Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Bowersock.
Hi Jennifer, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Germany but ended up here in the US after I got married in 2004. We moved from Germany to California due to the Military and then found permanent residence here in Ohio for the past 16 years now. One thing I really missed here is the food from Germany, especially the baked goods. Whether it is breads, pastries, or cakes they are so different here than they are in Germany. Things are not as sweet in Germany, and goods are not filled with unnecessary ingredients and fillers. It has been a challenge to recreate a lot of my German favorites.
In August of 2023, my dad visited from Germany with my mom, and he suggested I should try to see how well true authentic German Pretzels would sell here. Pretzels weren’t even on my mind, and selling baked goods wasn’t either. Long and behold, I tried a recipe, and we were impressed and had to share it with friends around us, who also then suggested to try and sell them. I applied for the Farmers Market in Sidney to showcase my savory and sweet authentic Pretzels. To my surprise, I started the Farmers Market in September 2023 and sold out each week there. It was an exhilarating experience as I had been a single mom entrepreneur for a long time due to many personal reasons, and making ends meet had become a real struggle. Having found this new niche was exciting and was going to take me by storm, but I sure wasn’t aware of that yet.
The following few weeks at the Farmers Market gave me hope that I had finally found something I love to do and would help support my little family with our basic needs. Over the next few weeks, I was approached by a local Family to cater snacks for their daughter’s wedding (300 Pretzels baked on site), asked to come in for a radio interview with our local station Hits 105.5, and had an independent reporter write an article on my bakery in our local newspaper The Sidney Daily News as well.
So, by December of 2023, I had done things I never dreamed I would do. I now have regular return customers and a growing customer base that is making me think hard about the next steps for my bakery (Jenn’s Backstube).
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. I suffer from autoimmune issues and have to learn how to manage this new exciting venture without burning out in the first few months of working the business. Working from home has been a great advantage for me in taking care of my health and that of my kids as well.
The hardest part has been figuring out fair pricing, workflow, and workspace. Having a solid business plan and finding resources that would help me along the way was also coming to be a real challenge. Business coaches are not a cheap investment. Everything is a financial investment, and evaluating what you NEED to invest in and what should come down the road was and is overwhelming for sure. My brain is still spinning from everything I need to consider.
This was not a planned venture, so it exploded and started running quickly without having the time to plan. I also had to learn what things were acceptable to make and sell under Ohio Cottage Law, as I have pets in the home I am not qualified for a license at this time and giving up our pets just for a home bakery license is not something we are ready to do, they are family. So, working with what we have is a small challenge, but it is exciting.
As you know, we’re big fans of Jenn’s Backstube. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Jenn’s Backstube (Jenn’s Bakery) is a German Cottage Bakery that I run from my home. I specialize in authentic and traditional German recipes and baking methods. Currently, our best sellers are our Laugen Bretzeln (German Lye Pretzels) and my Kreppel (German Donuts). What sets me apart is that I do not just have a German heritage, but I was born and raised there, therefore I know what the food was like and have access to family recipes and tips as well. No food goes to waste here. If something doesn’t sell either our family consumes it, or we turn it into a new and exciting product.
I am so proud of everything that I have accomplished so far with the help of my family, kids, friends, and our community. My Dad has played a big part in this venture. He not only came up with the idea to start selling German baked goods, but he also came up with the name – Jenn’s Backstube – and then I created the Logo and the brand to follow.
I want my customers to taste the authentic German food I grew up on and fell in love with. I want them to enjoy something that quite often is just a treat for some, as in most cases, international cuisine is rather expensive. I’m extremely proud of the fact that I am trying my hardest to keep my pricing low by finding high-quality but affordable ingredients and learning processes that save me in labor so that everyone can enjoy my baking.
I offer weekly pre-ordering with local pickup at this time only through online ordering. Shipping is not something I have been able to offer yet, but it is part of my future goals. Farmers Market season is upon us soon again, and then you will be able to enjoy my treats at in-person events as well. My biggest goal is to open a mobile full-kitchen bakery vs a brick-and-mortar building.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I truly love what I am doing now and being able to bring smiles to others as well while caring for my family’s needs is so rewarding. But I have quickly learned that no matter what venture I pursue for some reason, there is always one thing that I really dislike doing. In this case, here, with the bakery, it is the cleaning part. How exhausted you are at the end of a bake day, and then you have to jump in and still clean your kitchen and equipment. So cleaning is not my favorite at all, or ironing which was a big part of my sewing business.
Pricing:
- Soft Pretzels range from $2.50 to $4.00
- Breads and other baked goods vary in pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jennsbackstube.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennsbackstube/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennsbackstube/
- Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/LY7ZDh3JfSH54eJA6
