From humble beginnings
Choose a job you, love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life. The oft-quoted phrase significantly underplays the hard graft and dedication required to grow a business from scratch.
That certainly proved to be true for Liverpool-based bakers Natalie and Samantha Stonehouse, who have seen their artisan bagel business grow from strength-to-strength in recent years, despite unexpected challenges.
What started out as a love of baking – particularly hand rolled, baked bagels – has developed into a respected and much-loved independent business. From humble beginnings working from her home kitchen, Nat juggled the demands of a full-time job with her passion for preparing small handmade batches of bagels for sale through local coffee shops and farmers markets.
Pivoting the business model
Delivery was often by hand, cycling in all weathers to meet a growing customer base. Demand grew and in 2015 the fledgling business opened its first coffee shop in Chinatown.
“Thanks to word of mouth, we grew a loyal and eclectic customer base with local residents, especially students,” explained Nat. Then the pandemic struck. Forced to furlough most of their staff, Nat and Sam had to pivot their business model. “Covid allowed us to thrive. The café was closed, but by moving our kitchens into the front of the shop and adapting our menu, we were able to serve customers from the doorway,” described Sam. “We set up on online ordering business, began delivering all over Liverpool, including over the water into the Wirral. We had people queuing up the street.”
