With empty store shelves, bread has become one of the hardest staples
to find but a few Taylor businesses are working to fill that void.“The grocery stores are getting bombarded,” said Mike Sanfilippo,
partner of Michigan Bread.

And bombarded with a problem. Michigan Bread is one of the largest suppliers
of bread to restaurants in the state. The company has had to shut down
some lines due to the coronavirus, but Sanfilippo is working to change
the business model.

“Now because of the virus we
have to change and get into
a different lane,” he said.

That lane he’s talking about is
retail.

“We reached out to Kroger at
the beginning of the week.

They’re giving us the opportunity to serve 90 Kroger (stores) for them because
the other bakeries in the community can’t fill their shelves for them,”
Sanfilippo said.

But before the change, Mike’s got a lot of extra bread to give away. The word
is getting out — Michigan Bread is helping so many charities.

Everyone in Taylor knows of Pete’s Place, and Pete is helping out
as well with bread.

“(We decided) to go and give away bread today with every purchase
when a customer comes in and have it available to them during these
hard times,” said owner Pete Ochab.

Sanfilippo says when he gets a call from a charity thanking him,
he gets a little choked up. It’s especially personal when it comes to
helping out seniors.

“My father’s a vet, he’s 92. He’s in a senior living facility right now —
I can’t go see him. I just want to help people, I want to help the economy
get through what we’re struggling with,” he said.