Boca Raton, Fla. – Boca Raton-based Cosa Duci Italian Bakery is the recipient of a $75,000 low-interest loan from Whole Foods Market’s Local Producer Loan Program. Cosa Duci is known for their locally made cookies, biscotti, and specialty cakes, which are carried in Whole Foods Market locations throughout Florida.
Whole Foods Market will make an official check presentation to Cosa Duci on Monday, June 17 at 10 a.m. The presentation will take place at Whole Foods Market in Boca Raton, located at 1400 Glades Road.
Founded in 2007 by Giovanna Cimino, Cosa Duci is a family-run bakery focused on traditional, all-natural, sweet Italian baked goods. Operated by Cimino’s daughter, Silvia Fausto, all Cosa Duci recipes were passed down from her family in Sicily. Cimino came up with the idea for Cosa Duci when her son, Giuseppe, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Her wish was to help find a cure for MS and a portion of all Cosa Duci profits are donated to Multiple Sclerosis foundations.
The $75,000 loan is for five years at an interest rate of 5 percent. Cosa Duci is using the funds to purchase equipment that will allow the bakery to produce and ship products faster. This is the fourth Local Producer Loan funded in the Florida region.
“We are incredibly thankful to Whole Foods Market for believing in us and supporting us. This loan will allow us to grow further and make our relationship even stronger,” said Fausto. “We can’t thank enough each and every person we’ve learned from during this process, and we are committed to producing top quality products and great customer service.”
Whole Foods Market, the world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket, has funded more than 160 Local Producer Loans totaling nearly $9 million since the program began in 2007. The company has pledged to grant up to $10 million in low-interest loans to small, local producers. Supporting local products and the people who supply them is a key philosophy of Whole Foods Market.
To qualify for a loan through Whole Foods Market’s Local Producer Loan Program, producers must meet Whole Foods Market’s strict Quality Standards, use the funds for expansion and have a viable business plan. Loans range from $1,000 to $100,000 and have fixed, low interest rates.
