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New Ownership Rises Up At Ross’ Bread In Ridgefield

RIDGEFIELD, Conn. – For town natives Amy and Eric Freidenrich, taking over as the new owners of the landmark bakery Ross' Breads is “a Ridgefield dream 30 years in the making.”  

Behind the treats counter at Ross' Bread is new owner Amy Freidenrich.

Behind the treats counter at Ross' Bread is new owner Amy Freidenrich.

Photo Credit: Nicole Kasseris
Ross' Bread in Ridgefield

Ross' Bread in Ridgefield

Photo Credit: Nicole Kasseris
Outdoor dining has returned at Ross' Bread in Ridgefield.

Outdoor dining has returned at Ross' Bread in Ridgefield.

Photo Credit: Nicole Kasseris

“We want to reassure our customers that the things they enjoy the most won’t change around here,” said Amy Freidenrich, who took over the bakery with her husband on April 1. She is the one who usually runs the bakery on Danbury Road, while her husband works behind the scenes, taking care of the business end of things.

The bakery was launched by Val and Ross Schneiderman, who discovered their love of making bread and turned it into a business. 

But Amy Freidenrich also loves baking. For her, the adventure began in 1985, when she got her first baking job at Ancona's Market, formerly in Ridgefield, and was introduced to a professional kitchen.

She has continued to bake even since, and spent 23 years in California continuing that dream. In California, Freidenrich trained under Chef Ken O’Neil, who owned Cake Walk Creations and Patisserie Ganache.

At that bakery, she got to bake brioche for Atelier Crenn in San Francisco. Chef/owner Domique Crenn is known for using organic and sustainable local produce in her food, something that inspired Freidenrich. 

Freidenrich also started a group called Home and Hope, where she had baked birthday cakes for homeless children. She hopes one day to bring the idea to Connecticut as well.

In June 2014, the Freidenrichs moved back to their hometown of Ridgefield. Amy, anxious to own a bakery, continued her craft of baking all sorts of baked goods, including breads, cookies, cakes and more.

During this time, she looked into starting a bakery of her own and considered an opportunity to open one on Main Street. But Freidenrich didn’t want to start from scratch and thought about taking over something established.

The opportunity to do just that sprang up when Ross’ Bread founders Val and Ross Schneiderman decided they wanted to pursue other professional adventures.

Amy Freidenrich has now set up shop behind the counter at Ross' Breads and bakes everything from croissants, cookies, brownies, breads, savory tarts and more. In one recent week, over 900 loaves of fresh bread were baked.

If you're looking for something different and delicious, stop by to Ross’ Bread, where you can enjoy a fresh brewed cup of coffee and a fresh treat. 

Ross' Bread is located at 109 Danbury Road in the Copps Hill Commons. For more information, call 203-438-4822, email info@rossbread.com or visit its website.

 

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