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CRAFT TO CRUMB
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Joanie Spencer Editor-in-Chief joanie@avantfoodmedia.com
Mari Rydings Editorial Director mari@avantfoodmedia.com
Jordan Winter Creative Director jordan@avantfoodmedia.com
Olivia Siddall Multimedia Director olivia@avantfoodmedia.com
Annie Hollon Digital Editor annie@avantfoodmedia.com
Maddie Lambert Associate Editor maddie@avantfoodmedia.com
Lily Cota Associate Editor lily@avantfoodmedia.com
Joy Manning Contributor info@crafttocrumb.com
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The Fine Print
Craft to Crumb is published by Avant Food Media, 1703 Wyandotte St., Suite 300, Kansas City, MO 64108. Craft to Crumb considers its sources reliable and verifies as much data as possible, although reporting inaccuracies can occur. Consequently, readers using this information do so at their own risk. Craft to Crumb is distributed with the understanding that the publisher is not liable for errors and omissions. Although persons and companies mentioned herein are believed to be reputable, neither Avant Food Media nor any of its employees accept any responsibility for their activities. The Craft to Crumb mini-mag is produced in the USA and all rights are reserved.
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Craft to Crumb A Note From The Editor
JOANIE SPENCER
Editor-in-Chief
joanie@avantfoodmedia.com
WHERE HISTORY MEETS TOMORROW
Family businesses come with their own caveats, and that’s definitely true for family bakeries. But in Kansas City, there lives a special kind of family bakery … one that bears a different name from the family who owns it.
For three generations, McLain’s Bakery, located in the heart of the Kansas City metro area (“on the Missouri and Kansas sides” — IYKYK), has welcomed families in for its decadent baked goods and provided cakes for countless weddings. The business has changed hands since the McLain family opened it in 1945. Today it’s owned by the Hirleman-Lothman family, rooted in its own traditions but loyal to the following the bakery has built over the years.
In the baking industry, we’re at a crossroads between honoring the past and innovating for the future. McLain’s has embodied this crossover, creating new avenues for the Kansas City community to experience the bakery in fresh ways. Our editorial team was lucky enough to visit the flagship location and commissary, and on the pages ahead, you’ll experience this future-focused concept and the key bakers who keep six locations running smoothly, even when their paths rarely cross on a given day.
But that’s not all you’ll learn about in this issue. Craft to Crumb is focused on the future, too, and we’ve got tips and tricks to help you prepare for back-to-school in our Seasonal Spotlight, uncover the bleeding-edge product trends in Hot Takes, and pick up some easy writing techniques in Design Tech.
Dive in, enjoy the reads, and don’t forget to check out all the video and audio content as well.
Welcome to this quarter’s edition of Craft to Crumb .
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HOT TAKES
MATCHA MAYHEM
Matcha is no longer reserved for lattes. Bakers are getting creative with the Japanese green tea powder, incorporating it to add color — and flavor — to croissants, rolled cakes, breads, donuts and more.
MORE PISTACHIO, PLEASE
The crunchy nut adds texture when used as a topping on offerings including cronuts and cupcakes. When added to batters or fillings, such as Chantilly cream, pistachios lend a natural green hue.
BERRY BIG DEAL
Summer is berry season, and retail bakers always make the best of the crop during this time of year. Often used in strawberry shortcake, berries can also be found in cheesecakes, pies and paczki.
HIGHLIGHTING HERBAL
Bakers are elevating the look and flavor of baked goods by adding a touch of nature. Garnishing cakes with edible flowers and infusing herbs into scones and bread creates unique eating occasions.
Craft to Crumb Hot Takes
Photo courtesy of Temp & Time
Photo courtesy of Doughnut Plant
Photo courtesy of Bethel Bakery
Photo courtesy of Tartine Bakery
Craft to Crumb
Seasonal Spotlight | Back to School
STRAIGHT-A BAKED GOODS
The 2025-26 school year moves allergy-friendly treats to the forefront.
BY JOY MANNING
Back-to-school season brings more than just a flood of lunchbox cookies and PTA bake sales. For bakeries, it also presents a growing challenge: meeting the increasingly complex dietary needs of school communities. Between food allergies, ingredient bans and heightened packaging expectations, bakers are under pressure to deliver treats that are as safe as they are celebratory.
Keeping a few basics in mind can set traditional and allergy-aware bakeries up for success this fall.
