Today we’d like to introduce you to Matias Barang.
Hi Matias, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I first learned how to bake sourdough in Austria from a four-generation bakers’ family “Da Sticklerbäck”. For 160 years, they provided bread for the mountain village of Puchberg am Schneeberg. They taught me the basics of bread making in 2017 and inspired a journey that continues through our brand and slogan “Hasi: Art is in Bread”.
When I started baking in LA, it was for office coworkers, neighbors, and friends. I baked out of a wood-fired oven that I built by hand with my brother in our parent’s backyard. It was rustic–hand mixed and baked in fire. Some of my fondest bake memories are from this time, and it’s where my passion for sourdough first took hold.
I wanted to create the best “thing” I could with my hands. Part of that process meant sourcing the best ingredients. That’s when I started milling my own organic flour. It took “whole grain’ to a new level of understanding. Watching grain turn to flour before my eyes was a mind-blowing moment. Not just in nutritional and baker’s understanding, but in flavor. I learned that I could adapt flavor profiles by creating my own blends while broadening my understanding of grain composition.
I took a creative turn when I discovered turmeric and butterfly pea flowers as a natural dough pigment. Turmeric rendered a saturated yellow, and the pea flower a striking blue. Both with their own line of health benefits (anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, respectively), it inspired a unique opportunity to revitalize how people see bread. Sharing blue and yellow marbled sourdough at the table became a showstopper experience and the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey. Each loaf a creative piece and a reflection of our slogan “Art is in Bread”.
The business took off when I started sharing my sourdough at the farmer’s market. The colors sparked interest, followed by an invitation to share as customers walked by. Firstly, addressing our natural and organic sources, then segueing into the Art of bread making itself. It was an opportunity to explain what it takes to transform humble flour, water and salt into something truly magical. Balancing time, temperature and technique as a “creative science”, as I like to call it. I found myself converting non-bread eaters to sourdough advocates and returning customers. Whether the conversion was in explaining the health benefits of a fermented bread, the power of freshly milled grains, or simply the eye-catching colors is to be determined!
Up until just a few months ago, I worked full-time at my office job while building this business. The schedule was nuts! I would get home from work on Friday, bake 7PM-4AM, and was at the farmers market by 8:30AM with fresh bread. I learned what it meant to love what you do and the lengths you would go to to make it happen. It’s hard to describe, but now easy to recognize in others who believe in what they do.
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?
I think most entrepreneurs will tell you that the road is never always smooth. But that’s what you sign up for when you go out on your own. The road is defined by problem-solving and pushing yourself beyond discomfort and into achievement. With that said, my struggles have been many and I wear them proudly.
I’ll share one obstacle that most people can relate to… (ever heard of COVID?):
My first bakery was set to open in March 2020 in Burbank, CA. Like the rest of the world, we got hit with pandemic reality shortly after. Restaurant and service industries got thrashed. We couldn’t open as originally planned, but I found solidarity in the industry as we were all figuring it out live, together. I delivered free bread to local restaurants and folks out of work, even though we couldn’t make our own rent. I wanted to show that even in the darkest times if we choose to do good and continue to serve each other, we can rise together. One month later, I severed the lease agreement (this is another story on its own) and closed shop.
The next two weeks were tough. Is this the end of the road for Hasi Bread? My parents offered their driveway to entertain a wild idea–what if we built the bakery right here? Within two weeks of planning, trips to home depot, and the help of friends & family, we got it done. A 120sqft bakery built from nothing but an idea, hard work and the will to go on. The “Hasi Haus” in Studio City is where we currently operate out of and have grown beyond what I thought would ever be possible in such a small space.
Now, when I set foot in my bakery I see every bent screw, every piece of bumpy drywall, and every piece of handmade equipment and it’s a moment of shameless pride. I built this from zero. And if I can blast through the curveball of 2020, I can conquer any challenge. Much love to the bumpy road!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We specialize in wild-fermented sourdough, using freshly milled grain and earth-based color to render our signature yellow (turmeric) and blue (butterfly pea flower) bread. We’re here to show you that great bread can be at the center of your table, be healthy, and look awesome. It changed my life, and I hope it can do the same for you!
Who else deserves credit in your story?
This business would not exist without the support of my people! My parents allowed me to use their driveway to rebuild my bakery, and my friends helped build it. Not only that, but they’ve had my back since day one and they are my biggest support.
My former boss Alan has been and continues to be my greatest mentor. I had the pleasure of working directly under him in the advertising space for ~ three years. I learned the innards of the industry but was most importantly inspired to break the norm and follow my dreams. I learned what it means to build a business, be a leader, and continue to celebrate creative and to take new avenues. He continues to guide me on my entrepreneurial journey and the steps I take are tied to the example he has set. Thanks Al!
My customers (the OG’s) who came out the first weekend I set up shop at the North Hollywood farmer’s market and kept on coming. The growth of this business is owed to your unwavering support and love of the Loaf. Connecting with my customers, old and new, is the reason I have continued to bake bread. Thank you the most!!!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.hasibread.com
- Instagram: hasibread
Image Credits:
Josh Menon
