Success Story: Rorys Bakery

Home Baker Transforms Pandemic Cookies into Thriving Napa Bakery

Location: Northern California | Napa County | Napa  

Business Type: Food Production and Retail (Bakery) 

CalOSBA Partners: Solano-Napa SBDC 

Assistance Received: Business Planning, Licensing and Permitting, and One-on-One Advising 

California State Assembly District: 4 

California State Senate District: 3 

Visit Rory’s Bakehouse online. 

Rory Kandel was furloughed from the restaurant industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so she started baking cookies from her home. Those cookies became so popular she moved to frozen products people could bake in their own homes. Before she knew it, she had a business, aptly named Rory’s Bakehouse. 

But while her dream was to own a business, she did not know where to start with permitting, licensing, and other vital components. That’s when she was paired with Solano-Napa SBDC Advisor Anni Minuzzo, a food operations and start-up expert. 

“The SBDC has all the tools and resources to help guide a person, who has really just the basic knowledge of entrepreneurship, into owning a successful business,” Rory shared. “All the advisors I have met have been a constant source for guidance, looking at next steps, and planning for the future. I trust my advisor, Anni, inherently. If I’m in a position where I have to make a decision and I don’t know what to do, she is always the person I turn to.” 

Over the last few years, and with Anni and the SBDC’s help, she has transitioned from a home business to operating out of a shared commissary kitchen, to having her own storefront and providing commissary space to local bakers like herself. Anni was also instrumental in guiding Rory through the process of obtaining her California processed foods permit, which allows her to sell her products in grocery stores. 

“Anni has been by my side at every step,” Rory said. “She [Anni} has given me a ton of emotional and positive support. Every day, there is something. Having someone on the other end who has been there and experienced it themselves, someone you can bounce ideas off and share your struggles and successes, it makes you feel a lot less alone. We’ve become close over the years because we have worked together so long. She treats me like family, and it’s made such a difference for me.” 

In addition to the one-on-one advising, Rory was also part of the SBDC’s Napa Success Accelerator program. Funded by Napa County, the seven-week Napa Success program guided business owners through the process of creating a pitch deck for their business. Rory and other participants received $2,500 grants at the end of the program. 

Since then, Rory reported that the Solano-Napa SBDC has helped Rory’s Bakehouse increase sales by $147,000 and expand staff to four part-time employees and one full-time employee. She also received equity investment seed funding of $100,000. 

Learn more about Rory’s Bakehouse by visiting them online at rorysbakehouse.com. 

And, if you are a California food entrepreneur looking to start or grow your business, connect with the Solano-Napa SBDC to get support today. 

Updated: 2/26/2026