INSIGHTS AND INSPIRATION FOR THE RETAIL BAKING COMMUNITY
AMIE BAKERY
AVANT FOOD MEDIA
Paul Lattan President 816.585.5030
Steve Berne Executive Vice President 816.605.5037
Joanie Spencer Vice President 913.777.8874
CRAFT TO CRUMB
Paul Lattan Publisher paul@avantfoodmedia.com
Steve Berne Director of Sales steve@avantfoodmedia.com
Erin Zielsdorf Account Executive erin@avantfoodmedia.com
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
Marygrace Taylor 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
HEART OF THE BAKER
As summer comes to an end, kids head back to school and parents get a little peace and quiet. But in this industry, “peace and quiet” doesn’t always exist. In fact, for bakers, those are some scary words.
This quarter, we visited AMIE Bakery in Osterville, MA, on Cape Cod. In the height of the season, a steady stream of customers poured through for baked goods, coffee and some French atmosphere. But as the bakery buzzed in the front and back, an invisible clock was counting the days until business dies down for the winter. Meanwhile, many other bakeries are gearing up for the Q4 rush lurking around the corner. In either case, it’s time for seasonal strategies, whether keeping heads above water or simply staying afloat. In this issue, you’ll read about both.
While at AMIE, I remembered that locations, intentions and challenges differ for every bakery, but the hearts of bakers beat the same. And they can all learn from one another’s rhythm.
When we launched Craft to Crumb, our goal was to create a community for the bakers whose work transcends dusk to dawn, the ones who simultaneously suffer for and celebrate their craft every day. At the 2022 International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE), we announced Craft to Crumb was coming. Now, this platform, part of Avant Food Media, is an IBIE Gold Media Partner.
From the beginning, we’ve said, “We see you, bakers.” I hope that through our mini-mag and digital content, you feel we have kept that promise. If you’re attending the show (Sept. 13-17 in Las Vegas), keep an eye out for AMIE founder Amie Smith, board president for the Retail Bakers of America. And please stop by our booth #2017 in the West Hall. Let us know how our team can keep supporting you … and celebrate this love of the craft.
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HOT TAKES
BURSTS OF BOBA
The boba craze is here to stay, and tea is sharing the wealth as tapioca pearls enter the baking realm. Boba’s signature chewy texture and traditional Thai flavor add a wow factor to classic baked goods such as cakes, cookies and donuts.
UBE-R CREATIVE LOAF
Ube has garnered international attention for its vibrant hue and versatility. Bakeries are capitalizing on the ingredient’s momentum by incorporating ube into traditionally savory breads to add a touch of sweet, nutty flavor.
FLORAL FUSION
This inventive twist on crepe cakes pairs pandan, a tropical plant used in Asian cuisine, with kaya, a sweet coconut jam, to craft a soft treat with subtle floral notes infused in each layer. It combines global flavors in a customizable dessert.
CITRUS CAVIAR
Also known as finger limes, this fruit features a trove of citrus pearls filled with tangy juice. Native to Australia, it’s thriving throughout the US as bakers use it to add textural pops to their dishes, from tarts to cakes to cupcakes.
Craft to Crumb Hot Takes
Photo courtesy of Molly Bz Cookies
Photo courtesy of Salty Lime Co.
Photo courtesy of Lady M Cake Boutique
Photo courtesy of Rize Up Bakery
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HIRING FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Finding Q4 employees takes hindsight and forethought.
BY MARYGRACE TAYLOR
Pies, cookies and dinner rolls, oh my. October through December is the busiest time of year for retail bakers, thanks to late fall and winter holidays. They roll around at the same time every year, and advance planning is the secret to a successful season.
“Our volume increases significantly, sometimes doubling or tripling compared to the rest of the year,” said Matt Adams, area director of Polly’s Pies in Orange County, CA. “To meet that demand, we scale up our team accordingly. It’s a coordinated effort that requires planning well in advance to ensure we’re fully staffed and ready to execute with precision.”
Here’s how Polly’s Pies and other seasoned bakery owners pull off their Q4 labor needs.
Start wrangling seasonal hires in early fall. High school and college students who work for the bakery over the summer are always a go-to, as are culinary and baking school students seeking seasonal externships.
Brian Pansari, owner of La Bon Bake Shoppes in Whitehouse Station, NJ, looks to retired people and those who work jobs that tend to be quieter during the winter months.
Photo courtesy of Polly’s Pies
Craft to Crumb Seasonal Spotlight | Labor Planning
“People who work with farms or farmers markets are super busy during the summer, but they may be looking for work in the winter,” he said.
