Our Workforce Bakery Model
Fresh Start operates from a permitted commercial kitchen, training participants in professional baking while producing goods for contracted distribution—not retail sales.
How the Production Model Works
A streamlined approach that prioritizes training and revenue without retail complexity.
Commercial Kitchen
We operate from a licensed, permitted commercial kitchen with professional equipment. No storefront lease, no retail build-out, no walk-in customer management.
Standardized Production
Participants learn to produce a focused menu of 3-5 products using standardized recipes. Consistency and quality are paramount for wholesale buyers.
Contracted Distribution
Products are pre-sold through partnerships with restaurants, cafés, schools, farmers markets, churches, and community organizations.
Limited Menu. Maximum Quality.
Phase 1 focuses on a limited product line optimized for consistency, scalability, and wholesale viability. This allows trainees to master core skills while producing reliable products for buyers.
Initial Product Line
- Artisan sourdough loaves
- Whole wheat sandwich bread
- Cinnamon rolls & pastries
- Seasonal specialty items
All products meet food safety standards and are produced under appropriate licensing and permits.
Workforce Training Components
Transitional Employment
- Paid positions within production operations
- Structured schedules with professional expectations
- Progressive responsibility as skills develop
- Typical engagement: 4-8 months before placement
Professional Baking Skills
- Dough preparation, shaping, and proofing
- Oven management and baking consistency
- Food safety certification and sanitation
- Inventory management and production planning
Coaching & Support
- One-on-one case management and goal setting
- Life skills: budgeting, transportation, stability
- Barrier navigation and resource connection
- Trauma-informed, strengths-based approach
Employment Pathways
- Resume development and interview preparation
- Employer partnerships for job placement
- Connections to food service and production roles
- 90-day retention support post-placement
Who Participates
Participation requires commitment to program expectations, reliable attendance, and willingness to engage in personal and professional development.
Beyond the Café
Fresh Start also values Kingdom hospitality—the humble practice of shared tables, meals, and intentional presence. We recognize that community forms best not through events, but through ordinary life shared together.
We offer optional resources and experiences around breaking bread together that support connection, dignity, and shared belonging in our neighborhoods. These experiences are invitational, relational, and grounded in common life around the table.
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."
— Acts 2:42
For some, hospitality expressed at home grows into a calling to share bread more widely—through community tables, skill-building, and dignified work. Fresh Start exists at this intersection of vocation and welcome.
Hospitality Resources
Explore our Hospitality Handbook and community resources to learn more about Kingdom hospitality as a way of life.
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Fund training wages, become a buyer, or partner with us.