Baking In The 21st Century with Shawn Wooleyhand from Gold Crust Baking Company
Episode 18: Show Notes
When asked about the baking industry, most people imagine large men in white hats kneading dough to be transferred to an oven. The reality is very different! Join us today to find out how, as we talk to Shawn Wooleyhand, COO of Gold Crust Baking Company, a fully green, family-owned bakery that’s been going for over a decade. We dive into the discussion with a breakdown of the products that Gold Crust Baking Company produces, and the biggest challenges facing the baking industry at the moment. Shawn gives some great advice for anyone wanting to become a leader in manufacturing, and shares a helpful reminder that while learning from books is good, talking to old-timers may be better! We also hear how the Russia-Ukraine conflict has negatively affected the baking industry, and the supply-chain challenges Shawn is dealing with. Shawn breaks down how Gold Crust Baking Company has managed to go green, and where the future of baking and bread is headed. Find out what the average day in the life of a Gold Crust Baking Company employee consists of, the processes, software, and equipment they use, how Shawn has managed to retain his employees, and so much more, in this engaging episode.
Key Points From This Episode:
Tweetables:
“One of the biggest myths is that in baking, we’re just a bunch of big guys with big hats, and smiling and kneading dough on the bench. But it’s a manufacturing facility, it’s an assembly line and it’s not meant for everybody.” — Shawn Wooleyhand [0:03:45]
“One of the best resources are the old-timers that I discussed, people that went through this before I did and before the people that are coming in did. They've done it. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. It's flour, water, salt, yeast and then you add in the extras.” — Shawn Wooleyhand [0:04:56]
“One thing about bread is that it's almost recession-proof. People need their bread, they want to make their sandwiches, they want to grill the hotdogs and hamburgers.” — Shawn Wooleyhand [0:08:59]
"I think everybody needs to treat their employees correctly. Value them every day. Throwing money at them is a temporary solution." — Shawn Wooleyhand [0:17:35]