Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalia Schubkegel.
Hi Natalia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have been baking sourdough for a few years now. One of my best friends gave me some starter and the basic supplies and I’ve been making it for family and friends ever since, but never thought about making more than 2 loaves at a time, let alone selling it to others. In June, I I just had the thought, I really enjoy making sourdough bread, I wonder if anyone would buy a loaf or two from me. So I posted on my personal Facebook and sold them right away.
I’ve always loved cooking and baking, especially around holidays and for themed events and I’ve always loved bread, but I didn’t know that I would love baking sourdough every week for my community as much as I do. After starting I quickly realized that I had been deeply craving a hands-on, creative outlet in this life season. I work part-time remotely for a job I love, but it’s on a screen all day… and I’m a mom to two littles who I adore, but they take up all my free time so having a sit-down, focused, creative hobby just doesn’t seem to happen much. But baking? Baking I can get up early and prep and do in the margins of my day and it has brought me so much joy.
I love getting to tweak and adjust recipes, looking to perfect my product, practicing my skills, and taste-testing new recipes. I love getting to put fresh bread out on my porch stand, knowing that someone will take it home and share it with their family. It truly makes my day every time.
I come from a rich heritage of bakers and entrepreneurs. My grandma (who was Amish) owned and ran a cheese shop where they made fresh breads and sold cheese. My aunt is famous for her soft pretzels, cinnamon rolls, and baked goods.. and while my mom doesn’t love baking the way in the same way they do, she equipped me with all the essential baking skills I needed.
It feels so meaningful knowing that this product that I put so much thought and time and intention gets to go out and nourish a family in our community. It makes me feel connected to my late grandma, and to my aunt, and to my mom. Every time I bake I think of them. I hope someday when my kids are in the kitchen, they’ll feel close to me too.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
For the most part, I mean, it’s only been 6 months, it has felt like a smooth road… there was that one bake day the third week I started selling that I burnt three of the loaves so bad… that was pretty sad haha, but the customers were so kind and accommodating. I have felt extremely blessed to have had so much support and kindness from friends, family and customers who at one point were new, but are now familiar names I see order every week. Anytime I question whether this is something I should keep doing, I keep getting open doors and a full pre-order list and I know this is something I want to do for a very long time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Bread Next Door?
I run a small microbakery from my home under the Michigan cottage law. I sell sourdough bread as well as a few other baked goods such as cinnamon rolls, oversized dark chocolate chunk cookies, granolas, and caramel corn. I keep my menu small with rotating specialty items and flavors. Every week the customers on my pre-order list get a text saying that the menu is live and that orders are open. Orders close Tuesday nights so I can prep my sourdough starter for the 2 day process of making homemade sourdough bread. Every Thursday, I get up really early before my day job begins and I bake up all the baked goods, cool them, package them and set them out on my front porch stand over my lunch break. Customers who pre-ordered then come by and pick up their orders, made just for them! It’s my favorite day of the week.
I use minimal, simple, clean ingredients. My sourdough bread is long-fermented, and so good – once you try it, you can’t go back to storebought bread, plus because of the sourdough starter, it is easier to digest which makes me feel good offering a product that makes other peoples lives better!
I am proud of how much intention and care goes into each of my products, I don’t just throw out new menu items because they sound fun or trendy, I take time to make sure my main items are high quality, staple, consistent products so people can plan on them!
I love the idea that we are going back to our roots and shopping local for our food, we are choosing simpler ingredients, less preservatives, less plastic, and more high quality baked goods all while supporting our local neighbors.
I have felt more closely connected to our neighbors and Kalamazoo community by selling bread than I have in the prior 7 years of living here. Bread has a way of bringing people together. I love getting to be a part of that.
Any big plans?
Right now I’m looking at the holiday season and am excited for all the things I have planned for my holiday menus and ways I want to surprise my customers and let them know how grateful I am for their support. I love the holidays and all the time with family and friends and all the events to bake and cook for, it’s fun to get to share that with others too!
Looking to the next year, I am hoping to expand my capacity to offer more quantities every week, I’ve been selling out of my main items and I would love to be able to offer more.
I would also love to get accepted at a local farmers market next year, applications aren’t open yet, but I would love to bring my products to a local market. I hosted a mini market in my front yard this fall where we sold baked goods, art, clothes, home decor, florals, etc. and it was so fun. The energy of makers being together and getting to chat with each other and to have people excited to see what was being offered was so fun. I’d love to do more of that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hotplate.com/thebreadnextdoor
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebreadthenextdoor.kzoo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebreadnextdoor.kzoo
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebreadnextdoor.kzoo
