A legacy of grit and determination

Born from the ashes of World War II and out of the need to help provide sustenance to a community still reeling from the ravages of war is Herman’s Modern Bakery—Saipan’s mecca for baked bread, pastries, and home-grown cooking. The fact that it is still a successful business with 79years in operation under its belt is a testament to the grit, tenacity, and passion of the bakery’s original founder, Herman R. Guerrero, and generations of his family.

All things Herman’s are well loved as their baked products find their way to the homes of local families here and overseas every day of the year. From their rosku to their Chamorro cookies to their blueberry cream cheese log, which is a bestseller among those bringing a taste of home to relatives living anywhere outside of Saipan, to the coconut macarons and Herman’s signature sweet bread—this bakery has it all. It is not surprising at all then, that the CNMI’s first family-owned business is still going strong after more than seven decades in the local food industry business.

The story of Herman’s Modern Bakery’s success can be traced to the family patriarch, Herman R. Guerrero, who in 1944, was asked by the U.S, military to use his baking skills to bake bread for its personnel who were helping the islands recover in the aftermath of World War II.

According to local lore, Herman R. Guerrero was originally tapped to bake bread solely for U.S. military personnel stationed on post-war Saipan. It was Gregorio Sablan, the grandfather of current congressman, Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (D-MP), who recommended Herman R. Guerrero to the U.S. military, based on Guerrero’s baking experience as an apprentice baker at the Shimada Bakery in Garapan prior to the war.

Once the war ended, the demand for more bread supply also grew. This time, aside from supplying bread to U.S. military personnel, there were some prisoners of war and, by large, the residents of Camp Chalan Kanoa, who needed to be fed. The elder Guerrero originally worked at the military bakery, which was then housed at the site of the current Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium in Susupe and supplied hundreds of bread daily for practically all y77residents of post-war Saipan.

In 1945, Herman, with the help of his wife, Maria C. Tenorio-Guerrero, opened the bakery, backed by the encouragement and help of the U.S. military.

Herman was given surplus baking equipment from the U.S. Navy and supplies to continue to operate the bakery, which was originally located near the Chalan Kanoa post office. He was also encouraged to charge 5 cents for every loaf of bread that he sold. With this, Herman’s Bakery became the first business to be established in Micronesia immediately after the war.

Since the time it opened, Herman’s Modern Bakery has remained in the hands of Herman R. Guerrero and his direct descendants. In 1972, the Guerreros’ sixth child, Juan T. Guerrero, otherwise known as Juan Pan and his wife, Roberta, came back to Saipan and took the helm of the business. Juan Pan was Herman’s Modern Bakery’s president and general manager for several years until he passed the latter position to his younger sister, Annie Hayes, the ninth sibling in the family.

With 31 years at Herman’s, Hayes retired in March 2022 as its general manager, a position she held for eight years. Following the grit and determination set by her parents, Hayes, upon her retirement, assisted with expanding the bakery business to include a catering division, wholesale, Herman’s Bakery, Tan Marakita’s Café, Herman’s Garapan outlet, and the Public School System’s Food Service. Beginning with just a handful of employees, Herman’s Modern Bakery now employs a staff of over 100 personnel.

Nowadays, the bakery is being managed by the third generation of Guerreros, with the 37-year-old Michael Robert Guerrero, a son of Juan, serving as general manager.

Among the most noteworthy milestones in its history is the official incorporation of Herman’s Modern Bakery in 1976 and the move of the bakery’s main facilities to its current location at the Tun Herman Pan Road, formerly known as Airport Road, in 1979.

Also in January 1979, Herman’s expanded a small area in the main facility into a café known for serving local comfort food and meals as part of the new bakery location.

By the fall of 1981, Herman’s launched its food services at the Mount Carmel School cafeteria and, two years later in 1983, Herman’s was approved for a broader PSS contract to provide meals in Saipan school cafeterias.

In 1982, Herman’s cold storage and wholesale divisions were launched to augment and complement the growing demand from the company’s food services operation.

Due mainly to its growth as a business with an eye on diversification, Herman’s joined forces with another local company and a Denmark-based company in 1984 to form Pacific Rainbow, with the goal of providing reconstituted milk to the islands. While this venture lasted only about two years, it proved that Herman’s was a company that embraced innovation to expand its business interests.

In March 1995, Herman’s was chosen by McDonald’s of Saipan to produce its patented bun recipe and sometime during the same year, Herman’s introduced one of its most loved baked products, the Chamorro cookies.

In addition to the family’s successes in its bakery business, the Guerreros were also known for their generous spirit—a virtue that has been passed on to every generation of the family. Story has it that the Guerreros still gave away bread to those in need.

It is also widely known that Maria, lovingly known in local circles as Tan Marakita, always had food to share with those who visited their home.

For years, the Guerreros provided the Mercedarian Sisters of Saipan their bread supply even after they were able to make their own provisions. Also, a little-known fact about the couple is how their generous donation was a tremendous help in the reconstruction of the Mount Carmel Church in Chalan Kanoa.

The Guerreros’ legacy of giving to the community that has supported them through the years continues even until today. Herman’s Modern Bakery’s commitment to corporate social responsibility can be seen through their generous financial aid and support for community and government programs that touch the lives of every resident of the Northern Marianas. The company is one of the most notable contributors to the governor’s yearly fundraising golf event, the Tournament of Champions, the proceeds of which are used to fund the numerous beautification programs on the islands.

Another big contribution Herman’s Modern Bakery makes is in helping educate public and private school students by allowing them to visit their facilities to learn about bread-making, while student apprentices from the Northern Marianas Technical Institute are given use of their bakery to enhance their cooking and baking skills.

Beyond contributing to the development of the local food industry, Herman R. Guerrero’s legacy of giving has also inspired four of his children to become public servants—Juan “Juan Pan,” Herman “Jun Pan” T. Guerrero Jr., Florencio “Bobby” T. Deleon Guerrero, and Joseph “Lee Pan” T. Guerrero have each served as members of the CNMI House of Representatives.

Aside from being a former lawmaker, Juan T. Guerrero himself was also a member of various government boards and one of his most noteworthy accomplishments is being one of the members of the CNMI Retirement Fund board of trustees. Under this capacity, Juan T. Guerrero introduced reforms that saw major changes in the way retirement contributions were distributed to retirees.

Herman Jr., on the other hand, is an advocate of education and the humanities and has won national distinction for his work in preserving Chamorro culture.

The family’s generosity also trickles down to their employees, some of whom have been with the Guerreros for more than 20 years. One of them was Ernesto Lineses, the baker on whose hands the Guerreros entrusted the recipe to their iconic sweet bread. Many of Herman’s employees are loyal, old-timers— bakers and staff who have stayed with the family not just out of duty but because they have found responsible employers who care for their employee’s welfare and well-being.

All things Herman’s are well loved as their baked products find their way to the homes of local families here and overseas every day of the year.