Local entrepreneur finds sweet success with Mr. Sweets bakery business

MERRILL, Wis. (WSAW) - At his home kitchen, Nic Ruffi is bringing in the dough. He says his business journey has involved stumbling upon greatness.

Just a day before Valentine’s Day, Ruffi is practically living in his kitchen, running on sugar rushes.

“I’m dropping 80-hour work weeks. I’m having four hours of sleep come Valentine’s Day, but hey, I’d rather do this than, you know, work a corporate job,” Ruffi said.

He has 40 orders to make by tomorrow, and is making over 60 cheesecake puffs for a local restaurant.

From Big Nic’s Ice Cream to Mr. Sweets

Ruffi has always had a knack for business. Eight years ago, at just 12 years old, he started Big Nic’s Ice Cream.

But gaining pastry skills at a high school country club internship was a steep learning curve.

“It was jumping headfirst straight into the deep end, hitting the bottom of the swimming pool. It was a lot of work,” Ruffi said.

At the country club, Ruffi was coined Mr. Sweets.

“One of the ladies, one of the nights, asked my chef, hey, who’s that Mr. Sweets you got working in the kitchen? He told me that. I was like, that is the name. I love it,” Ruffi said.

Building a sweet empire

At 20 years old, Ruffi makes all things sugar. Chocolates, tarts, nuts and his personal favorite, cheesecake puffs.

You can find him at pop-up markets and farmers markets in Marathon County. Or hitting the books — he’s currently taking classes to get an accounting degree, so he can run all his operations.

Ruffi eventually hopes to get his own business space in the Wausau area and sell his products nationwide.

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