La Rose Specialty Foods and Fine Italian Bakery

What La Rose Specialty Foods and Fine Italian Bakery does

La Rose Specialty Foods and Fine Italian Bakery is a family-owned and operated specialty food retailer and Italian bakery founded in 1982 in Milton, Ontario, Canada, by Cosimo and Maggie Lizzi. The business operates from a single physical storefront at 327 Bronte Street South, serving Milton and the broader Greater Toronto Area (GTA). It functions as an integrated destination combining a daily-bake bakery (over 30 bread types and 15+ bun varieties), a cake and pastry department (30+ cake flavors, 30+ individual desserts, custom decorated cookies), a hot-table lunch service (11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), Italian catering for events, and a specialty grocery offering 100+ cheeses, 80+ deli meats, 30+ extra virgin olive oils and aged vinegars, plus imported British products, organic produce, and dedicated vegan and gluten-free ranges.

Production is anchored by traditional artisan methods: hand-shaping and hand-rolling of doughs, scratch-made pastry cream, fresh in-house ricotta cannoli filling, and use of 35% real cream in cakes, with everything baked and cooked from scratch daily. There is no e-commerce platform or online ordering; customers transact in-store or via phone, with custom cakes requiring 48-hour notice, custom decorated cookies requiring 8-day notice, and gift baskets requiring 48-hour notice. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; classic cakes are sold in fixed sizes (10" round, 12" round, half slab, full slab), cookies by weight, and custom cakes carry tier-based budgets from $50 up to $1,000+.

Revenue mechanics are entirely transactional retail and event catering, with no subscription, licensing, or recurring component. The customer base is fragmented across local community consumers, event and corporate catering clients, wedding and special-occasion cake buyers, and specialty food enthusiasts — all served through one retail destination with no wholesale distribution, no second location, and no digital channel. The company is privately held by the Lizzi family, with second-generation members Sal (store manager), Emily (pastry department head), and Domenic (bread recipe developer) now in operational roles. La Rose has accumulated 17 consecutive Reader's Choice Awards for Best Desserts, recognition across 14 Reader's Choice categories, the 2018 Milton Chamber of Commerce Business Persons of the Year award, the 2017 Brian Brady Award for community partnership with Milton District Hospital Foundation, and a feature on Food Network Canada's The Big Bake (Season 1), alongside over $200,000 raised for Milton District Hospital Foundation across its operating history.

Name

La Rose Specialty Foods and Fine Italian Bakery

Legal name

La Rose Specialty Foods and Fine Italian Bakery

Website

https://larosebakery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Rose Specialty Foods and Fine Italian Bakery is a family-owned specialty retailer and Italian bakery operating since 1982 from a single storefront in Milton, Ontario, serving the GTA with scratch-baked breads, custom cakes, catering, hot lunch, and an extensive imported and gourmet grocery assortment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Bakery and Specialty Foods Retail

NAICS

Retail Bakeries (311811), Baked Goods Retailers (445291), All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298), Special Food Services (7223)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic & Regional Bakeries (e.g., Middle Eastern, Asian, Latin) (THAFAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gourmet & Fine Food Stores (CRAHAGAG), Delis & Sandwich Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAF), Prepared Foods & Catering-Focused Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAM)

Keywords

• Artisan Italian bakery
• Specialty foods retail
• Custom celebration cakes
• Gourmet cheese shop
• Deli and charcuterie

