Bush Order Provisions Ltd. will soon be the new bakery in town as the co-founding couple closes the deal on a commercial space in YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 Kam Lake area.
Yellowknifers may know Bush Order Provisions as the farmers market booth selling fresh breads, pizza dough and produce harvested from their market garden. Co-founders Kyle Thomas and Marie-Christine Auger on Facebook that a Bush Order storefront is underway SA国际影视传媒� an upgrade they have been working towards for almost a year.
Thomas said the goal of the expansion is SA国际影视传媒渟hortening food miles and encouraging more food being available locally.SA国际影视传媒�
The duoSA国际影视传媒檚 plan to acquire a commercial property preceded the pandemic, but Thomas said the challenges posed by Covid have SA国际影视传媒渙nly solidifiedSA国际影视传媒� the importance of a market garden like Bush Order.
SA国际影视传媒淵ou never know when our food supply might get cut off,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淪o we want to grow food and bake really high quality food here in Yellowknife.SA国际影视传媒�
In their new facility, Bush Order plans to operate year-round as a bakery and as a vendor for their produce following viable growing seasons.
Though Thomas said they may get creative and make pizzas or other products that use any produce that hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 sold, Bush Order will remain focused on producing and selling raw vegetables rather than becoming a restaurant.
SA国际影视传媒淲e would love to supply restaurants,SA国际影视传媒� Thomas said.
As part of this weekendSA国际影视传媒檚 announcement, Thomas and Auger are also turning to the community to help support them and their growing business. They are hoping to raise $40,000 SA国际影视传媒渢o help with some of the unexpected costs.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淲e've been working on the finances for 11 months to make sure that we're being realistic,SA国际影视传媒� Thomas said. SA国际影视传媒淏ut there are always little hiccups in the road that we just don't account for.SA国际影视传媒�
He points to a property appraisal that they hadnSA国际影视传媒檛 anticipated and equipment that SA国际影视传媒渋snSA国际影视传媒檛 quiteSA国际影视传媒� what they estimated, as examples of extra costs that SA国际影视传媒減op up.SA国际影视传媒�
Thomas explained that he and Auger are scraping the bottom of the barrel on their personal savings so the fundraising helps to SA国际影视传媒済et off the ground a little smoother,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
In return, Thomas and Auger are offering what they are calling Bush Order Perks. Among those perks, Thomas said he intends to open a bid to name his sourdough starters. Since the starters are a living culture of wild yeast and need to be fed to stay alive, it's common to name them, though Thomas said people are often surprised to learn he never has.
Other perks for supporters will include bread baking courses, Bush Order merchandise and pop-up pizza parties.
As of Monday afternoon, only one day after launching, the fundraiser has amassed more than $4,000.
The couple are set to take possession of the new property later this month and hope to have the facility up and running by spring. They are cautious, though, to commit to a timeline as they SA国际影视传媒渉ave watched so many other startups in Yellowknife have unexpected delays that push them out.SA国际影视传媒�
Thomas said that he and Auger want to put in the work to be around for SA国际影视传媒�10, 20, 30 years from now.SA国际影视传媒�
"This is a combination of both our passions and we want to make it a career as much as we want to make it about contributing to the community," he said.
Both Thomas and Auger currently have day jobs on top of their entrepreneurial undertaking with Bush Order. Auger works with a not for profit in town and Thomas has his own consulting business in web development.
While AugerSA国际影视传媒檚 educational background is in horticulture, Thomas began baking bread as a stress reliever after work. It started as SA国际影视传媒渏ust something (he) could do with his hands,SA国际影视传媒� and he became fascinated with the components that impact the product and the processes of fermented breads in particular.
Since their plans for growth have been on paper for so long, Thomas said making the announcement has been SA国际影视传媒渙verwhelmingSA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒渁nxiety-inducing,SA国际影视传媒� though the feedback has been positive.
SA国际影视传媒淔or the years that we've been at the farmers market, it has been exceptionally well received, so this was just the next big step,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
