Hamilton, ON | 2020 - 2023
After leading the team in an expansion of their commissary on Geary Ave in Toronto in 2019, I was invited to design a new production headquarters for Dear Grain in Hamilton in 2020.
This would serve as their home base not only for wholesale bread production, but also for e-commerce distribution, future pastry production and cafe retail.
Working with the lead baker, and director of logistics, the layout was designed in way that it could be executed in 3 phases.
This model gave the flexibility for additional equipment and services to be added on a timeline that followed the growth of their business over the next years.
The raw factory space after demolition
With only the essential pieces in place, bread production could start immediately.
We hoarded off a large food-safe work space, with MEP, Mixer, Sink & worktables, Oven, Proofer & Walk-in Cooler.
As business grew, so did the offering.
For this next phase we had planned for additional ovens and cold storage, more table space to accommodate a growing team, and the addition of a cold-production room - specifically designed to handle pastry work.
A partial retail opening was successful in 2023, with the full scope still to be phased in and include dining service.