Reviewing labor data and relying on past experience are good guides for figuring out seasonal labor needs. That includes combing through product demand by day part, staffing patterns, and the number of business days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. With that insight, bakery owners can decide how many people they need to hire and create shift schedules that support peak production windows.
“We rely heavily on historical sales data and performance metrics from previous years,” Matt said. “We analyze what worked well and what may have fallen short.”
Keep notes throughout the holiday season. In January, take stock of what worked and what didn’t, and make changes for next time.
“Ask employees, including seasonal ones, to write down problems as they encounter them,” Brian recommended. “Even if they don’t have a solution, you can problemsolve later.”
Be strategic about training. One way to make the best use of labor, whether seasonal or permanent, is to assign people focused tasks that play to their skills.
“It’s rare these days to find applicants with prior baking experience, so we focus more on potential than a resume,” Matt said. “With the right training and support, even those without formal experience can thrive in a bakery role.”
High-volume tasks that are repetitive and relatively simple keep temporary employees from becoming overwhelmed and give seasoned employees the opportunity to do something different.
“Maybe they’ll just work on pumpkin pie filling, which frees up our year-round employees to do more complex stuff,” Brian said. “Or if they’re on the retail side, have them bag orders or assemble cookie trays so a more experienced employee can take orders and deal with customers.”
The holiday season’s grinding pace can wear on all bakery employees. While it may not always be possible to avoid marathon shifts, reassigning employees to different tasks can help keep them engaged.
“If someone is working an 11-hour shift, they’re not going to be doing the same quality of work the whole time,” said Iliana Berkowitz, founder and owner of As Kneaded Bakery in San Leandro, CA. “On big production days, I’ll order food so people don’t have to think about cooking dinner. It’s a small gesture, but when things get hectic, it can go a long way toward boosting employee morale.”
A successful Q4 requires thinking ahead — and looking back — when it comes to fulfilling staffing needs. Bakers who spend Q2 reviewing past labor needs and actively engage in hiring during Q3 will be ready to meet the influx of customers and sales that arrive with the winter holidays.
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Craft to Crumb
Featured Bakery | AMIE Bakery
BONNE AMIES
AMIE Bakery beckons friends to gather over traditional European pastries.
BY MARI RYDINGS
There’s an old proverb, “It’s better to be lucky than good.” But for bakery owners, just like with their recipes, there has to be the right combination of both ingredients. Amie Smith, pastry chef and owner of European-inspired AMIE Bakery in Osterville, MA, on Cape Cod, has it down to a science. Serendipity certainly had its place in the bakery’s 10-year (and counting) run, but so have vision, determination, hard work — and hard lessons.
Owning a charming, cozy bakery on Cape Cod is the stuff rom-coms and summer romance novels are made of. The reality of running a business that has just 10 weeks to turn enough profit to sustain it for the remaining 42 weeks of the year is … a little less romantic.
“Between July 1 and Labor Day, we go full throttle seven days a week,” said Amie, who splits her time between the bakery and her responsibilities as the current board president of the Retail Bakers of America. “During the summer, we do three to five times the business on a daily basis than we do during the rest of the year.”
From the time the doors open at 7 a.m. until they close midafternoon, there’s a steady stream of customers — locals and tourists — who stop in for coffee and loaves of scratch-made seeded bread, croissants, bagels, scones, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, cookies, cakes, soups, and more.
The morning bake kicks off around 4:30 a.m. with breakfast musthaves, including the top-selling breakfast sandwich, the McAMIE: sausage, egg and cheese on a homemade cheddar biscuit.
Craft to Crumb AMIE Bakery
A quick check of the seven magnetic whiteboards attached to the front of the double-door refrigerator in the back gives the team a visual roadmap of the week’s production needs. During the peak of the summer season, the bakery supplements its scratchmade croissants and bagels with product from third-party sources.
From day one, Amie’s vision was to sell only pastries and coffee. Yet, during the renovation of the original location, people kept stopping in and asking if the bakery was going to have sandwiches.
“Finally, I said, ‘I guess we’re going to have sandwiches,’” she recalled. “We needed to offer items that have better margins than pastry because the volume of pastry needed to pay one utility bill is enormous.”
Over time, the team shifted to large-batch production of sandwiches to streamline operations and increase efficiency.
“We used to make sandwiches in smaller quantities, and we were always making them,” Amie said. “In season, we preassemble 300 to 500 at a time so we’re not trying to make everything else and do sandwich production. We figured out a system that works pretty well.”
Par sheets hang on a clipboard along the back wall to track realtime counts for pies, cakes, cookies, sandwiches and other items, with separate sheets for cake and
WATCH NOW:
catering orders. After a lot of trialand-error, the team has dialed in this process, with executive pastry chef Alyssa Hurlstone managing the system while Amie provides backup as needed.
