WEST JORDAN, Utah — As Utah businesses feel the pinch from tariffs that are driving up costs and causing supply shortages, one West Jordan entrepreneur is launching a new movement — she’s connecting small-batch bakers with bread lovers nationwide.
“In the current climate of the world, there are so many people that are looking to support local and support community," said Chardon Dean founder of Homemade By The Deans, a self-serve farm stand in Riverdale. "I think people want to know where their products are coming from."
Heather Holliday, founder of Jo & Sandy’s Sourdough, agrees. She saw a big need while selling at farmers' markets. “I noticed there was a gap between the bread lovers and bread makers," Holliday said.
Holliday is closing that gap through creating The Micro-Bakery Directory — a platform that connects small-batch bakers with people across Utah and nationwide. It's a place where bakers get to tell their stories, share recipes, and find resources.
“We’re building more than a directory, we’re building a community," Holliday said.
For baker Kim Montague, bread doesn’t just feed the belly, it feeds the heart. “I love the fact that you can start with this goopy mess," said Montague, founder of baking company Whisk n’ Whimsy in Herriman.
Montague started her business with her daughter in 2023, using recipes passed down from her mother, who had passed away nearly 5 years earlier.
“And just by adding a little bit of salt, some flour, and water, you can literally make this beautiful piece of bread that tastes amazing," she told FOX 13 News while inside her Herriman home.
Holliday says the Micro-Bakery Directory celebrates bakers and reminds us all that real food comes from real people. To find the directory, head to microbakerydirectory.com
“I love what they’re doing," Holliday said. "They inspire me.”
