Little Loaf Bakeshop

Baking (their pun!) in a softer approach to the food business

V Smiley Preserves: Can you share a little about yourself and Little Loaf Bakeshop for the VSP community?

Colleen + Rian: The biggest thing we are working out is the launch of our business! It’s something we’ve dreamt about for a long time, both together and separately. Right now it’s a lot of long hours as we figure out our schedule based on demand, but it’s so worth it because we can actually see our dream coming to fruition, one step at a time. 

We’re excited to be a part of the Hudson Valley small business community. It’s strong, tight-knit, and has a big focus on mutual support. We’ve felt supported and encouraged from day one. Starting our business has also been a great way to connect with other queer folks and our broader community, including other small business owners, non-profit organizations, and customers. Being a part of both the small business community and farmers markets allows us to source a significant portion of our ingredients and produce from within our county and region. That feels awesome from an environmental perspective, a quality perspective, and a supporting-the-local-economy perspective.

Last thing…we’re really excited about the positive reception our products have had…especially our vegan croissants! 

VSP: What led you to food and baking?

Colleen: I was in a different career in my mid-20s and needed a change. I took up baking as a hobby and it really clicked, so I went to pastry school, with the thought of eventually becoming a pastry chef in a restaurant. Then I took a bread course and was like “nah, I’m doing bread.” From there I was part of a small bakery startup in Oakland that turned into a fairly large, successful operation. Over the years, I moved away from breads and pastries, and more into management and operations. Moving to the Hudson Valley during the pandemic (for personal and professional reasons), gave me the opportunity to go back to basics and get my hands in the process again. Falling back in love with baking itself showed me that yes, this is what I want to do, and yes, I can do it.

What I love about baking is that it can be really exciting and fast-paced. It keeps my mind occupied, especially during the morning bake. Your mind can’t wander, which actually feels really good. It’s like solving a puzzle—each bake is different. Different quantities needed, different weather, changing products and recipes…not to mention varying lengths of sleep for the bakers ;). I love being in that flow where I’m pushing myself to the highest point of my expertise. Throw in the need for speed, and that’s joy right there. It’s also taught me how to fail, innovate, and take things one step at a time. 

Rian: I’m no expert baker, but I’m learning from an expert which has been awesome. After over a decade of computer work/desk work, it feels good to get my hands back on the products we are offering. It feels good to be moving all throughout the day! 

For me, my focus is on the ethos we are building into our business from day one. I worked at coffee shops and music venues from high school through college (and a bit after), and it was an incredibly impactful experience for me. Growing up in Virginia, I didn’t know any queer people until I started working at a coffee shop in high school. I was an incredibly shy and self-conscious child, and working there taught me how to talk to customers, how to manage and empower people (something I really took to), and how to expand my mind to be more inclusive and accepting (of both myself and others). 

Currently, I have a day job working at the intersection of internal company culture building and branding. I’ve seen companies do a great job at building culture and investing in their people and communities…and some companies do a terrible job. And it all has to do with the language they use and the actions they take (both big and small, internally and externally). This is something we are “baking in” (sorry I had to) to our business from the start because it’s really hard to reverse unhealthy habits and practices after a company grows (ie, not taking off any days, working 18-hour days, cutting corners to make better margins, unethical hiring practices). 

Rian boxing up baked treats for customers at the Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory building, where Little Loaf Bakeshop bakes.

For Pride, Little Loaf Bakeshop is donating a percentage of profits to the Dutchess County Pride Center. Colleen is also standing next to a bouquet by Diana Mae Flowers, a fellow queer-owned business in the Hudson Valley.

VSP: Why do you invoke queerness in your professional work? Why is it important to you and your business?

Colleen + Rian: It’s important for queer people to be visible in every industry. Everyone deserves to have themselves seen in a job they wish to pursue. The Hudson Valley is “purple” in terms of its political and social leanings, so views about queer people are quite varied, so it feels particularly important to maintain the visibility of our identity no matter where we are. As we continue to expand, we want folks to see us as a safe space for queer people, both customers, and potential employees. This goes especially for queer youth, who don’t have a ton of spaces to gather outside of school in this area. Bakeries and cafes can provide that safe space. 

Being queer, in general, has sort of “queered” (is that a word?) our thinking. It’s hard to put into words, but it has made us way more intentional about each step of our process, knowing that the decisions we make and actions we take impact others in more ways than just enjoying our products. 

For us, this means not scaling for the sake of scaling, not capitalizing on events and holidays that cause harm or that are appropriating, and not taking on partnerships with organizations that have questionable ethics. 

Self-reflection and making changes to our behavior as we learn and grow is huge to both of us, and we need to constantly be doing that as a business too. 

VSP: What are some things that you wish you could work on but aren’t getting to, but want to? (ie limitations of your market, time, etc)

Colleen + Rian: Things we want to do:

• Baking classes, especially in partnership with Hudson River Housing, the parent organization of the kitchen we bake out of (the Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory)

• More pop-ups!

• Space + $$ limitations:

  • Finding a local, high-quality spice vendor has been on our minds but we haven’t had time to explore further (and haven’t had luck in our initial searches)

  • We need another car to help with markets but can’t quite afford it yet…and more sheet pans! We don’t have enough to meet the demand for our croissants, but we have to be practical about spending at the moment. One step at a time, and I’m sure other small businesses can relate to this dance! 

  • Rian is going back to their day job (they’ve been able to help more while on medical leave for their top surgery)

  • Not having a space of our own. Renting from a commercial kitchen is awesome in terms of community building…but by-the-hour rental adds up and sometimes scheduling can be complicated. One day!

Little Loaf Bakery offers several delicious cookies, including vegan and gluten free options.

Almond croissants! Little Loaf has also been perfecting their vegan croissant recipe.

VSP: The food industry has changed a lot in the last few years. Have you been impacted or witnessed these changes, for better or worse?

Colleen: It has changed for the better, based on my experience. When I got out of pastry school 12 years ago, it was still the Top Chef generation. Everyone was glamorizing being a hard-ass in the kitchen. Long hours, no one takes a break, you’re not sure if you’re really getting paid overtime or not, you work more than five days a week, and you make nothing. There was this attitude that you have to have a “hard body” to hack it in the kitchen. If you could hack it, then you would wear it like a badge of honor, and then have that same expectation of others…and the cycle perpetuates from there. I’m glad a lot of places aren’t doing that anymore (generally – there are exceptions). People are demanding breaks, a living wage, reasonable hours, and benefits. Front of house frequently pools tips with back of house.

And Gen Z is going to change that even more.

VSP: What is a non-food-based place of inspiration for you? That helps empower your relationship with food?

TH: Our garden! Growing our food from seed, watching everything grow through various stages, knowing how much magic it takes to produce one single fruit or veggie or herb. 

• Working on ourselves as individuals and as a couple. It’s been hard, but the benefits are limitless. Shout out to therapists (both individuals and couples!). 

• Believing in something bigger. This helps us recognize that, as long as we are weaving in service and community and connectivity to our work, we are on the right path.