Sugar Bowl Bakery in Hayward is truly one of those "only in America" stories. It's about how five penniless Vietnamese brothers, "boat people," came to America as refugees in 1979 and pooled their resources from any job they could find to buy a small bakery and cafe in South San Francisco. Through hard work on developing unique products, a partnership with Costco, and a strategic move to Hayward, the company became the largest food service bakery in the Bay Area, servicing hotels, cafes, restaurants, convention centers, and colleges. And the company has opened a new operation outside of Atlanta with 300 employees.
The speaker at the Hayward Rotary luncheon on Sept. 12 will be Robyn Defina, vice president of marketing for Sugar Bowl Bakery.