Safety first. The first step toward becoming a more allergy-aware bakery is offering options that eliminate the most common threat: nuts. If going entirely nut-free isn’t an option, creating a designated “safe zone” in the kitchen is a practical compromise.
“Use separate tools, pans and storage areas, and be clear with customers about the limitations,” suggested Estela Martinez, owner of Askatu Bakery & Cafe in Seattle.
If space is scarce, another option is to source pre-packaged wholesale treats from a dedicated allergen-free bakery. Joe Hitzemann, founder of A&J Bakery, a peanut-, tree nut-, gluten- and sesamefree facility in Cranston, RI, sells his cupcakes to many traditional retail bakeries.
Photo courtesy of FunCakes
Craft to Crumb Seasonal Spotlight | Back to School
“It’s a safe, convenient option to offer customers without risking cross-contact,” he said.
Be radically transparent. Parents and schools need clear labeling to feel confident in a treat’s safety and compliance with classroom, school or district rules. That means listing every ingredient — from flours to flavorings — in order of weight. Include allergen statements and, if at all possible, nutritional panels.
“Consistent labeling matters,” said Christine Allen, owner of Mo’Pweeze Bakery in Denville, NJ. “Parents want to see labels that clearly list allergens, even on individual items. It helps them feel confident in what they’re buying.”
She also noted that even small steps matter.
“Rethink your ingredient list,” she said. “Small swaps like using sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter or oat milk instead of dairy can make a big difference without compromising flavor.”
Think about sustainability. In allergy-aware bakeries, what goes into the mixer — and on the package — can also impact sustainability. Estela avoids water-intensive crops such as rice, almonds and cashews in favor of drought-hardy grains like sorghum, millet and teff. These ancient grains are not only more eco-friendly; they’re also full of nutrients and naturally gluten-free.
Packaging is another piece of the puzzle.
“Many compostables are made with corn-based polylactic acid, which can be risky for customers
with corn allergies,” Estela said. “To reduce that risk, I encourage customers to bring their own re usable containers.”
Build and maintain trust. Allergenaware baking isn’t just about products; it’s about people. Parents of children with life-threatening food allergies are often on high alert. Sharing the bakery’s story, showing consistency and delivering delicious results build the kind of loyalty that lasts long after the school bell rings.
“Trust is everything when you’re working with parents who need school-safe treats,” Christine said. “They’re not just buying a cupcake; they’re putting their child’s safety in your hands.”
Most allergy-friendly bakeries aim to create items that all customers — including those without dietary restrictions — can enjoy. Offering samples is a simple and effective way for bakers to win over skeptics. If samples aren’t feasible, offering smaller, individually priced baked goods is another option to encourage first-time tasters of allergyfriendly items.
Both allergy-aware and traditional bakeries that want to expand their menus by adding such products to their menus can create back-toschool energy in their bakery cases by taking simple steps that make a big difference. Vetting ingredient vendors, having transparent communication and prioritizing consistent labeling go a long way toward building — and maintaining — a loyal customer base.
Photo courtesy of Mo’Pweeze Bakery
LEGACY BORN, LEGACY BUILT
McLain’s Bakery carries on the passion, dedication and vision of its original namesake.
BY MADDIE LAMBERT
It was the ʼ90s. Bomber jackets and denim overalls were the latest fad, the family pet was a Tamagotchi, and Mollie Hirleman (now Lothman) was frequently picking up orders of “Cupcookies” and custom cakes from her mother’s favorite neighborhood bakery: McLain’s.
A staple of the Kansas City, MO, community since 1945, McLain’s Bakery was known during its tenure for its classic American baked goods and premier wedding cakes. With an ambition to create a storefront for local products, the McLain family built the foundation for what would turn into a living tapestry of generational legacies.
Flash forward to 2014. Ownership of the bakery had passed from the McLains, but the current owner was
ready to sell. That’s when the Hirleman family came into the picture.
Brother-and-sister Jeff and Mollie Hirleman had been talking about going into business together — Mollie dreamed of owning a bakery and Jeff a coffee shop — when their father mentioned McLain’s Bakery was for sale.
It was kismet.
“We saw the potential immediately,” Jeff said. “This was a bakery that hadn’t really evolved yet. We could add some things and build off the good name it had from the generations before.”
The day after the deal officially closed, Mollie and Jeff reopened the bakery doors to the public.
Top-left photo by Olivia Siddall, all others by Lily Cota | Avant Food Media
Craft to Crumb
Featured Bakery | McLain’s Bakery
Craft to Crumb
Featured Bakery | McLain’s Bakery
The siblings were motivated to get a jumpstart on business, understanding why Kansas Citians had loved McLain’s for decades.
