Holland Farms plans new bakery and deli in Cicero

Holland Farms Bakery & Deli is moving deeper into Onondaga County, with plans to open in Cicero later this summer in the former Metabolic Fitness space off Route 31, near Interstate 81 and Pardee Road. Heather Potrzeba, the owner and founder’s granddaughter, confirmed the deal and said the company has been building toward a bigger Syracuse-area footprint since opening its first Onondaga County store in Manlius last summer.

The Cicero site matters because it gives the 70-year-old Yorkville bakery another high-traffic stop in a part of the county where commuters and families already move up and down Route 31 every day. Potrzeba said the location drew interest because of the volume of traffic, and the company plans a renovation before opening the doors. After Cicero, Holland Farms has already said it will open a third Onondaga County location later this year.

For local shoppers, the draw is the same mix that made Holland Farms a regional favorite in the first place: half-moon cookies, jelly buns, donuts, tomato pie, and grab-and-go lunch and dinner items. The Cicero store is expected to mirror the Manlius format, pairing bakery case staples with quick-service meals that fit busy schedules. The brand’s long-running traditions, including Jelly Bun Month and Moon Madness, have helped turn those products into recognizable local favorites.

The expansion also reflects a bigger business buildout in Yorkville. Holland Farms says it employs about 70 people, and the company’s Manlius expansion added more than 25 positions at the store and about 15 jobs at a new bake center at 100 Oriskany Blvd. in Yorkville. The company says the new production facility is what makes the Syracuse-area growth possible, giving Holland Farms the supply and distribution base to serve a larger customer footprint without losing the made-from-scratch identity that has defined the business since 1955.

That scale is part of the appeal for Onondaga County. Holland Farms says it produces more handmade baked goods in one location than any other bakery in New York State or New Jersey, a claim that underscores why the new Yorkville operation is central to the plan. For Cicero, the opening brings another familiar Central New York brand into town, and another stop for the cookies, pies, and deli staples that already have a loyal following across the region.