Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Hellen-Lloyd.
Hi Jesse, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hey Brother Baker started as a hobby — just making a few country loaves every week for myself, family, and friends. At one point, I brought a loaf into Restauration, a local spot down the street from me. The chef (Phil Pretty) got ahold of it and after a couple of months, I agreed to make their country loaf for them. From six or eight country loaves every week, HBB has grown to a couple of hundred loaves on a weekly basis. We make eight different doughs every week. At this point, HBB consists of my wife, Christina, and myself.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Good grief. Is anything a smooth road? I have over a decade of experience running my own business, but this bakery has thrown challenges at me from every direction. The most recent involved our flour increasing hydration slightly over the course of a couple of months. I’m sure it wasn’t more than a percent or two, but it had a drastic effect on our final product. And when your biggest clients are restaurants, they notice if the bread is a half-inch shorter.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
From the outset, our goal has been to provide quality, handmade bread that’s affordable for a working-class family. I try to set prices with that in mind. We do make some breads & pastries that hit a higher price point, but our country loaf retails for $6 and I don’t plan to change that soon. I applaud the work of some of my colleagues and peers who make artisanal breads and pastries. I’ve looked up to both Colossus and Gusto for years now. They both do absolutely amazing work and I love how they have driven the baking scene in the South Bay recently. I just want to see some accessibility in the market, so I aim to provide it. People should be able to feed their families with quality bread without breaking the bank — especially now when incomes are taking a major hit.
Pricing:
- Country Loaf – $6
- Sticky Pecan Buns – 2 for $10
- Multi-Grain Seeded Levain – $7.5
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heybrotherbaker/
Image Credits
Mariah Bower
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