WACO, Texas — A lot Central Texans are in bed around 2 a.m., but for the crew at Jimenez Bakery in South Waco, it would be time to get to work.
At Jimenez Bakery, they turn lumps of dough into empanadas, conchas and marrinitos.
“There’s different types of breads, different colors, different shapes,” Nora Casales said.
They fill their shelves with thousands of freshly baked goods within hours.
“For us, it is the low season for bread. Right now, we are making 3,000 or a little bit more,” Nora Casales said.
The bakery doubles that amount during the colder months. For Jose Jimenez, it’s a family tradition. He’s been baking alongside his brothers Santiago and Enrique since he was 13.
“We’re so grateful that we bake our bread with love,” Jose Jimenez said.
It all started 12 years ago, when their building used to be a restaurant called 7 Mares.
Jose said back then, they were just renting a small space to start their business.
“My brothers started working here, making small pieces of bread with a small oven," Jose Jimenez said.
"Then the business started taking off slowly.”
Eventually, Santiago and Enrique bought the building and over the past decade their bakery has grown to become a pillar of the Hispanic community in Waco.
“They start from nothing, from zero. They started growing, growing, growing," Norsa Casales said.
"These guys are amazing. I’m very proud."
Jose said he grew up in Mexico eating sweets and coffee with his family, and now he is proud to give many in Waco the opportunity to enjoy that same experience.
“I feel so proud to represent a piece of our country right here in the U.S. — I’m also happy to be contributing to our local economy," Jose Jimenez said.
"We never thought that every day we'd be able to bake this much bread. The business keeps growing every day.”