“This was their neighborhood bakery,” Mollie said. “It’s where their parents and grandparents grew up visiting, and we would never want to take that away.”
While the Hirlemans knew they would keep the roots of the business at the forefront of their ownership, they also recognized the bakery’s need for modernization. They wanted the bakery to be a place where customers could get their morning coffee, a breakfast sandwich or even a midday sweet treat. They also wanted to create a hub where families would visit and stay a while on the weekends and where corporate individuals could have a business meeting.
“We’re always looking around to see what the current need is,” Mollie said. “We pull from all the different stages of life and figure out how McLain’s can be a place for everyone to enjoy.”
At that time, the bakery’s main clientele consisted of people who grew up with McLain’s and trusted its products. While regulars were the cornerstone for maintaining profits, Jeff and Mollie saw the potential to unlock an untapped market by appealing to a younger demographic.
The first step to creating a bakery that was more than just grab-
WATCH NOW:
Jeff Hirleman and Mollie Lothman share how they expanded the business to six locations.
and-go lay in additional seating and a full-service coffee bar. Jeff and Mollie replaced the lone coffee pot in the corner with an expanded selection of lattes and drip coffee and placed more tables in the dining area.
Mollie and Jeff’s strategic plan was to not only breathe life back into McLain’s but also expand on its potential. By 2016, the bakery was thriving … so much so that a second location with an inventive twist on the business model opened: McLain’s Market.
Built in Overland Park, KS, the new store offered hot food and a more holistic approach to breakfast items, expanding beyond donuts and pastries to burritos and sandwiches.
While the Market would share the original bakery’s menu, the new
location was conceptualized — and named — for its ability to shake things up.
“We didn’t think we could replicate the bakery; it was very much its own thing, and we wanted to try some new things,” Mollie said. “We changed the name to ‘McLain’s Market’ to help decipher between the two.”
Like a domino effect, this expansion would create a blueprint for multiple Markets to open within the span of eight years.
Today, there are six McLain’s locations, and each was specifically created to serve its respective community.
The brand’s flagship bakery remains nestled in a historic neighborhood of Kansas City, MO, and five McLain’s Markets are
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interspersed throughout the metropolitan area. In addition to the classic McLain’s pastries, cakes and cookies, each location serves hot items until early afternoon.
When the Hirlemans dreamt of expansion, part of their vision was to reinvigorate the cake department. While Mollie knew it would be a labor of love, she was confident there was a need for custom treats that showcased her team’s passion.
This proved to be true, and over time, Mollie and Jeff devoted two locations — Lawrence, KS, and Waldo, MO — as full cakeries.
“Our cake manager, Jenny Marker, has been an integral part of the business,” Jeff said. “She’s a very driven and creative individual, and she saw the potential for the original cakery and the goals we had for it.”
When Jeff and Mollie took over the business, the average number of cakes ordered for a weekend was five. Today? More than 150. The hand-crafted cakes have earned national attention … and justifiably so.
WATCH NOW
Louisa Martin, lead cake decorator at McLain’s, details how to design trend-forward cakes.
For those looking at the McLain’s cakery social media pages, it would be hard to miss the pop culture references filling each feed.
Jenny, her team and the marketing department work closely together and have an ironclad grip on pop culture and how to incorporate it into their cake and cookie designs. Whether it be Taylor Swift lyrics, Severance references or even Kansas City Chiefs’ coach Andy Reid’s frozen mustache from a January 2024 NFL Wild Card game, the team behind the bench is well-equipped and trained to quickly whip up a mainstream treat with the classic McLain’s touch.
“We have a lot of guests who have gotten every single birthday cake from McLain’s since the bakery opened 80 years ago,” Jenny said. “The cakery team treats every order with close attention to detail. Being able to celebrate with people in our community is exciting. It’s a dream to come into work, be creative and make fun designs that bring people joy.”
As business ramped up for all three segments of the McLain’s brand, the need for automation became apparent. McLain’s classic
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Olivia Siddall | Avant Food Media
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Bakery | McLain’s Bakery
cookies and Cupcookies are staple menu items, and their popularity confirmed that investing in equipment would optimize production.
“The quality needs to taste the same across six bakeries, which was a huge growing pain as we added more stores,” Mollie said. “A large number of our customers go to multiple locations throughout the city, and they know our cookies. They’ll tell us when a cookie tastes different.”