“It takes years to figure out systems that actually work,” Amie said. “We know what the pars are and what’s on hand. This is a welloiled machine.”
When AMIE Bakery opened its first location in December 2014, it was in a tiny space on Osterville’s Main Street “down in the village,” an area that meets expectations of idyllic Cape Cod: narrow, tree-lined streets; quaint storefronts; trendy boutiques; and tons of foot traffic.
“We had lines out the door, and we were busy all day,” Amie said. “But there was no front- or backof-house. You could ring someone
Amie Smith discusses the benefits of AMIE Academie’s baking classes as a revenue stream.
up at the register, turn around and make a cappuccino, reach to the right for a pastry, take two steps and make a sandwich.”
The dishwashing sink sat directly behind the register, and the team was constantly making products because there was no storage.
Even as she opened the first location, Amie had her heart set on a space in “uptown” Osterville that she knew would be perfect for her bakery. At the time, a dilapidated garage sat on the site. Years later, when the property came up for sale, Amie knew it was the opportunity of a lifetime and set out to build a bakery to spec.
The new building was six months out from finishing construction when the bakery lost the lease on its downtown storefront. While the situation created a ripple in
WATCH NOW
Amie Smith shares lessons learned about ideas vs. reality when building a bakery.
production — the team worked out of the local library’s service kitchen for a few months — it turned out to be a blessing in disguise in two ways. First, Amie and her team used the time to plan every aspect of the new location’s operation. Second, the lost lease meant she didn’t need to worry about running, managing and purchasing for two locations.
The nearly 4,000-square-foot bakery opened in 2019. It has a true front-of-house, with a bakery case, seating for 10, a grab-and-go refrigerated case for sandwiches, a freezer for AMIE at Home meals, retail space for branded merchandise and local specialty foods, and a full bar. A large window in the seating area gives customers an up-close-and-personal view of cake decoration.
“The ambience here is like at home, something that feels festive and relaxing,” Amie said. “I want people to feel like they’re in my home. That’s the vibe I’m going for.”
The back-of-house features the bakery and foodservice prep areas and an office. There’s also a classroom and a 1,640-square-foot
basement, which houses a dough sheeter, walk-in freezer, additional refrigeration and dry goods storage.
“Everyone thought I was insane for moving uptown, but I studied the traffic reports,” Amie said. “While it was a calculated risk, I had confidence it would work. We’re doing three to five times the volume here than we were downtown. We were able to expand the menu; switch our point-of-sale system to Toast, which has true front- and back-ofhouse capabilities; and have more space to move around in.”
The new location also allowed the bakery to expand its from-scratch capabilities to include croissants, something Amie had always wanted.
“At the former location, the infrastructure was terrible, from a lack of electrical capacity, to temperature issues, to space restraints,” she said. “We also lacked skilled labor to laminate dough, so we purchased dough sheets from an external source. I bought a RONDO dough sheeter a couple of
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Craft to Crumb AMIE Bakery
years ago, and it has been a game changer. Before, we were using rolling pins for our cookies, pie and biscuits. When Alyssa joined us, she upped our croissant game and helped elevate our product lines.”
All of these features have helped the bakery remain relevant as competition has increased in the area as well as on Cape Cod, something Amie takes in stride after more than 10 years in business.
“Although the competition on the Cape and in our area has grown in the past decade, we do different things,” she said. “Competition gives people choices where to buy sandwiches and experience different things. It’s a good thing, and it keeps us on our toes.”
Unlike many businesses on the Cape, AMIE Bakery stays open year-round. The staff numbers around 35 during peak season and eight in the off-season.
“I think it’s important to keep people employed year-round, and to keep things continuous, not only to offer the community a needed service but also to not have to gear up for the season and start over with hiring and training,” Amie said. “Staying open is difficult. The financial cycle of making money in the summer and draining reserves to go in the red during winter is painful. But we’re always strategizing and trying to figure out where and how we can fine tune operations.”
In addition to Amie and Alyssa, the core staff includes front-of-house manager Pam Nasuti, and marketing communications and business operations specialist Jill Doucette. High school and college students, many of whom started with the bakery when they were 15 and return every summer, round out the team.
Still, like so many other bakeries, staff turnover is an ongoing challenge.
“Typically, I hire in the winter to train people to be on board for the summer,” Amie said. “That practice puts a strain on winter reserves, especially if they leave before the season starts.”
To fortify those reserves, the bakery has diversified into other revenue streams, always with intention and always with the community in mind. The graband-go case features a variety of
WATCH NOW
Amie Smith talks about why she sees local competition as a positive.
