The Baker’s Son

In 1990, my family immigrated to the United States. Like many family businesses, I spent my afternoons, weekends, and school breaks helping in our bakery. By 1994, I was working full-time alongside my father, Toto Valerio, at Valerio's Tropical Bakeshop in West Covina, California — where I also met my wife, Kathleen. Working side by side with my father taught me more than just baking. I learned the values of hard work, consistency, and the importance of creating products that bring people together — lessons passed down through generations, beginning with my grandfather, who started baking in the early 1950s. Over the years, I helped manage and grow multiple bakery locations across the United States. In 2002, I took over the Union City location and continued building on the foundation my family had created.