To maintain product quality and consistency, the Hirlemans opened a commissary bakery in 2022.
The facility is just up the street from the Waldo bakery. With 5,000 square feet for production — and 1,200 square feet for office and ancillary purposes — the space is used to craft the bakery’s breads, which include sourdough and 9-grain, as well as English muffins and doughs for sweet goods, pastries and cookies.
The first purchase for the commissary was a Deighton Formatic cookie depositor. Prior to adding it, bakers hand-scooped all the cookies, which posed concerns for size consistency and wrist injury. Now, the team can fully allocate the prepped dough to the cookie depositor, and this, according to Jeff, is the key to producing the freshest cookie possible.
“With our Cupcookies, we sell anywhere from 50 dozen to 100 dozen a day, and that’s just at one
store,” Jeff said. “The cookie depositor can do 2,800 cookies in an hour, which has significantly sped up the process.”
Mollie and Jeff lean into automation to ensure baker wellbeing and production efficiency. The majority of doughs are made at the commissary, and adding a RONDO dough sheeter and Esmach tilting dough mixer was a major game changer.
“Now, our bakers don’t have to consistently bend over,” Mollie said. “We’ve put an emphasis on our employees’ longevity, as well as efficiency, and the results have been well worth it.”
For a bakery that has been in growth mode over the past 11 years, Mollie and Jeff now plan to let the dust settle. The two will focus on maintaining cohesiveness between all six locations, investing in their team and remembering the heart of the business.
“The bakery evokes family memories and special occasions,” Mollie said. “We are part of people’s lives from start to finish in a lot of ways. People come to McLain’s to celebrate an engagement, a baby gender reveal, a first birthday. They celebrate 21st birthdays and retirement parties. They spend their holidays with us. We get to be — and always will be — there for those sweet moments of everyday life.”
Photo by Olivia Siddall
PRODUCT SHOWCASE
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McLain’s Bakery is known for its legacy recipes, scratch menus and classic baked goods. Take a look at the bakery’s premium offerings that combine tradition with innovation.
A PERFECT PAIRING
By balancing loyalty and respect, Sharon Reitz and Lisenia Salazar bake with purpose.
BY LILY COTA
Passion is what drives bakers. It’s what pulls them out of bed at odd hours and pushes them into the bakery to start the day’s production. It’s what keeps them fueled as they replicate routines and follow detailed recipes. It’s what allows them to provide the highest quality products for their customers, every time.
This is true at McLain’s Bakery in Kansas City, MO, where Sharon Reitz, director of bakery experience, and Lisenia Salazar, head baker, work in sync to ensure every customer gets what they’ve come to expect: local treats with a homemade feel.
Lisenia, who oversees McLain’s commissary, prepares most of the dough on-site for the bakery’s six Kansas City metro area locations. Communication is paramount for the multi-store team. She relies on information that’s necessary for her to provide what they need — including cookie dough, cake bites, bars, sweet dough and donut dough — while maintaining quality across different batches and stores.
“The satisfaction for me comes when it’s busy and we see the delivery truck full,” Lisenia said. “It’s a feeling of, ‘We did it. And we always do.’”
The prepped dough then enters Sharon’s jurisdiction, where she ensures everything bakes off as it should. Her job includes standardizing recipes
Lisenia Salazar (top) and Sharon Reitz collaborate to provide products for all six McLain’s Bakery locations.
Photo courtesy of McLain’s Bakery
Photo by Lily Cota | Avant Food Media
across the bakeries, managing multiple teams and inventories, and testing new products, which isn’t exactly a piece of cake.
“Managing product levels across six locations is probably one of the biggest day-to-day challenges,” Sharon said. “There’s a lot of thought and discussion behind what we put in the case.”
Both bakers wear many hats, and juggling these responsibilities requires them to work in a harmony that’s tough to achieve from separate locations. Lisenia can’t be at the stores to see the final outcomes, and Sharon can’t control everything in the stores. For it to work, communication between the two is vital.
With diligence and hard work, the duo keeps things moving. So well, in fact, they make it look easy.
“We hold each other accountable,” Lisenia said. “If I make a mistake
WATCH NOW
Sharon Reitz (left) and Lisenia Salazar describe how they work in sync.
and [Sharon] catches it, I have to own it and fix it. I don’t see what’s right or wrong until she bakes it, but I know I have her eyes out there, and I know she’s going to help and support me.”