Craft to Crumb
AMIE Bakery
sandwiches, entrees, cookie dough and salads. AMIE at Home provides frozen to-go options such as cottage and chicken pot pies, fruit pies, and take-and-bake entrees.
In the back-of-house classroom space, the bakery launched AMIE Academie, which offers after-hours baking and cooking classes and special events. Amie often invites trailblazing chefs — Gale Gand and Laura Briscoe, for example — to teach in the space, which can accommodate up to 14 people.
“Our classes have been a valuable addition to the bakery,” she said. “We like to ‘demystify’ baking and, more importantly, demonstrate how we do things here; it offers an insight into and an appreciation for the work that goes into our products. We have a demo mirror and several workstations. Class offerings and scheduling vary, and timing depends on the month. Sometimes they are twice a weekend, other times once or twice a month.”
The Academie is worthwhile financially, but it requires a lot of marketing, planning, prep and setup, so when class isn’t in session, the space does double-duty as a production area for the summer and holiday rushes.
Another revenue-generating feature is the full bar, reminiscent of a true European bakery cafe.
“It took customers a while to get on board with it, but eventually it took off,” Amie said. “When we do events, we can sell alcohol, and it’s a nice add-on for us, revenue-wise.”
AMIE Bakery’s competitive edge comes from knowing its audience and staying true to its roots.
“I’m a foodie, and I like to know what’s trending,” Amie said, “but I’m very much a traditional person, and I like to think of my pastry as eclectic. Our locals are welltraveled, they know quality food, they have well-developed palettes and they are willing to pay for quality. I like to discover new ingredients and find ways to use them to put an interesting twist on something, or make it special, but I don’t get too trendy. I think less is more, and I’m more ‘back to the basics.’”
That four-word description exquisitely captures Amie’s vision for her namesake bakery: to create a cozy and elegant Europeanstyle space where bonnes amies can meet and chat over traditional, from-scratch pastries on classic Cape Cod.
PRODUCT SHOWCASE
01
02
AMIE Bakery embraces tradition — sometimes with a twist — in its scratch-made menu. Here are a few of the bakery’s top-selling signature items.
THE YIN AND YANG
For this executive pastry chef, it’s about balance, patience and a bit of fun.
BY JOANIE SPENCER
When walking into AMIE Bakery, there’s a lot to take in. Aside from the products, scenery and overall vibe, one can’t help but notice that everyone on staff is happy to be there. This is a culture of camaraderie, whether it’s the baristas making lattes or the bakery team forming laminated dough for the items that accompany them.
That culture starts at the top with owner Amie Smith herself, but it permeates through other leaders, including Alyssa Hurlstone, the bakery’s executive pastry chef.
“The most fun in our bakery right now is shaping croissants because it’s usually multiple people standing at the table, and we get to take a minute to have conversations with each other,” Alyssa said. “When we have a group of us working on a project together, it’s the most fun.”
Alyssa has traveled along a winding road that led her to these moments at AMIE. A native Midwesterner raised in a family of artists, she studied at the French Pastry School, followed by the chance to work at the famed French Laundry restaurant in Northern California’s Napa Valley. From there, she followed opportunities in Las Vegas, Miami, Austin, TX, and Washington, DC, before landing in Osterville, MA, on Cape Cod, home of AMIE Bakery.
After a year and a half at the bakery, Alyssa’s dynamic with Amie is something special, and one that Amie envisioned from the first time they met.
Alyssa Hurlstone’s career spans 15 years — and across the country — before landing at AMIE Bakery.
Photo by Avant Food Media
“You could say I waited 10 years for Alyssa to cross my path,” Amie said. “She has the talent and breadth of skills I’d been looking for, for a long time. When we had our first conversation, it was such a good dialogue, and I just thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if I could get her in here?’”
For Alyssa, it was Amie’s vision — or, more specifically, how that vision manifested in the building itself — that drew her to the bakery.
“Honestly, it was the building, the space, that brought me to AMIE,” Alyssa said. “I used to drive by it all the time, and I was intrigued. When I walked in, I saw a really thoughtful space that didn’t pull any punches. Amie has an aesthetic in mind, right down to the branding on the cups. She accomplished it all despite her hurdles with the building. When you walk in, you can tell this is a place designed with intention and that the bakery operates with details in mind.”
That said, the spark between these two goes beyond an appreciation for the details and into a deep mutual respect for what they both bring to the table. In many ways, Alyssa’s upbringing in an artistic family allows her to see big ideas through a practical lens.
“We complement each other well,” Alyssa said. “Amie’s a big-picture thinker where the sky’s the limit, and I’m like the ‘nerd with the clipboard’ saying, ‘Actually, if we do that, we won’t have enough freezer space.’ We create a really good balance in that respect.”
