Turning Passion Into Profit
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After 20+ successful years in management consulting, Tasos Katsaounis decided to turn his passion into a life-long career, giving life to Bread (What wine goes well with bread?) Man Baking Co.
The Bread Man Baking Co is a wholesale artisan bakehouse specializing in handcrafted naturally fermented, whole, and ancient grain bread and European-inspired pastries currently shared and enjoyed in over 70 restaurants, hotels, and grocery stores owned by top chefs in the Houston metro area.
The “Bread Man”
Tasos Katsaounis, a Texas native and a first-generation Greek American, was taught by his mother how to bake artisan-style bread using their family-old recipes in Greece.
It was in 2017 that Tasos revisited the recipes he came to know of when he was a child. At first, it was a form of therapy from the demands of his flourishing career in the “corporate world”. A single loaf of bread quickly became a hobby that eventually evolved into a consistent activity.
Before Tasos even knew it, his followers on Instagram began asking questions about his bread — specifically if they were for sale! It wasn’t long after that when The Westin Houston Downtown got in contact with him to bring sample products for them. This very opportunity served as a kickstart for Tasos to establish his baking career.
The Story Behind Their Name
Shortly after the meeting, Tasos realized that he needed to form a company and to scale into a bakery. This also meant the need for a business name.
Lucky Tasos, his adorable daughter came up with the idea for him:
“My oldest daughter was 6 at the time, and she would always try to sneak a piece of freshly baked bread as it cooled on the counter. I caught her attempt one afternoon and I explained to her that these breads are not for us and we can’t touch them. She asked, “Daddy, if they’re not for us, what are you doing with all these breads?” I replied, “We’re selling them, honey.” Without skipping a beat, her response was, “Oh, so you’re a Bread Man Baking Company…” She’s 9 now and proudly tells the story of how she named Daddy’s company to her teachers and friends at school. That was in May of 2017.”
The Early Hurdles
It’s never easy to put up a passion project regardless of how prepared or committed you think you are. And it’s no secret. This is also very much applicable to the Bread Man Baking Co.
Artisan bread demands so much time, patience, and respect for the procedure of baking naturally leavened bread. Sooner than later, Tasos realized that baking bread was giving him so much happiness as compared to his corporate career, and It was more than enough to pursue what needed to be done.
Not having the right equipment in an ideal setting was also another challenge for the company during those early times. Tasos found a commercial location that he could set up into to meet the organically growing demand from customers. His then-capacity of 14 pieces of bread at a time between 4 convection ovens is now increased to 217 1-pound loaves of bread with his current deck.
Penetrating the market wasn’t at all difficult for the Bread Man Baking Co. The quality of their bread paired with their unique story played a significant role in the company’s growth. Each of their products is resonating their labor of love and commitment.
Locally-Sourced Ingredients
The company is committed to source clean and natural ingredients. Their flours (how long does flour last?) are from King Arthur Flour while their wheat and heritage grains are from Barton Springs Mills. To this day, Bread Man Baking Co is the only commercial bakery in Houston sourcing from them.
Things to Watch Out For
Their relationships with their grocery partners are demonstrating room for growth. Some exciting stuff is surely on the works — a mobile bakery touring Houston, opening several retail store locations, and a most-awaited collaboration with some of our favorite Houston chefs are just some examples of things to look forward to if you’re an avid fan!
If you’re wondering where their next store would be, Tasos admitted that he enjoys the idea of bringing artisan products to underserved markets that are typically forgotten or overlooked.
Stores to Grab Their Bread From
Catch Bread Man Baking Co’s top 3 bestsellers namely Country Sourdough, Whole Grain Sourdough, and Challah Burger Buns (and a whole lot more other pieces of bread) in:
All Whole Foods locations in Houston;
Select HEB locations;
Urban Harvest Farmers Market (8 am to 12 pm, Saturdays); and
White Elm Cafe & Bakery (soon to open in mid-July).
You can also conveniently place your orders online for pick-up at the bakery by appointment.
Insider tip: They will be having several bake sales for the month of July! We already have two leads that we’d love to share with you:
3-Year Anniversary Bake Sale by Bread Man
In celebration of Bread Man Baking Co’s 3 year anniversary, the Bread Man is bringing back crowd-favorite — the nostalgic Greek Village Bread, the first recipe he learned from his grandmother while visiting Greece as a child. The Greek Village Bread, similar to sourdough but made with a touch of olive oil giving it a delicious tang, will be available first-come, first-serve only at Urban Harvest Farmer’s Market, every Saturday throughout July.
Texas Bakers Against Racism Bake Sale with Bread Man
Bread Man Baking Co is joining thousands of bakers all over the world for Bakers Against Racism. It is a virtual bake sale in support of black lives and social justice organizations. Their #TxBakersAgainstRacism featured items proceeds will be donated to the Center for the Healing of Racism.
Visit Bread Man Baking Co for more information about their products and their upcoming bake sales!
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