How I Built a Micro Bakery from My Home Kitchen

Five years ago, I stepped away from brick-and-mortar bakeries and started selling sourdough from my home kitchen. What started as a fun hobby turned into a reliable business that fits my lifestyle and still lets me do what I love every day.

My name is Allyson Grant, and I’m a cottage baker in Lawrence, Kansas. I sell sourdough bread and farmhouse-style rustic treats from my home-based micro bakery. Before this, I spent years working in and running traditional bakeries. But after COVID and a leg injury forced me to slow down, I decided it was time to do something simpler that I could do from home.

My First Decision: Where Should I Sell?

When I first started, my biggest question was where do I actually sell my baked goods?

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to:

• Sell at a farmers' market
• Run a porch pickup business

So instead of overthinking it, I chose the option that would give me the most experience right away.

Why I Started at the Farmers Market

The farmers' market gave me exactly what I needed in the beginning:

• A place to practice my recipes
• A way to test my packaging
• Interaction with customers
• Feedback on what people actually wanted

It helped me refine my products quickly and build confidence as a seller.

When I Transitioned to Porch Pickup

Once I had a solid reputation and knew what my customers wanted, I made a shift. I moved to a porch pickup model. Instead of relying on foot traffic, I started building a customer base through my local community. I used Facebook groups to share my menu and connect with buyers who were already looking for homemade baked goods.

To simplify ordering, I used an all-in-one platform called FoodShop. This allowed my customers to

• Click a link
• View my menu
• Select items
• Check out easily

I didn’t need to build a full website. Everything was streamlined in one place. As a bonus, it also helped me price my recipes more accurately. Once I had an online shop, things started to feel more organized and streamlined.

What Should You Sell?

This is one of the most common questions I hear from other bakers.

“What should I put on my menu?”

After baking for 30 years, I can make just about anything from wedding cakes to cookies and artisan bread. That’s actually the problem for a lot of bakers. When you can do everything, it’s hard to choose.

Why I Chose Bread

I decided to focus primarily on bread, and here’s why:

• People buy it regularly
• It creates repeat customers
• It sells consistently year-round
• It aligns with how I like to bake and eat

I didn’t want a business built entirely on butter and sugar. Working with sourdough and whole grains felt better for me and created a product my customers could come back for every week.

My First Real Investment

Before anything else, I needed to decide how my products would look.

I chose eco-friendly paper bags for my bread because that’s what my customers preferred. But plain packaging wasn’t enough. I wanted it to feel cute and recognizable. That’s when I invested in a MUNBYN Label Printer.

How I Created a Simple Branding System

Once I had my printer, everything started to come together.

I used:

• Small colored labels for smaller treats
• Larger shipping-style labels for bread bags

Then I chose one bold design element to carry across everything.

My Signature Look

My goal was for my packaging to match the feeling of my bread. Some words I liked to describe my vision were:

• Farmhouse
• Organic
• Eco-friendly
• Fresh
• Homemade

I landed on a simple and recognizable black and white checkered pattern. I chose Kraft paper bread bags for a natural look. I added branded labels with a touch of red for contrast, then tied it all together with red and white baker’s twine.

Now, when someone sees my packaging, they know exactly who it came from.

How I Kept It Budget Friendly

I didn’t spend a lot to create this look. I kept it simple, and DIY’d everything:

• Designed everything in Canva
• Used inexpensive kraft paper bags
• Added red and white striped baker’s twine
• Chose a bold cursive black font

That combination became my brand.

The One Tool That Made It Easy

One of my favorite things about using the MUNBYN printer is how seamlessly it fits into my workflow.

Because it’s Bluetooth, I can:

• Design a label on my phone
• Print it while my bread is in the oven

I’m not stopping my baking to sit at a computer. I like to do my printing right alongside my baking.

My Best Advice for New Bakers

If you’re just starting a micro bakery or cottage bakery, here’s what I would tell you:

Focus on standing out. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Just pick a niche and stick with it. When your packaging looks polished and recognizable, customers assume your product is worth more. That alone can change how much you’re able to charge. Presentation matters more than most people think.

Why I Joined the Munbyn Campaign

When I joined the Munbyn “Highlight Your Hustle” campaign, my goal was to:

• Connect with other bakers and creators
• See how they were building their brands

• Find new ideas I could bring back to my own business

There’s always something to learn when you surround yourself with people who are doing something similar.

What Made the Difference for Me

Starting a home bakery doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need a storefront or a huge menu. You definitely don’t need everything figured out on day one. You just need to start, connect with customers, and use a few simple systems that work for you. That’s what turns baking into something more than just a hobby.