New Zealand's First Social Enterprise Bakery
We’re New Zealand’s first social enterprise bakery with 100% of our profits going to support refugees starting their new lives in Aotearoa. By teaching artisan baking skills to our employees and teaching English to those who require additional language support, this makes for a smoother transition into the workforce. We acknowledge that becoming a refugee is an experience requiring a person to be forced to leave their country to escape war, persecution or natural disasters, and that resettlement into a new home requires a holistic approach. Therefore, we additionally provide mental health practitioners for those who request or require mental health support, to ensure that the refugee community is supported holistically.
Combining a passion for people and a love for baking
After a trip to our neighbours in Sydney, our founder, Ana Djokovic, was inspired by the success of The Bread and Butter Project in their ability to train refugees and asylum seekers in the art of baking and find them permanent employment opportunities.
In New Zealand, we have a skills shortage of bakers and it’s an industry which needs support to keep on going. Not only that, but Ana is passionate about baking (even if she was eliminated from the first season of The Great Kiwi Bake Off). With a background in Human Resources and a passion for people and baking, combining both was a no brainer!
Beyond the art of baking, the addition of on-site English language lessons and mental health support are those extra little things that will help our employees flourish. With a bit of encouragement, specialised support services, and professional baking oversight, our programme will create proficient bakers and empowered members of the community.
We’re excited for you to join us in our venture and can’t wait for you to taste what our brilliant team produce!
"If baking is any labour at all, it's a labour of love. A love that gets passed from generation to generation"
The concept of bread and pastry is something familiar across cultures; every culture has some derivative and we have all tasted it. It’s made with care, precision and time. It lends itself well to the creation of a new start. New Zealand is also in need of quality bakers to keep our existing bakeries going. Our venture will ensure we find our bakers employment for the longer term, after they participate in our programme, helping out our communities and our economy.