Craft to Crumb Baker Profile | Alyssa Hurlstone
WATCH NOW
Learn about Alyssa Hurlstone’s lamination skills.
With Alyssa’s catalog of product experience, she’s often able to create renditions of Amie’s ideas that not only satisfy those big dreams but also can be made in practical ways.
One of the most recent additions to the lineup includes a special Lemon Sugar Danish on the summer menu. Inspired by palmier and kouignamann, this laminated pastry is made with a yeasted dough, sugar, butter and lemon zest.
“It has a bright, lemon aspect, but also a crispy kind of kouign-amann caramelized effect,” Alyssa said. “It’s probably my favorite product I’ve made here so far.”
Developing baked goods such as this, it’s no surprise that Alyssa is AMIE Bakery’s resident lamination expert.
“Alyssa’s lamination skills enabled us to make our own croissants in-house for our dry pastry case,”
Amie said. “We didn’t have that before. She brought us this capability that I wanted but never had the in-house resources to do because it’s so specialized.”
Big moves like that don’t happen overnight; they take planning and patience. In fact, one of the biggest lessons Alyssa’s learned in her career is patience, whether it’s tinkering with laminated dough or doing everyday tasks.
“You have to be patient,” she said. “You need patience in every aspect of the craft, whether it’s being patient with yourself or with the process.”
It’s also about putting care into each step, big or small, and understanding that every aspect of the process impacts the finished product as well as the team.
“It’s about taking a deep breath,” Alyssa said, “and trusting that the fun things will come.”
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
The 2025 Baking Expo offers artisan bakers a specialty destination.
BY MADDIE LAMBERT
Picture it. The International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) show floor is buzzing with activity. Among the spirited shuffles of feet and queue of exhibitor booths, an interactive hub of creativity awaits. Here, bakers commune to share their knowledge and showcase their skills. Here, attendees from all over the globe find inspiration. Here, IBIE’s Artisan Village sits.
Serving as a prime destination in the West Hall for artisanal baking, the Artisan Village welcomes bakers of all types — from wholesale to retail — to connect and enhance their experience. At IBIE, this space will feature educational presentations, live demonstrations, competitions and tastings.
Two competitive events are also housed here: the IBIE World Bread Awards and the Panettone World Cup — Americas Selection. Both will showcase the talent and creativity that bring the baking industry to life.
Powered by the Retail Bakers of America and Bread Bakers Guild of America, the World Bread Awards returns to the Expo after its 2022 debut. The contest will cover 13 categories, with competitors having submitted their entries ahead of IBIE.
Categories include traditional bakes such as sourdough and ciabatta, but specialty spaces also open doors for participants to be imaginative with their flavors and inclusions. The Student Baker category uplifts emerging industry members, providing them an opportunity to hone their baking skills and connect with established peers.
Narrowing the lens a bit, the Panettone World Cup — Americas Selection is a niche competition for attendees who want to play their hand at the Italian sweet bread.
The competition began in 2019 in partnership with the Copa del Mondo de Panettone
Craft to Crumb IBIE Perspectives
but makes its first appearance at the Baking Expo this year. The Panettone World Cup commences the day after the IBIE World Bread Awards, with pastry chefs from North, Central and South America — with the exception of Brazil and Peru, which have separate contests — to compete in the US selection. The finalists will be chosen for the global grand championship title and then go head-to-head in the World Final in Milan in November 2026.
All Baking Expo attendees can watch the action unfold in the Village with live judging for both events. Awards ceremonies for the World Bread Awards and the Panettone World Cup—Americas Selection are scheduled for Sept. 16 at 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively.
Professional development leads the charge for the Village’s education sessions. From presentations on current industry trends (think gut health and the bagel boom) to the future of artisan baking and everything in between, the Artisan Village will be rife with knowledge-building.
A space for connection, competition and creativity awaits, and it can all be found here, at IBIE’s Artisan Village.
EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS
The Artisan Village will host several IBIEducate sessions. See the full lineup at www.bakingexpo.com/artisan-village.
• The Future of the Artisan Bakery: Tradition Meets Transformation | Susanna Seidemann, iba
• Scaling Up with Local Grains: Grand Central Bakery Case Study | Mel Darbyshire, Grand Central Bakery
• Gut Health and Sourdough | Karl De Smedt, Puratos
• The Bagel Boom: Artisan Innovation Meets Business Opportunity | Sam Silverman, BagelUp and BagelFest
• From São Paulo to the World: Brazil’s Pizza Revolution | Alexandre Neves, FIPAN
• Mission Possible: Feeding the Future | Emily Whitehouse, So They Can
• What Does It Mean to Be Artisan Today? Perspectives From Operators of Artisan Bakeries of Different Types and Scales | Karen Bornarth, Bread Bakers Guild of America
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RULES OF (SOCIAL) ENGAGEMENT
Creating and sharing content doesn’t have to be an extra lift.
