Joe Hermes, 7-Eleven Inc. senior fresh foods director for baked goods, has sweet memories of the German bakery just blocks away from his grandparents’ home in Louisville, Ky. His favorite bakery treat? Donuts with chocolate icing.
7-Eleven® stores are now introducing a richer, fudgier icing for its chocolate-covered donuts – one Hermes knows well from his childhood visits to Wohlleb’s Bakery in Louisville. The new chocolate donuts are available in 4,800 U.S. and 400 Canadian stores that carry fresh-made-daily baked goods.
Founded in 1919, Wohlleb’s Bakery was a Louisville institution for more than 90 years and influenced Hermes’ decision to enter the bakery business. As an adult, Hermes ran his own independent bakery, worked in bakery operations for a national grocery retailer and for Dawn Food Products, a commercial baking supplies company.
He joined 7-Eleven, Inc. to head up the company’s fresh bakery and pastry program whereby stores order daily and receive overnight sweets and morning treats. The fresh-made products are prepared every day of the year by third-party experts in bakery facilities where 7-Eleven has a concentration of stores.
