MAKING CONNECTIONS

The summer before we went national with the largest coffee chain in America was one of the most thrilling times for our company. What separated this from any other business deal was the connection and enthusiasm felt along the way.

In between days spent on the production floor at our new bakery in Brooklyn, working and personally training each baker during the process of going from 1,000 bagels a day to 100,000 bagels a day, we spent the rest of that summer on the ground at Starbucks cafes across New York City. Having been offered the unbelievably unique opportunity to hand out samples of our bagels ourselves, we seized each moment available to give away bagels and talk to as many people as possible.

We stood in line with customers, chatted about our business, introduced them to our bagels, talked about running a food business in New York City… all while giving away Bantams and forging connections with the people whose lives intersect with our bagels every day. It was these interactions that gave us invaluable feedback and solidified our personal mission to connect with each and every person who enjoyed our product.

This experience taught us to love and appreciate all of those small moments in a person’s day. We realized that in order for our bagels to be successful, it was up to us to not only provide something delicious that was authentically Elyse and Nick, but to translate that authenticity and our story into each and every Bantam experience. It became our goal to make sure that every time you walk into a Starbucks and see Bantams on the shelf, you think of Elyse and Nick jumping up and down, waving and smiling back at you. So rather than think of ourselves as a bagel company, we like to think of Bantam as a business that sparks a small glimmer of happiness with every bite. Food is so personal, and we are so thankful for each and every person that allows our Bantams to become a part of their day.