As most bakers know, artisan baked goods are rarely uniform, and even the simplest bake can render a surprise result, especially when factors like ambient temperatures and equipment differ per location. Even after following each step closely, there’s variability in the craft.
“You have to use all your senses to know when a product is done,” Sharon said. “And then you have to teach that to your team. You teach them to see it, taste it, hear the mixer … it’s not all about following instructions. Sometimes those are just guidelines.”
These are skills that Sharon and Lisenia have picked up along the way.
“You teach [your team] to see it, taste it, hear the mixer ….. it’s not all about following instructions. Sometimes those are just guidelines.”
Sharon Reitz | director of bakery experience | McLain’s Bakery
Craft to Crumb Baker Profile: Sharon Reitz | Lisenia Salazar
Sharon joined the McLain’s team a year ago, though she’d already seen her fair share of the baking world. She started in hotel restaurant management prior to working for the Department of State at Blair House, the guest quarters for the White House. She eventually left Washington, DC, and opened a bakery with students from the American Institute of Baking before working as a pastry chef at Webster House, a former prominent Kansas City fine dining establishment. From there, she joined the R&D team at Tippin’s Pies, a commercial bakery in Kansas City, KS.
Lisenia’s baking experience began around 10 years ago, though in a more roundabout way than Sharon, thanks to Kansas City’s interconnected foodservice scene. Her boss at a local restaurant had connections with McLain’s current co-owners, and he asked Lisenia to help out on the grand reopening for the new McLain’s Market concept.
After showcasing a strong work ethic and ability to jump on new projects, she quickly moved over to — and through the ranks of — McLain’s. It wasn’t long after the Market launch that she was offered a leadership role at the bakery.
Though the two bakers started their journeys a bit differently, they come together at McLain’s like a well-oiled machine. But … they’re not machines.
The beauty of this pairing is in their human interaction. They work well together and with the machines.
“We make 10 different cookies, so things like the [automated] cookie depositor help a lot,” Lisenia said. “But how we like this place, how we love what we do … that is one of the best tools. Sometimes we make mistakes, but we’re human.”
At the end of the day, or, in this case, from the very start, the customers’ satisfaction comes first, and the
proof of success is in the queue of hungry patrons lined up before the doors open.
“When we open at 7 a.m., our product is there, and it’s passed our standards on what we feel is the absolute best product to serve the community,” Sharon said.
When it comes to passion, it goes both ways. In addition to a commitment to the product, Sharon and Lisenia are driven by their loyalty to McLain’s and its owners, who both have their hands in the mix every step of the way.
“Everybody sees everything, every day,” Sharon said. “If something needs to be changed, they will make that change. They go the extra mile to make sure we have what we need.”
For these two bakers behind the goods, this bakery feels like home, and, in turn, they feel like family.
Photo by Olivia
Craft to Crumb
Baker Profile: Sharon Reitz | Lisenia Salazar
Siddall
| Avant Food Media
A CRUMB OF CONNECTION
Bakers from all specialties can find myriad solutions at the Baking Expo.
BY ANNIE HOLLON
Bakery owners do it all. From building a menu and training team members to crafting quality baked goods and managing the business, running a brick-and-mortar operation is not for the faint of heart.
No two operations are alike, which can make it challenging for owners to find a business model that suits their needs. The modern baker is facing uncertainty in the shifting workforce, marketing their shops and rising operational costs. Additionally, they must set the foundation for a healthy work environment and find multiple streams of revenue to strengthen the business.
It can also be a lonely experience, with bakers not always having the opportunity to step back from the bench and learn from one another. Events such as the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) carve out a space for connection. Set for Sept. 14-17 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, IBIE will have a dedicated day for education — IBIEducate — on Sept. 13 with support from the Retail Bakers
of America (RBA) for showgoers to learn from peers and suppliers who can help them fortify their businesses. With more than 250 sessions, demos and workshops covering a spectrum of topics, education will take place across the various stages in the RBA Bakers Center, as well as in the Artisan Village and Wholesale Bakers Center.
The artisan craft is detail-oriented, and having the right ingredients is crucial. With supply chain disruptions and other cost challenges putting pressure on bakers, developing solid relationships with suppliers is beneficial when the going gets tough. Having IBIE’s cohort of exhibitors in one centralized location grants the opportunity for face-to-face connections.
Another way the Baking Expo caters to this demographic is through the Artisan Village show feature. Attendees can visit this area to watch live demonstrations from certified master bakers, acquire new techniques for the craft and connect with artisan experts.
