Noe Valley Bakery & Bread Co.

PRODUCTS: A selection of scones, muffins, breads and pies. Wonderful challah, foccacia, asiago and fruit-filled breads. Organic wheat flour is used in the sourdough, whole wheat sourdough, fig, rye and walnut multigrain breads.

PEOPLE: Michael and Mary Gassen along with 15 full-time and 10 part-time employees

ABOUT: Michael and Mary, both of whom have long histories in the baking industry, started their small neighborhood bakery in 1995. All of their products (an extensive list of pastries, breads and other goodies) are made by hand in the bakery. They are proud to pay living wages and provide benefits to their workers.

SOURCING: Noe Valley Bakery sources its ingredients from both local and national distributors. About 15% of their ingredients are organic and many of the fruits they use in their pastries are locally grown. Their butter is from a company that sources milk from family-owned farms who do not administer growth hormones to their cows. Sugar is from C&H.