The New Oven in Town
For many years, the Washington Avenue area of Portland, Maine smelled wonderful as the baking ovens of the John J. Nissen Baking Company turned out loaves of bread which would be distributed throughout the Northeast. The Portland bakery, which occupied four building floors near Munjoy Hill, did need upgrading for many reasons, and relocation was determined to be the most feasible approach to eliminating the problems without interrupting production. The possibility existed that an out-of-state move of the bakery could take place and the purchase in 1995 of the parent company was made by the late Maine philanthropist, Mrs. Elizabeth Noyce, who intended that the business remain in Maine.
In 1996, the decision was made to relocate to a brand new, state-of-the-art facility which would be constructed in Biddeford, Maine on the Freight Main Line of Guilford Rail. This move would end the fragrance that whetted the appetites of Portland people and, as well, result in job relocations for the people formerly employed in Portland. However, the commitment to the new facility would benefit the region significantly, and was hailed by all as a great development, especially for Biddeford, which had not had an industrial bright spot for years.
As is so often the case, guarantees and sure things are hard to come by. After the passing of Mrs. Noyce, a board of trustees administered her holdings. In October 1997, Interstate Brands, a corporation which was following baking industry trends by acquiring other baking interests, purchased the John J. Nissen Baking assets. Interstate had previously acquired Continental Baking Company, producer of the popular “Hostess” brand baked goods, and the San Francisco French Bread Company. It appears that the new bakery in Biddeford may have an even larger role in the industry - certainly the introduction of a state-of-the-art baking facility into a multiple product market seems like an appropriate expectation, and Guilford Rail is well situated to offer its services as the baking business grows. But don’t sniff the air expecting those wonderful fragrances, for new techniques coupled with air quality regulations have done away with the pleasure!