The B Squad – Our Team
Hannah, Operations
Meet Hannah, Bantam’s Director of Supply, Planning & Operations. She is the glue that holds everything together and the brains behind the operation. Hannah embodies the Bantam Hustle. She has been willing to do anything and everything to help take our business to the next level, from working overtime in warehouse freezers to driving vans all over NYC delivering product at 5 am - if something needs to get done Hannah is the person to make sure it happens. Probably the most humble member of our team, Hannah works with a quiet ferocity that is unmatched and can only be looked at in awe. She randomly moved to NC a year ago so she could have a dog and warmer weather and is somehow now able to work even harder, accomplishing even more than when she lived above our bakery in the West Village.
Karen, Shop Lead
Meet Karen, Bantam’s Leader of Store Operations. She is Bantam’s original employee #1, joining our team back in 2013, interviewing for the job when our Bleecker Street retail store was nothing but a construction site. Karen has done every single thing there is to do on our team from 3:00 am baking shifts to running a full on catering operation at Goldman Sachs all by herself. Karen bleeds Bantam red and without her we would not have been able to achieve all that we have. Her willingness to do what it takes no matter how hard it seems is inspiring. As a mother and general BA lady in charge, Karen defines what it means to be a strong woman.
Jessica, Marketing
Meet Jessica, Bantam's Marketing Manager. Jessica has both entrepreneurship and Bantam in her bones. One of the people to taste the very first Bantam Bagels ever created, Jessica has an authentic, true connection to Bantam, having worked side by side with Founders Nick and Elyse for years (as a side gig) to develop their brand and marketing materials. From selling Bantams at NYC holiday market pop-ups, to being the official Bantam photographer, to capturing behind the scenes moments of when Bantam and The Marzetti team rang the Nasdaq bell, she’s been there through it all! After leaving her fast-paced Wall Street career to pursue her own food blog, Jessica developed an expertise in social media, branding, and influencing, making her the perfect combination of hustle, marketing expertise and project planning that takes the Bantam brand to the next level!
Eric, Operations
Meet Eric, Bantam’s Operations Coordinator. Eric literally keeps the wheels rolling on the Bantam operations side, owning purchase order management, warehouse operations and inventory management. If our delicious products need to go across the country or down the street, Eric is person who makes that happen! A go-getter who has flourished since joining our team a little over a year ago, Eric is constantly discovering ways to improve the complex process that is managing all of the freight and logistics for Bantam. Eric emphasizes that building relationships with customers and service providers are the keys to success. Prior to joining the Bantam team, Eric worked for 8 years in a casino as a poker dealer, before going back to school and earning a business degree in Transportation and Logistics. Eric and his wife moved to New York City in 2019, seeking adventure and new opportunities, and we are glad to have him as a part of our team of hustlers!
Erica, PR
Meet Erica, Bantam’s Publicist (aka PR Wonder Woman). When we started this crazy journey in 2013, we asked someone to take a risk on us, to take our dream and make it a reality that the media would get behind and believe in. That person was Erica. She not only succeeded on sharing the Bantam story from Day 1 to each and every person that would listen, but has gone above and beyond in helping us get more press, more exposure, more everything than an idea that came in the middle of the night ever should. Erica has made Bantam a part of her soul and we would not be here today if she hadn’t been willing to go all in with us so many years ago. She is our little engine that absolutely could!! (And, fun fact: Erica holds the record for most Bantams eaten in one day).