Meet Rachel Martindale of Milk + Honey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Martindale. 

Hi Rachel, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I am a self-taught baker and have been baking for as long as I can remember. In the summer of 2013, I started a food blog, and that was when my passion really flourished. It turned into my therapy while I was studying engineering in college. I’m a materials science engineer by degree, but after graduating, I hated working in the corporate world and quit my job to work in specialty coffee while continuing to bake in my free time. Not too long after, I began a six-month internship at renowned bakery, Sweet Heather Anne. 

Milk + Honey began in 2017 out of my dinky Ypsilanti apartment as a way to fund a homeless ministry that I started with my husband; we served hot breakfasts in downtown Ann Arbor for those in need every Sunday. I was mostly making cakes for friends and mutual friends at that point. Over time, the business grew, and in 2019, I made the transition to donate 15% of profit to local charities in order to increase community impact. In early 2020, after several months of doing weekly pop-ups in Ann Arbor, Milk + Honey moved to its first physical location in Milan, MI with a commercial kitchen which is where we’re currently located. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not really (haha). There were a lot of internal and personal struggles. I felt guilt and shame about admitting that I didn’t like my engineering job and eventually quitting so I could pursue my passions. It felt like I had wasted the last several years at college, and I felt embarrassed that I quickly “failed” as an engineer. I also ran into a lot of opposition from my family when I started the business. Growing up in an Asian American household, financial security and lucrative jobs are prioritized, and me leaving my job to start a bakery was very opposed. I struggled a lot with the lack of support from my family. 

I also moved into our current bakery location in January 2020. I spent a lot of time, effort, and money renovating the space and outfitting the commercial kitchen, all to be met with the COVID-19 shutdowns in April 2020. I had to switch gears completely when people stopped having weddings and ordering big cakes for their celebrations. We survived on wholesale business to local coffee shops, online orders, and very small celebration cakes. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Milk + Honey?
Milk + Honey is a bakery invested in the local community. We are based in Milan, Michigan but serve the entire Ann Arbor and metro Detroit area. 15% of our profit goes to two local charities that support those in need, The Hope Clinic, and Ozone House. We make custom buttercream wedding cakes, celebration cakes, and sweet and savory pastries that are sold at local coffee shops throughout Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. 

All of our baked goods are 100% made from scratch, seasonal, and made with as many local ingredients as possible. Inspired by my Asian American upbringing, our offerings are made to be lightly sweet and well-balanced and often incorporate Asian flavors. 

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out.
It’s not as hard as you think to start a business. It felt really daunting initially because I had no experience with the legal or business aspects. I didn’t understand a lot of the language or paperwork required. However, once I took the time to read and learn, it wasn’t that bad at all. There are a lot of informative online resources and services nowadays. My local SBA was also an incredibly helpful resource that I used when I had questions and wanted to make sure I was doing things correctly. 

Contact Info:

• Website: milkandhoneymakes.com
• Instagram: milkandhoneymi
• Facebook: milkandhoneymi

Image Credits
Lily Merritt