Building Community Through Local Bread Deliveries

Not so long-ago homes were provided with local bread deliveries. We have adopted that service and modernized it with the 21st century. Crust & Crackle is the boot legging bread bakers of Grey & Bruce delivering across a large portion of both counties. Why fix something when it isn’t broken?

A modernized approach

Instead of horse and buggy, we drive AWD vehicles. Just like then you would place your order with the baker, pay and wait for your bread to be baked and delivered, just the same as our online ordering system and payment methods. Technology can be a beautiful thing and has enabled us to build a fluid bread delivery system.

A new way to see bakeries

No, we are not a brick and mortar location. Rather we have retrofitted our home kitchen into a major bread production facility with local distribution. We felt it was more important to focus on the broader area and reach the local customers in neighboring towns through delivery rather than have the customer come to our location.

Each town should have a butcher, baker, green grocer, café, bank etc, unfortunately many towns fall short of having the staple businesses in place to meet the needs of the towns’ people. Many of us must drive out of town to purchase quite a few of the goods we need. With our delivery system and partnership with several local businesses we can bring the bakery to town one to two times a week.

Not being anchored into a brick and mortar has its advantages. Our business is fluid and flexible. We are always on the move and working alongside complimentary businesses allowing us to wax and wane with the flow of the town. When businesses collaborate, they can create a mutually beneficial relationship that in turn helps build exposure and create more potential buyers. Whether the customer is looking for meat, cheese, desserts, pantry items etc, most if not all customers enjoy the convenience of supporting multiple businesses at once.

Reducing waste

We consider Crust & Crackle to support a zero-waste business model. Using the online ordering system each loaf baked is guaranteed to go home and be enjoyed. We have made it unnecessary for products to be wasted by only baking what is ordered. Even the bread cabinets are stocked based on weekly buying patterns of customers. Each is dialed in to prevent waste. By operating under a zero-waste model, we stock in our kitchen only what is necessary for packaging, supplies, and ingredients. Overhead is minimal, allowing us to operate out of a small space. Consider how much overhead businesses carry. It costs a substantial amount of money for the use of the building, utilities, additional stock, employees etc. This can be minimized by working with a zero-waste model.

Quality food and healthier lifestyles

Working at a smaller scale allows us to prioritize the money we spend on higher quality ingredients. We take pride in using grains that are grown right here in our back yard to curate a well-rounded bread menu. You really can taste the difference when quality ingredients are given the center stage.

Along the journey of Crust & Crackle we have slowly sewn a thread through several towns that have stitched the counties together through food. Good bread has become a movement of eating for a healthier lifestyle. We crave what is made by hand and crafted with care. Consider eating locally baked bread as the gateway to a more sustainable food future.

Evolution is a beautiful thing.