ESKO — Elizabeth Naglak operates Bread in the Meadow — a bakery specializing in artisan bread and pastries — out of her home. As Naglak looks to expand her bakery into a full-time operation, she plans to move the bakery from her basement into a year-round commercial facility.
To grow from a part-time to a full-time business, Naglak and her husband and business partner, Stephen Naglak, are building a commercial bakery on the property of their Esko home. Once properly licensed, they plan to operate Bread in the Meadow as a brick-and-mortar bakery and expand its operations to include wholesale distribution to area businesses.
“We … either have to make less bread and significantly scale back, or we need to do something bigger and have a separate space,” Elizabeth said.
Bread in the Meadow is currently classified as a cottage bakery operating under Minnesota’s Cottage Food Law, which allows individuals to make and sell certain foods without a license. Though the Cottage Food Law allowed the Naglaks to start the bakery with relatively little up-front investment, the law's limitations on food safety and wholesale distribution prevent it from growing into a commercially viable business.
“Right now, we couldn't make a ham-and-cheese danish because ham and cheese are time-and-temperature-controlled items, but with a commercial kitchen, we would be able to do that,” Stephen said.
Stephen, a full-time tradesperson, is building the bakery to meet Minnesota Department of Agriculture safety standards regarding commercial food production. The Naglaks hope the bakery will generate enough revenue to constitute a full-time income.
Elizabeth started Bread in the Meadow in 2017 after growing disillusioned with her career teaching middle school math. She had been baking since college and decided to start the business to supplement her income after quitting her job to become a full-time mom.
Because of limitations in the Cottage Food Law, Bread in the Meadow has sold products primarily at the Carlton County Farmers Market. Stephen said they have earned a loyal customer base.
“We already have a bit of a community through our customers who live here now,” he said.
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Since moving to Esko from Meadlowlands in 2023, the Naglaks have operated the bakery out of their basement, or as they call it, their “bakement.” However, as its customer base and product demand grow, so do the logistical challenges.
Last year, the Naglaks received a $7,000 grant from the Whole Foods Co-op in Duluth’s Grow Local Food Fund to construct a commercial bakery and increase bread production.
Still, operating a commercial kitchen is not cheap. According to Elizabeth, just the commercial oven could cost anywhere from $18,000 to $25,000.
Bread in the Meadow is crowdfunding to cover the up-front cost. In exchange for a donation, the Neglaks are offering rewards ranging from vouchers for future pastries to baking classes. As of Wednesday, they had reached nearly 40% of their $15,000 goal.
“People have been super supportive,” Elizabeth said. “They really want a bakery in this area. Like there just isn't any good bread in the Cloquet area.”
Once the facility is constructed, it must be inspected by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture before the Naglaks receive a commercial license. If they are unable to get their license in time, they will continue operating as a cottage bakery out of the new facility when the summer market season begins.
“We're gonna be out there baking this summer whether or not you know we're ready to get inspected for commercial baking,” Stephen said.
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