Craft to Crumb IBIE Perspectives
On the education side, baking pros will present on a blend of topics ideal for artisan bakers, including tips for perfecting offerings such as rye bread or bagels, and guidance on integrating sustainable practices and ingredients.
Pastry and cake experts create flavorful yet eye-catching baked goods every day, from the quintessential sweet for customers who indulge in “little treat culture” to those celebrating occasions big and small.
While some staples never go out of fashion, trends fueled by social media consumers and influencers — such as the meteoric rise of the vintage-inspired Lambeth cake and continued interest in bringing flora into baked goods — can make their mark. While the retail side has the dexterity to pivot, referencing the right resources and techniques to execute them properly is essential.
With opportunities to find kinship and invest in their business’ future, IBIE is a can’t-miss for artisan bakers. Just a few days on the show floor and at IBIEducate sessions can bring the sea change that keeps bakeries at the core of their communities.
EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS
Dive into some IBIEducate sessions designed with retail bakers’ various needs in mind. See the full lineup at www.bakingexpo.com/education.
RETAIL BAKERS
• Dough Beyond Baking: Non-Baking Revenue Streams for Retail Bakers | Cyd Hodges, Sweet Fest
• Building a Strong Culture in Your Bakery | Julian Loue, Rise Bakery
• Build Your Brand by Building Your Community | Rachel Wyman, Culinary Institute of America
ARTISAN
• The Art and Science of Baking | Richard Charpentier, CMB, Baking Innovation
• Seed to Loaf: Building a Sustainable, Traceable and Artisan-Quality Supply Chain | John Friend, Farm to Market Bread; and Tim Webster, Farmer Direct Foods
• Mastering Rye: From Grain to Loaf | Matthew Duffy, chef and baking professor
CAKE AND PASTRY
• Layer by Layer: The Magic of Lamination | Kayla Croshaw, Puratos
• Modern Cake Baking: Egg Replacement Techniques | Duff Goldman, Charm City Cakes
• Decorating with Buddy | Buddy Valastro, Carlo’s Bakery
Unifying Technologies
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SAFEGUARDING THE FUTURE
Selecting the right insurance policy is crucial for bakeries of all sizes and locations.
BY CHRISTINE NORDSTROM
Protection from internal and external factors is essential for any business owner. For bakers looking to invest in their business’s longevity, selecting the right insurance is the first step in establishing a safety net around the operation. Whether it be property damage, business interruption or employee injuries, insurance protects against the various risks and potential financial losses that could jeopardize a brick-and-mortar. Here’s a list of the top five things bakers need to consider when selecting their insurance.
Choose your agent (or agency) wisely. The No. 1 thing is to know who you’ll be working with. At any stage of the operation — from a single booth at a farmers market to a bakery with multiple storefronts — the agent should act as a partner to the business. Building the right relationship, where the provider understands the specific operations and associated risks, can make or break an insurance policy.
Consistent communication with your agent can alleviate times of turmoil. It’s vital for business owners to understand that premiums can be
adjusted according to their financial and operational needs. Having an agent who offers personalized service and ongoing support will help secure a bakery’s future and provide peace of mind.
Identify your business needs. Analyze the space for potential hazards and consider risks that are unique to the bakery. While all business owners should have general liability insurance, it’s also important to recognize other specific needs based on geographical location. Bakeries can be at risk for natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes or wildfires, so identifying a policy that incorporates coverage for such weather events is key.
For any renter, verifying the landlord’s requirements is also a top priority. Property insurance, whether supplied by the business owner or landlord, will protect the structure against damage from fire, wind, hail and theft. For a retail bakery with multiple locations that uses a commissary kitchen, property insurance is a crucial tool in protecting the industrial equipment.
Oftentimes, commercial glass insurance can be a smart investment. Replacing or repairing damaged glass — whether from accidents, weather or vandalism — can be expensive. Glass insurance helps a business cover these costs.
Confirm the best price point. Approaching insurance in a costeffective way will ease some of the strain on a baker’s wallet. When working on a budget, it’s best to shop around insurance providers and get at least three separate quotes to ensure the best bang for the buck. Having multiple quotes in hand can also provide leverage when negotiating for a more affordable price. By reviewing different quotes, bakers can compare the details of each policy and choose the one that best fits their business needs.
Tailor coverage to business size. Start with a smaller policy and have
“Having an agent who is willing to offer personalized service and ongoing support will help secure a bakery’s future and offer peace of mind.”