Headquarters

HQ city

Milton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Bakery and Baked Goods Sales: In-store sales of freshly baked breads, buns, pastries, cakes, cookies, and desserts. Products sold daily over the counter. Cakes available a la carte (8-inch) or by pre-order for special occasions. Cookies sold by weight. Custom cake orders require full payment at time of order.
2. Specialty Foods and Grocery: Sale of specialty cheeses (over 100 varieties), deli meats (over 80 varieties), fresh produce (including organic), specialty grocery items, imported British products, vegan and gluten-free products, dairy, and frozen foods. Items sold over counter at retail prices.
3. Catering Services: Corporate events, parties, and special occasions catering. Menu includes specialty pasta, lasagna, veal, chicken, fresh salads, deli meats, gourmet cheese trays, sandwiches, fresh fruit. Party trays available. Catering menu downloadable as PDF.
4. Hot Table and Lunch Service: Daily hot table service from 11 AM to 2:30 PM offering veal sandwiches, specialty pastas, meats, and vegetarian selections. Customers can dine in café area or take out. Ready-to-go meals also available.
5. Gift Baskets: Custom gift baskets filled with gourmet items including extra virgin olive oil, chocolate, coffee, cheese, and handmade biscuits. Minimum 48 hours notice required for orders. Gift cards available at any denomination.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

La Rose Specialty Foods and Fine Italian Bakery is a family-owned Italian bakery and specialty foods store producing fresh breads, buns, cakes, cookies, and individual desserts from scratch daily at a single retail location in Milton, Ontario. The store also operates a gourmet cheese shop with over 100 varieties, a deli counter with 80+ meats sliced to order, a specialty grocery section with 30+ olive oils and imported goods, an organic produce section, a daily hot-table lunch service, custom cake orders, and catering for corporate events and private parties.

