From Little Italy to a National Bakery: The Rotella’s Story

The Rotella family’s baking tradition began long before Rotella’s bread became familiar to generations of Omahans.  Jimmy and Rocky Rotella join Tony Vacanti Jr. to trace their family’s story from Calabria, Italy, through immigration and Omaha’s Little Italy to the growth of one of Nebraska’s best-known family-owned food businesses.  The conversation explores generations of breadmaking, the family’s early years in Omaha and a time when neighborhood bakeries supplied restaurants, grocery stores and families throughout the city.  Jimmy and Rocky also explain how Rotella’s evolved from a local Omaha bakery into a much larger operation. Investments in production, frozen bread and food-service distribution helped the company reach customers far beyond Nebraska while remaining rooted in the same family business.  Along the way are stories of immigration, entrepreneurship, generosity and community, including memories of a time when an Italian bakery wasn’t simply a place to buy bread. It was part of the neighborhood around it.  From Little Italy to national distribution, the Rotella story shows how an immigrant family tradition became part of both Omaha history and a much larger American food business.  Italians Who Fed Omaha is a podcast from La Casa Pizzeria dedicated to preserving the stories of the Italian and Sicilian families who helped shape Omaha’s food culture. Hosted by fourth-generation pizzaiolo and La Casa owner-operator Tony Vacanti Jr., the series documents the restaurants, bakeries, recipes, traditions and families that helped make Omaha taste like home.  References: https://www.rotellasbakery.com/ https://www.wowt.com/2026/01/15/omaha-restaurateur-caterina-malaras-granddaughters-charged-with-stealing-more-than-550000-her-trust/ https://www.yelp.com/biz/malaras-italian-restaurant-omaha-5 This podcast is part of Hurrdat ONE, an Omaha-based podcast and digital media network dedicated to telling the stories of our city and the people who make it what it is. Hurrdat ONE brings together local voices, creators, businesses, and communities through original podcasts, video, and social content made for Omaha and by Omaha. Discover more local stories and shows at Hurrdat ONE and subscribe to the Hurrdat ONE YouTube channel.