BY GREG MASON
As the owner of Treat Yo’ Self Bakery in Wilson, NC, and the social media handle @Trashyqweenz, I swear by one rule: Bake it, but make it a moment. Social media isn’t just, “Here’s my cake, bye.” It’s about telling a story people can connect to. Show the crumb coats, the flour explosions, even the ugly cry when a tier slides at the worst possible time. Customers want a dessert with a personality, not just a pretty picture.
There’s a lot on bakers’ trays, but social media doesn’t have to be a heavy lift. Here are six rules to keep in mind when running a social media account.
Rule No. 1: Your camera eats first. Bakers don’t need a $3,000 camera; an iPhone and a ring light will do just fine. Rather than using a dimly lit photo of a baked good on a countertop, play with angles, move around and let customers see the product details.
Rule No. 2: Your voice matters more than a trending sound. Think of your tone and
aesthetic online as a signature cupcake; once people see it, they should know it’s yours. Trends such as popular sound clips in short-form video content come and go faster than a limitededition OREO flavor; personality makes people stick around. If a person scrolls past a video and recognizes the tone and aesthetic before they see your bakery’s name, that’s when you have brand recognition.
Rule No. 3: Be relatable. It’s not all about posting the perfect final product. Show the pricing breakdown, grocery haul, boxing process … even the 2 a.m. meltdown in the walk-in fridge. Those are the clips people comment on, tag their friends in and share.
Rule No. 4: Don’t be the “buy this, buy that” account. People follow people, not billboards. Reply to comments, laugh with your audience and talk to them like a friend. The more they like you, the more they will want your cupcakes.
Think of social media as a bakery window that never closes, except instead of just neighbors walking by, the entire world can peek in. Social media works while you sleep, which means your best work is still getting views, likes and shares at 3 a.m.
It also puts you in control of your own narrative. You decide what people see first: the gorgeous cake, hilarious mess-up or behind-the-scenes chaos that makes it all happen. And the benefits go way beyond sales. A strong online presence can help land brand deals, media features and other opportunities beyond foot traffic.
Rule No. 5: Inspiration doesn’t stop. Follow food stylists, pastry chefs, small business owners and non-food creators, because sometimes the best ideas come from outside your bubble. A color palette from a florist, a plating style from a restaurant, a viral TikTok
“Think of social media as a bakery window that never closes, except instead of just neighbors walking by, the entire world can peek in.”
Greg Mason | owner | Treat Yo’ Self Bakery
trend from a completely different niche … all of it can feed your creativity.
Rule No. 6: Mix it up. Take what you know from baking and stir in stuff from totally different worlds. That’s when the magic happens and people start saying, “Okay … I’ve never seen that before.”
Greg Mason is the owner of Treat Yo’ Self Bakery in Wilson, NC, and the creator behind the online persona @Trashyqweenz. A graduate of Johnson & Wales University, he is known for his bold cake designs, sharp humor and behindthe-scenes bakery chaos. What started as a small business has grown into both a local bakery and an online community of more than 4 million social media followers. Blending creativity and authenticity, Greg offers an unfiltered look at life as a cake artist and small business owner. He is also part of the influencer program for the upcoming International Baking Industry Exposition.
Meet Us at
Start your day at IBIE with a pastry and hand-crafted, premium coffee at Middleby’s CommercialBaking Cafe You’ll hear from Joanie Spencer, editor-in-chief, on the latest industry trends and engage with Middleby category experts about innovations to fuel your company’s growth and efficiency.
Sunday 10am
• Bread, Buns
• Sweet Goods, Cakes, Muffins
Monday 10am
• Cookies, Crackers, Energy Bars
• Artisan, Flatbread
Tuesday 10am
• Pizza, Pastries
• Tortillas, Snacks
Craft to Crumb
Design Tech | Specialty Flower Piping
BOTANICAL BUTTERCREAM
BY LILY COTA
FLORALS ARE HAVING THEIR TIME IN THE SUN. THE RISE OF THE “COTTAGECORE” AESTHETIC IS OUTPACING EXTRAVAGANCE AND WELCOMING SLOW, BOUNTIFUL MOMENTS UNDERLINED BY THE BEAUTY OF NATURE. AND, IN A RIOT OF COLOR, BAKERS AREN’T LEAVING THIS ARRANGEMENT TO THE FLORISTS.
