School District Looks to Fill Bread Shortage After Bakery Closure

The shuttered Sunrise Bakery provided the district with its bread

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By Kate McPherson
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Story Created: Nov 29, 2012 at 7:38 PM AKDT

Story Updated: Nov 29, 2012 at 7:38 PM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - When the Sunrise Bakery shut down two weeks ago 90 Alaskans lost their jobs.

The Anchorage School District also lost its supplier of English muffins, sliced bread and buns.

“When we found out about the closure, we immediately bought out everything that they had,” said Karen Richardson, executive chef and kitchen manager with the Anchorage School District.

“We have enough product to get us through to the end of December. We may have to make a few menu changes to accommodate,” she said.

The school district needs a new baker and is taking bids for that contract, which must be finalized by the end of winter break, or there’ll have to be significant menu changes.

Unfortunately, says Richardson, an Outside company might have to step in.

“It would be great if we could do local, but right now, as it stands, there's nobody in the state that produces what we need for our schools,” said Richardson.

Locally owned bakeries that have expressed interest may not be able to fill the large orders required.

But House of Bread could be stepping in for smaller businesses in town that relied on the Sunrise Bakery.

“I think it would be a great opportunity, we're looking to expand and looking for more bread to make for everybody we could do plenty more restaurants in town if need be,” said manager Carson Baldiviez.

The locally owned and run small franchise in South Anchorage is in the final stages of negotiations with the Outback Steakhouse to supply the restaurant with dinner rolls.

Baldiviez says his bread is much healthier than other brands that ship bread to Alaska.

"Our bread is very basic; we use honey as a sweetener and also as a preservative so there is no high fructose corn syrup and none of the other chemicals,” he said.

House of Bread has confirmed a new contract to supply the Lake and Peninsula School District with whole-wheat hamburger and hot dog buns and loaves of bread.

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AK7 said on Sunday, Dec 2 at 1:15 AM

How about shopping in bulk? Sam's or Cost-co or even baking it at the schools.

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