Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Meyer.
Hi Liz, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 2015, Liz Meyer & Travis Harjes began baking organic sourdough at home for their family. At that time Travis was working at the Good Earth Food Coop in St. Cloud, MN and started selling our practice loafs to friends, family, and coop customers. This soon evolved into a growing customer base and we became a Cottage Food Vendor selling at local farmers markets. Throughout our entire journey of baking we have actively involved our customers, listened to wants and needs and responded with quality, locally made baked goods.
In 2016 we moved our baking operations from our home into the Good Earth Food Coop Kitchen and became an LLC allowing us to sell Organic Sourdough Bread to local Coops, Coffee Shops, Restaurants, Farmers Markets, Etc. We quickly were needing more space for our bread production demands and crossed paths with Collegeville Artisan Bakery (CAB) out of St. Joseph, MN. The owners of CAB were looking to sell their bakery at the exact moment we were looking to expand and grow. It truly was a perfect alignment. Travis began training with Head Baker Steve Nelson in 2018 expanding the Backwards Bread Menu to include artisan french breads, sandwich bread, buns, pastries and cookies.
After about a year of working together and training with CAB we had grown our baking knowledge, our menu and our dreams to expand. At this time we wanted to bring our mission to the local community via a retail store front. We ended up landing on the South Side of St. Cloud in 2019. We have a neighborhood retail store front featuring our full menu of baked goods made daily, Monday – Saturday 7am-1pm. The day to day operations of Backwards Bread Co. is made possible by our fantastic bakery family/team, which consists of three shifts, including 13 full-time & 10+ part-time employees. Backwards Bread Co. is fueled by the heart of our team and the desire of our community, a full circle of connection.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has been filled with endless opportunity for learning, both for us personally and professionally. We choose to look at “Struggles” as opportunities to learn, grow, expand, and change. We embrace this process by “moving at the speed of trust” (a Travis quote).
We enter each moment, each decision, each challenge, each opportunity from a place of trust. It offers: a freedom in our leadership that empowers each and every member of our bakery team, a freedom to truly listen to our customers wants/feedback/etc., the ability to show up to work after many long days and sleepless nights, an open heart to celebrate new accounts and the ability to gracefully let go of ones who no longer align., etc. etc. etc.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Backwards Bread Co. bakery team makes high quality, artisan Organic Sourdoughs, French Breads & Pastries. We make everything by hand daily and believe the process of going – Backwards “back in time” – to make things by hand provides a higher quality of food, one that is using age old fermentation techniques, quality ingredients, and love from our team. Our mission believes you can taste and feel the difference in our products. Something about walking down the street to your local neighborhood bakery changes peoples relationship with their food. Knowing where it is coming from, who is making it, and what is going into it is a perfect example of human connection at the core while nourishing ones body.
We specialize in “making good bread for good people” (Travis quote).
We are known for our Organic Sourdough and famous Almond Croissant.
We are most proud of our Dana Bread Program. A program create out of the response to food insecurity during the covid pandemic. We offer, daily, 2 bread options (White Bread or Whole Wheat SD) loaves at whatever price you choose to pay. The word “Dana” means act of generosity and we choose to always have bread available for everyone. The proceeds from these breads go back into product costs and the rest goes to donations towards local food shelves and charities.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
So many!
Our family, from day one, who always say “yes” when we need them. At various points they have worked with us at the bakery, watched our children, ran errands for us, feed us, etc. and most importantly believed in us. Cheered us on.
Our “chosen family” aka or bakery family. Who show up and have fun together everyday. They make the products possible.
Travis’s bakery mentor, Steve Nelson. Steve transferred his baking wisdom Travis through a year of training while wholeheartedly believing our vision.
The Good Earth Food Coop who were a part of our mission as it formed, grew, and took off into what we are now.
All of our wholesale accounts who choose our baked goods for use in their local business.
To all of our customers, at our retail store, farmers markets, local events, etc. near and far.
Pricing:
- $3-9
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.backwardsbreadco.us
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backwardsbreadco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backwardsbreadco
