Fanniak Bakery Roldán, Where Alaska Tastes like Mexico
by carlos matías
In less than five years, Estefania Roldan followed the family baking tradition of more than 120 years and created Fanniak Bakery Roldan in Anchorage. She is already one of the best artisan bakeries, serving her products to customers of all nationalities.
Estefania, “Fanni”, created Fanniak Bakery Roldan. She was backed by the family baking tradition, which her grandfather started more than 120 years ago in Mexico. Married, with three Anchorage-born children, Fanni is an internationally successful entrepreneur. Her clientele is of all nationalities, and she is one of the top-rated bakers and pastry chefs in the final phase of the “Who is the Greatest Baker” online World Competition, which searches for the best baker in the world. Five years ago, Estefania left her hometown in Cholula, in the state of Puebla, Mexico, for Anchorage. She came to visit her father, who had moved to the city for work, and fell in love with Alaska. Her husband, Mario Romero, followed in her footsteps. They settled in Anchorage and Mario became Estefania’s biggest supporter, as he made the first cakes. But his drive for success made him one of the best carpet installers in town.
“I had to do something” The beginnings were not easy. While Mario was working, Fanni thought she “had to do something” and with her father, Pedro Roldán, a baker for two generations, decided she should do what she knows best: bread.
Every morning Fanni would go to Mexican restaurants. Her father offered trays of bread and she offered jellies and flan. “I have experienced rejection because of racism. But also, have had good experiences with genuine Americans who recommend me to new customers”. Among these new customers are the wives of the former and current governors.
Today, Fanni makes breads, cakes, and pies, which she sells wholesale and retail to American, Mexican, Chilean, Argentinean, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Peruvian, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese customers... “They like the typical breads from my country, and I want Anchorage to have a place with a taste of Mexico”, she tells Sol de Medianoche. “They love the chocoflanes, the cakes, the cookies... there is a three-week waiting list on orders at the moment”.
– What is the secret of your success? – My grandfather once told me: “The secret of good bread is love. Never come to work angry because your bread won’t turn out well.” This is the secret of my success.
Fanni will open a cafe that will offer the exclusive brand of coffee “Casa Pedro”, 100% Veracruzano (Mexican) with a unique flavor, created by her brothers Pedro Javier and Brandon Roldan. “I invite you to visit “Casa Pedro” in Valladolid, Yucatan, where my brothers and my mom serve with quality and the visitor can taste unique flavors and have rewarding experiences”. Estefania emphasizes that she owes every step and every achievement to her mother, Mayra Portillo.