Christine Nordstrom | founder | Five-O Donut Co.
it grow with the business. Smaller policies will have lower premiums, and as the bakery expands, the coverage can be adjusted to keep pace.
With any expansion, new risks emerge, and existing ones may intensify. This could require a more robust insurance plan. Being mindful about coverage helps mitigate financial burdens and supports long-term stability. With a tailormade policy, retail bakers can avoid paying for unnecessary coverage and ensure optimal protection.
Confirm policy audits. Occasionally, business owners can expect to be audited. These can be triggered by certain events, depending on the specific policy and nature of the operations.
The frequency of audits can vary by type and insurance provider, so it’s important to speak with the
agent or agency to confirm what documentation will be needed. Financial records, including payroll and sales data, can help verify the accuracy of the reported information and confirm a business owner is paying the correct premiums.
By staying informed, identifying areas of need and keeping an open line of communication with a trusted provider, bakery owners can not only keep their businesses afloat but also protect them well into the future.
Christine Nordstrom is the founder and CEO of Five-O Donut Co. Skilled in startups, budgeting, brand inception and development, multi-unit management, marketing, advertising and sales, she is an experienced culinarian with a demonstrated history of business building in the food production industry. Contact Christine at fiveodonutco@gmail.com .
FOR THE
VIRTUOSOS AUTOMATION
Delicious baked goods begin with baking professionals, like you — people who care about what they do and see change as a chance for growth. That’s who you’ll find at IBIE. Crafted by the industry for the industry, this event brings you together with a global community facing your same challenges (like supply chain issues), as well as opportunities specific to your role. From strategies for navigating unpredictable ingredient prices to innovative automation solutions, everything you need is here, at your show.
Craft to Crumb
Design Tech | Writing Techniques
PIPE UP
BY MARI RYDINGS
Excitement, elegance, confidence, whimsy. Writing with icing can convey these vibes and so many others ... and take a dessert from everyday to exceptional.
Craft to Crumb partnered with Joyce Dunbar, a professional cake decorator with Fareway Stores, to help bakers pump up the personality on their desserts.
Materials needed: Preferred icing type; cake decorating piping tips in various sizes; piping bags; printed image and parchment paper (for practicing)
Visualize the amount of word space needed, taking the length of words and additional decorative piping or embellishments into consideration. 01.
03.
For block writing, work in segments. Attach the frosting to the cake by gently squeezing the piping bag. Using a solid motion, slightly lift up, then drop back down. After each segment, stop squeezing and pull the bag away.
05.
Add a touch of understated decoration with simple dots of icing and squiggly lines.
02.
Practice writing using a printed image placed under parchment paper (left) or by directly piping the words in the base color. When the desired script is achieved, retrace the writing with the desired color of icing.
04.
For cursive or stylized fonts, use a more fluid movement. Lift the piping tip off the cake and allow the icing to fall free-form to shape the letters.
06.
Finish the cake with a piped icing border, flowers or other decorative embellishments. Dust with sprinkles or edible glitter, as preferred.
BIRD BAKERY: FAITH & SCRAPPINESS
BY ANNIE HOLLON
Bird Bakery has roots in three brick-and-mortar locations. But about a decade ago, the from-scratch bakery was just getting started, created to honor Maureen Carnathar, the grandmother of founder and CEO Elizabeth Chambers.
While she would make her grandmother’s recipes at home, the actress and TV personality wanted to scale their reach. Bird Bakery’s first location opened in 2012 and was close to her grandmother’s original kitchen in San Antonio, making it the perfect spot to set up shop.
Lacking the budget to hire professionals for the buildout, Elizabeth did it herself. Over a meal with four
by Lilianna Story Photography
Craft to Crumb To Build A Bakery
Photo
Craft to Crumb To Build A Bakery
“While it’s tempting when you’re looking at the bottom line, for me, it was imperative that we always maintain our integrity and always use the best ingredients.”
Elizabeth Chambers | founder and CEO | Bird Bakery
chefs and a professor, she gained guidance on laying out the bakery.
“I always say my first location feels like home because it certainly was just an exercise in faith and scrappiness,” she said.
From baking to payroll, Elizabeth worked overtime managing everything herself. She pieced together how to build the operation over time, learning how to hire the right people, delegate and create a production schedule.
“That’s the framework from which you’re building the rest of your company,” she said. “You can’t do everything; you simply can’t.”
Elizabeth was exacting with her ingredient sourcing, prioritizing the utmost quality to ensure her recipes were up to standard.
