While the economy has not been good to small businesses lately, some bakeries are reporting positive results and even growth in some market niches. Dan (Klecko) McGlynn, owner, St. Agnes Bread Co., St. Paul, Minn., says his specialty wholesale bakery is doing just fine in many of the medium to lower-priced restaurants that his company supplies.
St. Agnes Bread Co. produces breads, buns and rolls for more than 250 accounts. Klecko's theory is that people are still eating out, but probably not at high-end restaurants.
“I'm not seeing the dollars dropping as much among the sports bars, diners and comfort food places we supply,” Klecko said.
These types of venues require different types of bread products, such as hamburger buns and soft rolls, but people still want quality, he said. “We're going after them with artisan hamburger buns, potato buns and egg buns.”
The bakery still applies slow fermentation processes and top ingredients, such as potato flour and sesame seeds, to its bun doughs. St. Agnes is even finding new customers with its artisan bun line, Klecko added.