Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Miller.
Hi Molly, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always loved to bake. When I adopted a gluten-free diet to help control the symptoms of Crohn’s disease, I didn’t want to give up baking. So I started experimenting, converting some simple family-favorite recipes to be gluten free. A friend with celiac disease encouraged me to apply to farmers’ markets to sell my items, so I figured, why not?!
I started Sift Gluten Free at the Kingfield and Fulton farmers’ markets in 2013. I had a full-time corporate job, and it just started as something on the side. By the end of the first season, I had several local coffee shops inquire about purchasing my items for sale in their shops. The wholesale business took off, so I found a local community kitchen where I could move the operation. For about three years I sold at farmers’ markets and grew the wholesale business out of this shared kitchen while I searched for a brick-and-mortar location. In 2017 I was able to purchase a building in south Minneapolis, and we opened there later that year. This December will be our 8th anniversary of the storefront!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
In many ways, I feel like gluten-free baking is the Wild West! There are always new ingredients to experiment with, which lend different textures and flavors. It can take a LOT of testing to get a recipe just right. As we discover new ingredients or approaches to a recipe, we try to refine our offerings to make them the best they can be. It’s always a work in progress.
There’s also a lot to learn about starting a small business. There’s really no straightforward handbook out there that says, “This is how you do it.” It’s a lot of trial and error, and looking back on advice I received thinking, “Oh, NOW I understand what they were saying.” Having a network of friends and acquaintances who are also small business owners, especially in the food world, is immensely helpful.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Sift Gluten Free?
We are a dedicated gluten-free and peanut-free bakery in South Minneapolis. We believe that everyone should experience the connection and joy found through food. We are here to offer everyday treats and celebratory sweets for people with (and without!) dietary restrictions. If you’re gluten free, you should be able to have your cake—and eat it too.
Our storefront is open Tuesday-Sunday 7am-2pm (closed Mondays). Each day we have a fully stocked bakery case, with items such as donuts, muffins, cupcakes, scones, bars and cakes. We offer four bread options every day, as well as challah on Fridays and cinnamon-raisin bread on the weekends. Our retail freezer is stocked with waffles, pizza crusts and bake-at-home cinnamon rolls and monkey bread, as well as discounted day-old items. We also have a full-service coffee and espresso bar featuring Wonderstate Coffee out of Viroqua, WI, and Autumnwood Farm dairy from Forest Lake, MN. All of our drink syrups are made in-house (and delicious!). We offer about 15 indoor seats and 4 outdoor picnic tables.
In addition to our walk-up bakery, we also have an extensive special order menu. Our custom cakes are the most popular items on this menu, and vary from a small 4″ round cake to heart-shaped cakes and sheet cakes. We love celebrating our customers’ life milestones with them, and it’s especially moving when someone is newly diagnosed with celiac disease and can feel “normal” with a lovely cake to enjoy.
Ten months out of the year we also offer bake-at-home pizza pickup one day per month. The two months that we don’t offer it are November and December, and we’re swamped with Thanksgiving and Christmas orders at this time! We offer special holiday menus for these holidays (as well as Valentine’s Day, Easter and Mother’s Day).
In general I would just say that we’re thrilled to be people’s gluten-free go-to in the Twin Cities, and grateful for everyone who supports our bakery and lets us do what we love.
What matters most to you? Why?
As a business, we want to offer the best gluten-free items as well as the best customer experience. The world is a tough place, and we want to be a bright spot in someone’s day—both with our treats and offering someone a smile when they walk through the door.
As a person, I want to be authentic and walk my talk. I want to create a welcoming, encouraging and growth-oriented space for our employees. And I want to contribute to our local gluten-free community in a positive way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://siftglutenfree.com
- Instagram: @siftglutenfree
- Facebook: @siftglutenfree