CRAFT TO CRUMB PARTNERED WITH ALISA WOODS OF SIFT N SPRINKLE TO INSPIRE BAKERS TO DIVERSIFY THEIR FLOWER PIPING WITH SPECIALTY BLOOMS, SUCH AS A LILY OF THE VALLEY.
Materials needed: Buttercream icing; piping tips in various shapes and sizes, including leaf, round and petal; piping bags; small skewer
With a leaf tip, pipe two long leaves starting at the base of the cake, releasing just before pulling the tip away at the end to create the leaf’s point.
03.
Add several curved lines to design the stems that will hold the flowers. Make them larger at the base and smaller at the top. Leave the very top of the curve empty.
Finish the flowers by using a small skewer to form a ruffle at the bottom of the bell.
02.
Using a small round tip, pipe a stem starting at the base, curving slightly to one side at the top.
04.
Using a #81 petal piping tip, anchor the flower above the stem, pressing to create a bell. Release and pull down to form the flower. Pipe larger flowers toward the bottom and smaller flowers near the top.
Repeat along the perimeter of the cake, spacing flowers evenly apart.
All photos courtesy of Alisa Woods
STARTER BAKERY
KING OF KOUIGNS
BY ANNIE HOLLON
The first time Brian Wood, head baker and CEO of Starter Bakery in Oakland, CA, tried a kouign-amann at a shop in Manhattan, NY, he was blown away.
“It was everything: salty, sweet, buttery, flaky, caramelly,” he recalled. “I knew then that I really needed to learn how to make it.”
He didn’t master the French sweet good until a few years later, but that first bite was foundational and would transform his career from baking instructor to bakery owner.
To Build a Bakery features growth stories from bakeries of all scales. Explore the series at crafttocrumb.com/TBAB.
All photos by Clara Rice
Craft to Crumb
To Build A Bakery
“We’re well known for having a good variety of products and with that comes a responsibility to make them effectively and efficiently.”
Brian Wood | head baker and CEO | Starter Bakery
An origin story
While Starter Bakery’s first retail storefront opened March 2023, the business began as a pop-up more than a decade earlier.
Brian had been trying to open a retail bakery but didn’t have the funding. In 2010, an opportunity came to participate in the Pop-Up General Store, a gourmet food event featuring Bay Area culinarians. He took it, bringing the baked good that had enraptured him.
Consumers and bakers alike are more tuned into kouign-amanns these days, but at the time, the baked good wasn’t part of the culinary zeitgeist.
“During this event, we brought about 350 pieces, and they sold out within two hours,” Brian said. “That pop-up event was really the start of Starter Bakery.”
The seed was planted for Brian to take this moment and carry it forward.
“I felt a lot of momentum, and I ended up finding a wholesale space in the industrial part of Oakland,” Brian said. “Within a few months, we had it operational and were delivering to cafes.”
That first 1,400-square-foot iteration opened in 2011. The business grew little by little, expanding into the neighboring space a couple years later.
In 2018, the bakery settled into its current home, 13,000 square feet of what previously served as a Berkeley, CA, brewery. The bakery includes everything from a temperature-controlled space for viennoiserie production to proofing rooms. Setting up the wholesale business provided Brian with considerations for the retail expansion.
WANT MORE ON STARTER BAKERY?
Visit crafttocrumb.com for more information and insights on the bakery’s journey.
From wholesale to retail
Once established in the wholesale facility, Brian revisited the idea of opening a storefront.
Post-pandemic, he noticed “For Lease” signs at retail spaces in the area as well as other neighborhoods. After driving around and making some calls, he locked down Starter’s first brick-and- mortar, signed a lease September 2021 and got to work.
From finding the space to opening day, it took nearly two years to get Starter Bakery’s retail presence set up. Funding for the build stemmed from the wholesale business and a bit of savings. Although Brian still had a lot to learn, having been through a similar process before helped.
“I’m glad that I had a few larger construction projects under my belt before I did the retail shop,” Brian said. “It enabled me to understand the process a little bit better, the time frame and how to operate within other professionals’ expectations.”
Ensuring everyone is aligned can smooth out the construction phase, and, in some cases, save a baker from an unexpected cost or setback.
“Having that awareness before it’s too late in the process is important,” Brian shared.
Brian’s learned many lessons throughout the development of Starter Bakery. The most critical? Building the right team.
“You’re not going to do much without it,” he said. “I don’t think the business could have gone through the expansion that it has if I hadn’t increased my capacity and ways in which I can work with people.”
Team-first operations
An important part of bringing in the right people is providing the tools they need to succeed. For Brian, this includes having systems in place to onboard team members.