“While it’s tempting when you’re looking at the bottom line, for me, it was imperative that we always maintain our integrity and
always use the best ingredients,” she said.
Other challenges included negotiating leases, crafting consistency and infrastructure, and developing effective communication.
Though customers urged her to expand, Elizabeth felt there was no need for another location in the same city, satisfied with the flagship shop. Stephen Summers, owner of a luxury shopping center in Dallas, sparked the move for a second bakery, noting the bakery’s popularity among Dallas residents.
“I was really busy with work — my main job has always been television — but he was persistent, and I’m really happy he was,” she said.
The second location opened eight years ago, and the initial framework made the launch a lot easier. Today, Elizabeth has her eyes set on growth, and with the right opportunities, Bird Bakery is all set to soar.
Photo courtesy of Bird Bakery
Watch live demonstrations of our
Vemag Dough Dividers
n Gently handles dough
n Unmatched scaling accuracy
n Precisely scales a wide range of dough portions
n Produces a variety of crumb structures
n Handles absorption rates from 45% to 95%
n No divider oil needed
n Fast, easy changeovers
Vemag 500 Dough Divider
Thought for Food
Craft to Crumb Bakers Doing Good
BAKERS DOING GOOD
Many retail bakers are inspired to give back to the communities they serve. Check out a few bakeries standing out in the philanthropic space.
COBS BREAD. The Vancouver-based set of bakeries’ “End of Day” program is inspired by the notion that every bread finds a home. Each Cobs location bakes its products fresh every morning and, at the end of each day, donates all the unsold goods. A group of volunteers visits every location daily to pick up leftover bread and other baked goods, which are then distributed to local charities. Since 2003, the program has kept more than $300 million worth of products out of landfills while helping reduce food insecurity.
PRAIRIE
SKY
BREADS.
This Minot, ND, bakery connects with its community through baking classes for children, free DIY art clinics, folk art workshops and all-ages music shows. It also participates in events and fundraisers, hosts local forums and shuttles donations to food banks. The bakery’s “Aurora Project” hosts artists and chefs from various backgrounds and Indigenous cultures for a series of experiential events, providing a platform for Minot residents to learn and discover different global customs.
COOKIE CART. With a mission to create an equitable community where BIPOC teens thrive, this Minneapolis cookie company teaches leadership and employment skills through on-the-job training and classroom experiences in its two commercial kitchen locations. It helps local youth prosper by cultivating connections through sustained action to dismantle systemic racism. Each bakery location serves as a social enterprise hub, where hundreds of teens can begin forging a successful career path in the baking industry.
THE
PASTRY
PROJECT.
The Pastry Project’s purpose is to break barriers to employment and make pastry and culinary education in the Seattle area more accessible. The bakery offers a free baking and pastry training program that provides people with real-world experience, including technical pastry expertise and problem-solving skills. When students graduate, bakery staff helps them apply for entrylevel positions with its hiring partners.
Photo courtesy of Cobs Bread
Photo courtesy of Prairie Sky Breads
Photo courtesy of Cookie Cart
Photo courtesy of The Pastry Project
Craft to Crumb Look | Listen
LOOK | LISTEN
Our multimedia collection features interviews, bakery tours, education, demos and more that give artisan bakers a fresh perspective on industry trends and issues.
At the IBIE Bench with Richard Charpentier and Cedric Fichepain
The owner of Le Petit Paris discusses what he’s looking to get out of attending the Baking Expo in Las Vegas this September.
Business-Building with Farmers Markets
Jill McEnroe, owner of Frannie Franks Coffee Cakes, details how to strengthen a brand’s customer base by engaging in local farmers markets.
Creating an Identifiable Bakery Brand: Farrell Bread & Bakery
Owner Rick Burgo highlights how the Tulsa, OK, bakery stays true to its brand and flagship artisan breads after more than 20 years.
information provided.
www.dhenryandsons.com info@dhenryandsons.com
“THE MOST EXPENSIVE INGREDIENT ANY BAKERY HAS IS TIME. IT’S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS YOU PUT IN, BUT THE TIME AND LOVE.”
At the Bench is an exclusive audio series hosted by Richard Charpentier, CMB (right), CEO of Baking Innovation. Richard chats with top artisan bakers and bakery owners from around the country about the trends and challenges facing retail bakers today. To hear this full episode and more from the series, subscribe to the Craft to Crumb YouTube channel — JOSHUA ALDARONDO, CMB | OWNER | DELICIAS BAKERY