Product overview

La Rose Specialty Foods and Fine Italian Bakery is a family-owned specialty food store and bakery operating since 1982 in Milton, Ontario. The business operates as a unified retail establishment offering multiple interconnected product lines: a full-service bakery producing fresh breads, buns, and sweet baked goods daily; an extensive cake and pastry department offering over 25 classic cake flavors, over 30 varieties of individual desserts, and custom decorated cookies; fresh hot lunch table and ready-to-go meals; Italian catering services; a gourmet cheese shop with 100+ varieties; a delicatessen with 80+ deli meats and homemade sausages; fresh organic produce; custom gift baskets; and a specialty grocery featuring imported oils, vinegars, international products, organic, vegan, and gluten-free items.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Artisan Bakery (Breads and Buns) Freshly made breads and buns baked daily, featuring over 30 types of loaves (Austrian Loaf, Cheddar Cheese Bread, Focaccia, Garlic Rosemary Bread, Nordic Loaf, Pumpernickel, Sourdough, Rye, Whole Wheat, and more) and over 15 types of buns (bagels, cheese buns, dinner rolls, submarine buns, ciabatta, Calabrese buns, Kaisers, and more). Sweet bakes including croissants, Danish pastries, turnovers, and donuts are available Friday-Sunday. Targeted at local retail customers and families seeking fresh, preservative-free daily bread.
• Classic Cakes Handmade celebration cakes available in 10-inch round, 12-inch round, half slab, and full slab sizes, with over 25 cake flavors including Bacio, Black Forest, Cannoli, Carrot, Cheesecake, Fudge, Red Velvet, Tiramisu, Ferrero, and gluten-free options. Standard 8-inch cakes are sold a la carte daily; custom cake orders require 48-hour notice and full payment at time of order. Targeted at families, wedding clients, and hosts of special occasions.
• Cookies and Macarons Handmade traditional Italian cookies including Amaretti (flour-free almond cookies), Frollini (Italian butter cookies), and custom decorated sugar cookies, plus gluten-free macarons, cookie favours, and custom decorated cookies for events (8-day notice required). Targeted at retail customers and event hosts.
• Individual Italian Desserts and Pastries Over 30 varieties of fresh Italian pastries and mini desserts made daily, including cannoli (traditional Sicilian and chocolate chip), chocolate eclairs, individual cheesecakes, sfogliatelle, macarons, rum balls, fruit tarts, and meringue tarts, including gluten-free options. Targeted at retail customers seeking individually portioned Italian treats.
• Event Catering Service Italian catering for corporate events and private parties, with a downloadable catering menu PDF. Offerings include specialty pasta, lasagna, veal, chicken, fresh salads, sandwich trays, deli meat trays, and gourmet cheese trays. Targeted at event organizers, corporate clients, and party hosts in the GTA.
• Hot Table Lunch and Ready-To-Go Meals Daily hot table service from 11 AM to 2:30 PM serving fresh Italian dishes including veal sandwiches, specialty pastas, meats, and vegetarian selections, with café seating for dine-in and ready-to-go meals available for take-home dinner options. Targeted at local lunch customers, walk-ins, and office workers.
• Specialty Cheese Shop Over 100 varieties of gourmet Canadian and imported cheeses including Parmigiano Reggiano D.O.P., aged Italian Buffalo Milk Cheese with Black Truffles, Queso Manchego D.O.P., Swiss Emmental, Quebec cheeses (Oka, St. Paulin, La Sauvagine), plus everyday staples like cheddar, mozzarella, havarti, and provolone. Targeted at gourmet consumers, cheese enthusiasts, and catering clients.
• Deli, Charcuterie and Fresh Sausages Over 80 varieties of deli meats sliced fresh to order, including imported European meats (Prosciutto di Parma, Mortadella, Serrano Prosciutto), homemade Italian sausages (mild and hot) made from Cosimo's hometown recipe, German sausages (Bratwurst, Knackwurst), dry sausages, and Italian cured products. Targeted at retail consumers, charcuterie buyers, and catering clients.
• Fresh Produce Fresh vegetables and fruits including a large selection of organic produce, with custom-made fruit gift baskets available. Targeted at health-conscious grocery shoppers and gift buyers.
• Custom Gift Baskets and Gift Cards Custom gourmet gift baskets filled with extra virgin olive oil, chocolate, coffee, cheese, and handmade biscuits (48-hour notice required), and gift cards available at any denomination in store. Targeted at corporate gifting, holiday gift buyers, and personal gift purchasers.
• Specialty Grocery (Imported, Organic, Vegan and Gluten-Free) Specialty grocery assortment including 30+ types of extra virgin olive oils (domestic, imported, first cold pressed, DOP registered, organic), specialty oils (truffle, avocado, walnut) and vinegars aged 1-30 years including traditional balsamics, pasta varieties, gourmet jarred and canned foods, preserves, organic products, vegan items (nut cheeses, plant-based meats and dairy alternatives), British imported products (Cadbury, Walker's Crisps, Yorkshire teas), dairy, and frozen foods including gluten-free options. Targeted at foodies, dietary-restricted consumers, and gourmet specialty shoppers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reader's Choice Award for Best Desserts for 17 consecutive years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Milton District Hospital Foundation (MDHF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term community partnership supporting Milton District Hospital. Raised over $200,000 through various fundraising initiatives including barbecues, plastic bag sales, and gala events. Hosts Gala Fundraiser every five years with proceeds donated to MDHF. Donates bag money daily to MDHF. Supported ICU unit sponsorship.
• Italian Canadian Club of Milton (ICCM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ICCM for Italiafest, an annual outdoor summer festival celebrating Italian culture and all cultures through food, music, dance, games, and community. La Rose is a proud sponsor of the event. Italiafest selects a different charitable organization each year to receive funds raised at the event.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Peers

• Panera Bread:

Direct peers

• Stonemill Bakehouse: Toronto-area artisan bakery specializing in handcrafted breads, pastries, and cakes with a similar scratch-made, preservative-free philosophy. Directly comparable to La Rose as a Canadian independent bakery producing fresh daily baked goods for retail and wholesale customers.
• Dufflet Pastries: Toronto-based bakery and dessert company producing cakes, pastries, and individual desserts for retail and foodservice channels. Closely comparable to La Rose on its core cake, pastry, and custom celebration dessert business in the same Greater Toronto Area market.

Broad incumbents

• Cobs Bread: National Canadian bakery chain operating hundreds of franchised storefronts producing fresh-baked breads daily. Comparable to La Rose on product category (fresh-baked bread, buns, pastries) but operates at significantly broader geographic scale and via franchised, multi-store model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/larosemilton
• Facebookfacebook.com/larosemilton
• Instagraminstagram.com/larosemilton
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-rose-italian-bakery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about La Rose Specialty Foods and Fine Italian Bakery