Small Business

After 17 years in business, Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company is planning to expand beyond their current Miami County market with the addition of online sales as their lead component for growth.

A small, mom & pop artisan bakery located in the small rural town of Troy Ohio, Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company has enjoyed years of consistent growth and local success. Established in 1997, the company moved to their current location in 2000 which boasts 3,800 square feet of bakery space in which they produce artisan breads, pastries and gourmet cookies for sale in their storefront café as well as to wholesale customers.

“Despite our success,” says Steve McLain, co-owner, “like many small businesses, we‘ve definitely felt the pressure of the large chain restaurants and bakeries popping up around us.  As a small, artisan producer, we knew we had to be strategic about our continued growth and find a way to expand beyond our current market in order to ensure longevity. The addition of online sales to our current revenue was the obvious first step. “

Bakehouse recently engaged a professional firm to help elevate the company’s brand presence to ensure it would not only be well received by a national market, but would stand strong when placed beside large chain competitors.

“Very often, small businesses reach a plateau after a number of years. They want to grow, but are afraid to invest in the tools that will help them reach that next level,” says McLain. “We knew that in order to continue to compete, we couldn’t stand in the shadows of the big chains. We had to refresh and not only come out swinging, but shining brightly as well.”

Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company invested in a complete redesign of their brand and web presence to feature high-impact photography of their artisan products and the ability to order products online. “The ultimate goal was to show customers outside of the local area who might not frequent our brick and mortar location the quality of our products and give them the ability to order online,” says Margaret Begg, co-owner and master baker.“This allows us to share the craft of artisan baking with folks all around the country and bolster our growth at the same time.”

Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company is now a small business poised for growth and expansion. Their new web presence features six of their most popular artisan bread staples:  Sourdough, Cranberry Poppyseed, Raisin Walnut, New York Rye, Seven Grain and a special collaboration with a local famer and miller, Organic Spelt. They also offer seasonal products and gift boxes online, as well as their famous Bakehouse gourmet cookies.

All of Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company’s products are created by hand using all natural ingredients in their Troy Ohio bakery. No emulsifiers, artificial fillers, preservatives or other “shortcut” additives are ever used. Every ingredient that goes into creating Bakehouse products are completely natural and whenever possible, locally sourced.

“Yes, there might be a faster way or cheaper way to create a loaf of bread,” says Begg,  “but the nourishment of a nation is no place to cut corners. We believe it is our responsibility as food producers to keep the health of our community at the forefront of every decision. So every ingredient we use in the creation of our products or the delicious food in the Bakehouse café is selected with this in mind.”

Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company’s artisan breads and gourmet cookies are now available to the public via their online storefront at www.bakehousebread.com. Shipping is available within 2 days to anywhere within the continental United States.

Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company creates handmade artisan breads and gourmet cookies for lovers of great food around the world. For additional information about Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company, contact them at937-339-8100 or info@bakehousebread.com. For the most up to date information about Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company s products, follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bakehousebread.