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About Us
We
often get the question asked, how did you ever end up opening
a Great Harvest Bread Co.? Well, our story is a long one,
but the journey has been worth its weight in gold.
After nearly 27 years with Levi Strauss & Co., Jeff found himself the recipient of those oft dreaded words, “You’ve been laid off…” Surprising to most was the fact that Jeff was elated with the news and eager to try his hand at running his own business, simply shifting his focus from units of denim to units of bread! After 23 years as a court reporter, Becci was happy to join Jeff and combine their love of people and cooking to open Fresno’s first Great Harvest Bread Co. franchise, located a short mile from their home. Daughter Cristina rounded out the family team for the first two years of operation and worked diligently to build the business, handling scheduling, payroll and customer service. Now that she’s married with a son of her own on the way, we are grateful she’s back to interact with the staff and customers almost daily. Son Michael was an asset during the hectic holiday roll-creation time, bringing a group of his friends to work around the huge kneading table crafting rolls throughout the night. Now that he’s away at college, his involvement comes via the consumption and sharing of breads with fellow baseball players at the University of Arizona.
Both Jeff and Becci grew up in family-oriented, close-knit Italian families where the dinner table was a communal time to share the day’s events and fresh food was a lifestyle. Bread was a staple in Becci’s life; no meal was complete without perfect bread to complement an enormous meal featuring freshly picked produce from Noni and Grampi’s abundant Santa Barbara garden. Jeff’s dear Italian father, Louie, still considers his favorite dessert to be fresh bread slathered with berry jam.
Learning the art of bread making has been a beautiful challenge since environmental temperatures affect the outcome of product on a daily basis. The huge Skiold mill sits in a room of its own at Great Harvest and its humming sounds can often be heard throughout the morning as wheat kernels are ground into soft, powdery flour each day. You can be assured you are getting the full benefit of whole grain in your diet when eating our delicious breads and sweets!
Even Oprah endorses the Great Harvest Bread Co. name, discussing
the benefits of additional daily whole-grain consumption on
her beloved afternoon talk show.
We feel overwhelmingly grateful for our unique staff comprised of more than 20
outstanding young members of our community who have chosen to come to work
with us on a daily basis. Our baking team is nothing short of miraculous, arriving
at 12:30 a.m. to begin milling the wheat to ready the flour for baking. Each loaf
of bread is kneaded by hand, creating a unique and rustic appearance to the
bread. “All we knead is love…” that is most assuredly what we do!
In this uncertain economic climate, our customer-service crew does a remarkable
job of making folks feel welcome, comfortable and appreciated. It is our hope to
create an environment that is inviting and friendly, warm and peaceful. As our
bread is nourishing, filling and wholesome to the body, the energy inside our
store is soothing to the spirit. There has been absolutely no compromise to the
integrity and purity of our product ingredients, despite rising costs and decreased
consumer spending. Our intention is to hold fast and strong and weather this tiny
storm. We are grateful for the support of our loyal friends and customers.
Thank you all for choosing Great Harvest Bread Co. as your everyday bread
store.
Be well!
“To be simple is to be great.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Why
are Whole Grains better? Click HERE
to find out!
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