervision and management in the office. We treat our employees as close to family as possible,” he said. “That means always above the minimum wage, health benefits, and in-house credit union. We bring banks to the office as well to encourage our people to open accounts.”

Chabaso’s expansion, from the present facility toward the Mill River, will provide additional loading docks, freezers, and office space. The $168,000 will be specifically used for costs associated with driving piles and concrete-filled pile caps to secure the foundation of the expanded facility. Because the land along the Mill River is marshy, the Mill River Municipal Development Project has funds set aside to offset such additional riverine construction requirements.

Cox also attributed the company’s success to the Chabaso brand’s expanding not only throughout New England, where it is the best-selling artisanal bread, but also in the mid-Atlantic states, and most recently, to supply 500 stores to the Winn Dixie chain in Florida and beyond. The company produces a million pounds of bread a month, according to John Ferreira (on the far right in the photo above). Much of it is profoundly enhanced by 3,000 pounds of garlic, which Chabaso purchases locally, once a week!

“Our ‘secret,’” he said, “is a pre-fermenting process, in which we prepare a portion the night before, and then mix it with the big batches on the following day. The taste is unique, like Europeans would have made 200 years ago, if they had our machines.”

How did alders such as committee Chairman Ed Mattison and member Andrea Jackson-Brooks respond? They were only sorry that Negaro had not brought, as he usually does on such occasions, a few loaves of the cranberry-nut ciabatta. Or the batards or the boules or the baguettes.

Because construction has already begun, the alders discharged the proposal for review by the full board, which will likely pass it — especially if Negaro brings along a couple of those loaves, freshly baked.

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Comments

Posted by: robn | March 14, 2007 9:23 AM

CHABASO BREAD RULES!

New Haven needs more good solid citizens like Charles Negaro.

Posted by: Bruce | March 14, 2007 9:56 AM

Congrats on Chabato's success, but if this company is so successful why are they relying on public funds for their expansion? Why are our representatives expecting handouts from a business lobbying them for public money? I don't care if it's just a loaf of bread, other professionals (journalists, for example) draw the ethics line at NO gifts -- why should we expect looser rules from city officials?

Posted by: Cop of the Week | March 14, 2007 10:18 AM

It should be noted that the reason Chabaso came before the board, was not for a handout, but rather to tap into an account set up over 20 years ago for businesses building in the Mill River Development Zone. The purpose of the funds was to encourage businesses to build and develop the mill river area, by assisting with the extraordinary cost of trying to build on poor soil conditions. Chabaso could have eaisily decided (like every other connecticut manufacturer) to shut down his operation and relocate to north carolina. The business has reached national status, supplying every state in New England, New York, New Jersey, even as far south as Florida. Before we began to jump on the jackass bandwagon and badger a business for coming to the city to offset development cost, lets just be appreciative that we have a busines that is willing to stay and support the very city that has supported him throughout the years. It called loyalty. This project is over 2.5 million dollars, we should want to help someone willing to invest those types of dollars in our community. Not to mention the fact that they employee New Haven Residents, they provide excellent benefits, and most of their employees have been with the company for 10 years. Not to mention...they make the best damn bread in the North East.

Posted by: nfjanette | March 14, 2007 1:35 PM

Congrats on Chabato's success, but if this company is so successful why are they relying on public funds for their expansion?

It's a fair question. I believe the answer given in the article is reasonable: the $168k given by the city will be used to directly support the construction of the expanded area. As such, it seems a good investment in a local factory that would remain in the future without regard to the fate of the bakery.

If more money was involved, it would also be reasonable for the city to place performance guarantees on the business for some period of time (for the money you must hire X local workers for Y years), like what was supposed to have happened to another infamous business in that area. But didn't.

It's good bread, too.

Posted by: Gabriel | March 14, 2007 9:37 PM

I came to Hew Haven more than 23 years ago and tried Chabaso bread for the first time at Atticus cafe, in one word I still get the bread there...Congrats!!!

Posted by: andy ross | March 15, 2007 1:11 AM

I say use it or lose it. The funds are there to be tapped by businesses that have a desire to grow and expand right here in new Haven. The competition for businesses that have a track record of providing jobs to their community is fierce. They were probably already courted by other towns and the help from the fund I am sure helped them tip the scales to staying right here in New haven. We not only need more dollars to assist commercial growth to create jobs but we need to let the businesses know how to gain access to it.

Good Luck Chabasa

Posted by: Bruce | March 15, 2007 9:29 AM

I hate always being such a sourpuss when it comes to public funding, but high taxes inhibit growth. Giving money away always seems like so much fun, but giving money to the non-needy just doesn't seem like appropriate use. I still have no idea where this money comes from -- state, federal, city, private -- no one seems to care.

Posted by: East Rockette | March 15, 2007 4:40 PM

So does anyone know if can you just walk in and buy bread at the Bakery Outlet (as seen in that second photo above)? It's closer than Atticus, and on my way home... Yum!

Posted by: Nan Bartow | March 15, 2007 10:38 PM

I love Chabaso's bread. Let's do what we can to keep Chabaso's alive, healthy, and within the borders of New Haven. Freshly made artisanal bread is worth a lot. Buy it and eat it tonight for dinner.

Posted by: EWE | March 16, 2007 6:54 AM

Yes! You CAN buy bread at the oulet store in the factory...fresh (as in still warm from the oven) as well as day old, and cookies and pastries, too!

New Haven Independent

Chabaso Eyes $2.5M Expansion

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