Katrina's devastating effect on southern bakeries: a letter from the Deep South Retail Bakers Association

We have 44 bakeries in Louisiana and at least 11 bakeries in Mississippi that have sustained heavy damage or no longer exist.

Six of the bakery's owners are representatives to our Board of Directors:

• David Anderson, Anderson's Bakery, Pascagoula, Miss. and incoming president, suffered a total loss of both home and bakery.
• David Haydel, Haydel's Bakery, Jefferson, La., sustained wind and rain damage along with power outage in his bakery. His warehouse in Kenner is a total loss. His home sustained minor damage. Jefferson Parish is still closed.
• Joel Forjet, Goodchildren's Bakery, Violet, La., lost both of his bakery plants and home due to high water in St Bernard Parish.
• Alois Binder, Jr. (Butz), Frenchmen's Bakery, New Orleans, is still unaccounted for. His bakery was reported as having six feet of water. He had been recovering from surgery at his daughter's home.
• Jo-Anna Lopez, Jody's Bakery, Hattiesburg, Miss., lost her home, and two of her satellite stores are down. Her bakery was down due to power outage for two weeks.
• Johnny Cooper, Cooper's Bakery, Amite, La., lost power in his bakery for a week.
• Pam Mangin who just retired from the board lost her home, and the couple who purchased Sugar'n Spice, lost the bakery and their home as they also are in St Bernard Parish.
  

John E Koerner Company, New Orleans, also suffered damages. The Koerner family lost their homes, and the supply house suffered wind damage and sustained a power outage. BakeMark Ingredients in Harrahan, La.; All Save Products, Hattiesburg, Miss.; and other local suppliers in this area also have been devastated with damage or complete loss.

As bakers return to their homes and businesses in the next few weeks, they will begin to assess their great physical losses. As of Sept. 13, I have received no reports of lost or missing family members. The bakers whom I have talked to have expressed gratitude and thankfulness that their families were spared.

A word of thanks to our industry suppliers who stepped up to the plate and sent trucks of ingredients directly from regional warehouses to even the smallest of shops. I also wish to thank RBA for giving me addresses and telephone number for all bakeries in Louisiana and Mississippi, which I forwarded to industry suppliers.

On another note, many bakeries have contacted me to inform me that they have positions available for skilled workers if they wish to relocate.

We as members of the DSRBA thank you for your prayers and concerns. If you have any contact with any of our members, please contact me at Rhonda@bakingmemories.com

Sincerely,
Rhonda Atwood, President
Deep South Retail Bakers Assoc
Atwood's Bakery
1125 Macarthur Drive
Alexandria, La 71303
September 13, 2005