Braintree Baker Is National Runner-Up For Small Businessperson Of Year

BRAINTREE, MA - A Braintree restauranteur was named the national runner-up on Thursday in a contest for small businessperson of the year held by the U. S. Small Business Administration as part of 2022 National Small Business Week this week.

Gregory Acerra, the president of Fireking Baking Company, received the honor. He started the company in 1995 to provide freshly baked, European-style artisan breads to his restaurants, clubs and catering company. He began selling his baked goods to Boston's top restaurants, and the business grew to sell fresh and frozen baked goods through a national distribution network. The product line has increased to include more than 300 baked goods made with a semi-automated process and baked in hearth ovens.

Fireking was the featured business in the April 2020 edition of baking magazine Baking & Snack, where Acerra announced the expansion of his business into its current 200,000-square-foot facility at 185 Campanelli Dr. This allowed his staff to grow from 140 to 210 people during the early months of the pandemic while other restaurants faced the threat of closure. The company now has 137 full-time and 152 temporary employees, according to the SBA.

Awards were announced virtually Thursday by the SBA to businesses across the country.

“Our National Small Business Week honorees reflect the strength of our nation’s entrepreneurial spirit—a spirit of community, grit, and ingenuity," said Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman in a statement. "This week we shine a spotlight on the impact they make on our neighborhoods, Main Streets, innovation hubs and manufacturing centers."

Guzman added that Acerra has been able to invest in his business with the help of SBA financing.

"Acerra loves growing his business and seeing his people share in the success of the company," she said, noting that he has invested in state-of-the-art equipment.

National Small Business Week has existed for nearly 60 years to recognize the contributions of small establishments to the national community as well as the economy.