Target reached!
If we hit out stretch goal, we'll hopefully be able to purchase either a dough sheet...
Help Kickstart Phase 1 of Inbread Microbakery!
Carlisle, England, United Kingdom
Aim
I'm raising money to launch Carlisle's first Microbakery.
Psst... There's a lot to our plans going forward, but I'll try and keep the important things at the top. If you want to know more about the future, keep reading.
Note: If you're not local to Carlisle and want to pledge for a reward, contact me beforehand so we can work out getting those rewards to you.
What's all this about then?
I'm trying to open a Microbakery in Carlisle - it's not a full-on bakery/shop, not quite a wholesale-only bakery. I'll be selling our products via stockists in the town centre, as well as supplying restaurants and shops further afield eventually as our capacity grows. We might only be selling them one or two days a week to start with, and we might only be selling a limited range, but everyone has to start somewhere!
So far:
- ✅ I've found shared kitchen space to get us started, located in the town centre (more on this soon!)
- ✅ I've managed to afford a starter-sized oven which can be expanded when we need to do that. It's UK made too!
- ✅ I've got some kick-ass branding work done by Simon from Bearded Creative Studio.
- ✅ I've got interest for our products from local restaurants and the general public (that's you!)
So, why do I need funding?
Our shared kitchen space is fantastic and I'm so grateful for it, but it doesn't come with everything, mostly the stuff we need is for little things:
- First of all, I want this to be your microbakery, deeply involved with the customers and the community.
- In order to be able to make things at scale (making lots of them) to sell, we need equipment. For sourdough loaves we need bannetons, for tinned loaves we need tins, for pastries we need baking trays.
- A few bigger bits like racks and storage in order to be able to stop our little kitchen space from being eaten up by the aforementioned tins, bannetons and trays. Racks also mean we can proof dough without taking up all of our counter space.
- I'll use some of the cash to potentially fund paying helpers, contractors or temporary staff members.
- I'll also like to be able to buy a market stall and banners, so that we can sell at markets and events.
- I'm trying to do all of this without traditional business loans and without over-stretching myself financially.
I can start without some of these things, but I won't be able to scale up effectively without them.
If we overfund, I'd like to do some other things with the money:
- Eventually I'll need a bigger dough mixer to produce larger batches of bread.
- I'll also need a dough sheeter to make bigger batches of pastries.
What do you get in return?
Mostly free products, you'll get tokens that allow you to pick up free sourdough loaves, tinned loaves, pastries and more from our stockists once we get going. There are a few higher reward tiers that throw in a few other special goodies too.
Specific rewards are available on the right hand side of this page - they detail everything you'll get in return for giving certain amounts (but they only apply if you donate directly via that reward type).
Alternatively, you can chip in cash without getting a reward, using the general "donate" button - this cash will still go towards all the things I'm talking about above, and you'll still get your name on the website and the crowdfunding banner / plaque as detailed below.
Everyone who contributes will get:
- Your name on our website to say thank you.
- Your name on a physical 'plaque' or banner that will hopefully travel with us to our market stalls and take pride of place in our physical shop when the day arrives.
You know there's a pandemic going on, right?
Of course I do. And i'm really trying to be sensitive to that fact - we know people are struggling. I'm only asking you to give money if you're sure you can.
The time frames for delivery of rewards and starting to trade consistently on a weekly basis are all COVID-19 and Lockdown dependant. But I'm scrappy, I'll make it work.
But the pandemic and lockdowns have brought out the best in people when it comes to shopping locally and within the community.
So what's on the menu when you get going?
I'm going to focus on supplying real sourdough bread in a few varieties to start with, as well as the staple goodies you get from any good bakery like croissants, pain au chocolat, cookies and of course - cinnamon rolls!
Soon after launching, I'm going to try and expand the range of pastries on offer, and to try and make use of seasonal produce. Not to mention making savouries like sausage rolls and more.
One of our plans following that is to move to create unique jams, sauces and more.
Who's behind this?
That would be me! Dan Matthews.
By day, I'm usually a Web Software Developer and run my own little company called Black Lab Software. My passion and hobby has always been food and home cooking, and in the past year or two, I've become obsessed with sourdough to a completely unhealthy level.
What does the future hold for the business if it takes off?
- Phase 1 - this is now, this is us getting on our feet, and starting to make enough bread to feed our customers and small wholesale clients, while we tighten up and perfect what we do. Collabs with other businesses locally will be on the cards.
- Phase 2 - We do more and expand - we get more wholesale clients, we make more varieties of products, including seasonal preserves and sauces. We start to sell at markets across the county.
- Phase 3 - This is obviously far in the future, but eventually, the goal would be to get a shop and start feeding people breakfast, brunch, lunch and some late-evening pizza nights (with beer, hopefully!).
How does the "BETA Tasters" group work.
The BETA Tasters group is a reward for some of the higher tiers of contributors to the crowdfunder.
I'll add you all to either a WhatsApp group or an email list - you'll be able to pick which one(s) you want to be a part of.
Every month, there'll be new cookies, pastries, breads and more being made, and you'll be the first to get the chance to test them. I'll send out a message to group with a limited drop of new products, you can test them for free and give your feedback. You'll also get first wind of exciting collaborations between us and other local companies.
The first iteration of the BETA Tasters programme will run initially for 6 months, and then after that, depending on circumstances, I might keep it going as a feedback channel for new products and ideas.
HUGE thanks goes out to:
- My partner, Charlotte, for putting up with me while I spend hours in the kitchen making a mess and, occasionally making some bread.
- Jen and Annie from The Good Sister for encouraging me, and inviting me to sell from their lovely little Carlisle café and shop.
- Al from Com-For-T for always chipping in to help with my stupid questions on Instagram.
- The same goes for Sarah King from Bread By Sarah, for pushing me to be less of a wimp when it comes to promoting myself, and for helping out when I needed it.
- My friends, both here and further away, you know who you are.
- Blackhill Bakery and The Grateful Bread on instagram for always answering questions. And Maria from Ria-plenish in Brampton for all the help with the rewards.
- The team at artwork Carlisle for all the help and positivity.
- Everyone else - I am SO thankful for all your comments, encouragement, purchases and more, it means the world to me.
This project successfully funded on 9th April 2021