Many menu offerings can be traced back to the early days of the business. But the bakery team is also keeping the lineup fresh, retiring low-volume items and rolling out some new ones.
“We’re well known for having a good variety of products, and with that comes a responsibility to make them effectively and efficiently,” Brian said.
Starter Bakery is now wrapping construction on its second retail location in Albany, CA, expected to open late September.
Having already gone through the bakery building process, elements such as space design are locked in and serve as the foundation for the new shop. Backed by the same
architect and general contractor from the first brick-and-mortar storefront, Brian is equipped with the tools and know-how to make it a bit easier this time around.
“There are similar elements, and it’s different, which is exciting,” Brian said. “Starter Bakery is different than it was when it opened in Oakland two-and-a-half years ago. Because of that, it needs to show some change.”
Those changes include fresh paint colors and finishes as well as some equipment decisions, Brian teased, that will open the door for more product variety.
From a pop-up to a notable bakery with a robust wholesale program and growing retail presence, Starter Bakery has come a long way in 15 years. With many lessons tucked away, a rich background and bright future, Starter Bakery is a lot like the buttery French pastry: a bit of everything.
BAKERY PARTNERS!
2tarts Bakery NEW BRAUNFELS, TX
Amy’s Bread NEW YORK, NY
Clear Flour Bread BROOKLINE, MA
Crust a Baking Company FENTON, MI
Essen Bakery North & South PHILADELPHIA, PA
Floriole CHICAGO, IL
For the Love of Sugar DETROIT, MI
From Lino BETHLEHEM, PA
The Gingered Peach LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ
Kessler Baking Studio DALLAS, TX
King Arthur Baking Company Café & Bakery NORWICH, VT
Long Beach Beer & Bread Lab LONG BEACH, CA
Honey Saves Hives educates consumers about the important role honey, honey bees and beekeepers play in the baking industry.
Nathaniel Reid Bakery ST. LOUIS, MO
Norimoto Bakery PORTLAND, ME
Publican Quality Bread CHICAGO, IL
Raised Doughnuts and Cakes SEATTLE, WA
Starter Bakery BERKELEY, CA
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.
SUGAR PLUM BAKERY.
This Virginia Beach, VA, bakery promotes employment equality for individuals with intellectual disabilities, but it offers more than just a job opportunity. It also provides education, training and rehabilitation services, helping people with disabilities integrate into working society and live independently. Employees learn the fundamentals of managing a retail bakery business and are matched with a dedicated job coach to guide them through the process.
WALLY’S PASTRY SHOP.
Known for its scratch pastries and premier cakes, Wally’s Pastry Shop breaks barriers to employment for women in Kansas City, MO. The bakery trains women in cake decorating, pastry-making, business management and leadership, opening doors to those who may struggle with finding traditional employment. The program’s goal is for women to eventually run their own business under the Wally’s umbrella.
Photo courtesy of Sugar Plum Bakery
Photo courtesy of Wally’s Pastry Shop
Craft to Crumb
BAKERS DOING GOOD
MUDDY FORK BAKERY.
The Bloomington, IN, wood-fired, brickoven bakery gives back to its community through the Neighbor Loaves project. Created as part of the Artisan Grain Collaborative, the initiative supports food pantries and provides food to people facing food insecurity, while also strengthening the local grain supply chain. The Artisan Grain Collaborative network comprises more than 50 Midwest bakers, and Muddy Fork donates 75 loaves a week to Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, a local food pantry.
GREAT HARVEST.
The fast-casual bakery and cafe franchise corporation consists of 200 locations across the country. Each store supports various causes with donations to local charities, community organizations, international relief efforts and cancer research. Last year, Great Harvest franchisees collectively gave more than $1 million to these causes. The bakeries also host fundraisers, raise money for college scholarships and create special bread lines, from which they donate 100% of the proceeds.
GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD
Photo courtesy of Muddy Fork Bakery
Photo courtesy of Great Harvest
Thought for Food
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.
TechTalk with Gideon Butler-Smith, Lesaffre
Butler-Smith, technical service manager, highlights the various ways the ingredient company supports retail bakers with Saf Instant Yeast.
At the IBIE Bench with Richard Charpentier and Alex Peña
Chef Alex Peña, CMB, (bottom) chats about what he’s looking forward to experiencing and learning about at the upcoming Baking Expo.
Asking the Right Business Questions
Melissa Yanc, owner and chef of Quail & Condor, emphasizes the importance of staying in the know when working with contractors.
contact information provided.
“KEEP YOUR MIND OPEN AND LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN FROM EVERY SINGLE PERSON YOU CAN. EVERY BAKER OUT THERE HAS SOMETHING TO OFFER.”
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.
