Our roots go back to 1948, and we have hit many milestones to become the company we are today. Explore LaBree’s Bakery timeline to discover some of the most memorable moments. It has been quite a ride…

1948 - Pat and Almond LaBree purchase a donut fryer, a cutting table and a doughnut recipe, which was later adjusted and still used today, as a gift for their parents, Marian and Louis LaBree. LaBrees Bakery begins its early operations in a cellar on French Island in Old Town, ME and very quickly is moved to a new location at 69 Bodwell Street in Old Town.

1953 - By this time, Clement LaBree, Pat and Almond’s brother, join in the bakery’s operation.

1958 - The business continues to grow and a two-story building in the same location is built to provide space for the 12-15 employees, who were hand cutting 1,800 dozen donuts and baking 400-500 loaves of bread daily.

Bert Morin, whose home on Bosworth Street was on the bakery trail, witnessed the weekly parade of the “Sunday after mass traffic” of vehicles and pedestrians on their way to purchase and savor the delicious taste of fresh donuts. "Well, I can tell you sitting here Sunday morning I'd sit on the porch here and see hundreds of cars go by there after church to go pick up their chocolate doughnuts."

1963 – The next generation of LaBree’s joins the bakery business: Clement’s sons, Dan and Jim.

1965 – Almod’d son, Bernie, current owner and president, joins the operations

1960-1970 – The bakery continues to expa

nd with more building additions. Automated machinery is introduced: a donut cutter and a wrapping mach

ine. The area of sales throughout the Greater Bangor area, Millinocket area and Eastern Maine is also expanding.

1978 – Dan, Jim, and Bernie purchase the business from Pat and Almond and decide to relocate the bakery to Old Town’s Industrial Park on Gilman Falls Ave.

1979 – Groundbreaking for the new building is held,

1980 – Construction of the new facility is completed. The new plant has 22,000 square feet of floor space with various new equipment additions, as well as a coffee shop, cake department, and thrift shop.

LaBree’s continues to increase its wholesale distribution into other areas (New England).

1982 – The triumph and excitement with the new and modern facility is short-lived. The building is ravaged by a fire, and 75 percent of the plant is destroyed. The fire had claimed no injuries. All of the 83 employees are safe and sound. The majority of equipment is spared by the blaze and the decision is made to immediately rebuild. Four months later, LaBrees Bakery resumes production with all of the customer back on board!

By 1999 – Six more additions have been made. The goal, to sell product in every state in the Continental United States and Canada, is met. A new freezer is finished and holds approximately 125 tractor-trailer loads of product, expanding to our present facility size of 84,000 square feet.

LaBree's Bakery is constantly developing new recipes and premium products, modernizing the plant, stays up to date with the demands of the market place, and continues to cater to the customers evolving needs.