Cake and Loaf Bakery struggling amid inflation

While the pandemic seems to be on its last legs and restrictions are over, one popular local business says the experience now is actually worse than at the height of the pandemic.

For the owners of Cake and Loaf Bakery on Dundurn Street, the pandemic definitely threw their business model in the mixer, “…the last couple of years have been wild. It’s been like just pivot after pivot after pivot,” Rudderham said.

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Josie Rudderham and Nickey Miller started Cake and Loaf over a decade ago and had a goal of being good employers and community members. While they’ve accomplished that, their main purpose is to make a living off deserts which is taking a hit for multiple reasons. From the cost of ingredients, and altered shopping habits, to financial aid through the heat of the pandemic drying up.

“People are still kinda holed up in their homes and not coming out as often and unfortunately it’s kind of dropped 50 to 60 per cent in walk-in traffic,” Miller said.

The shop has had to close its second location at the Hamilton Farmer’s Market and its staff numbers have dropped dramatically from 31 to nine.

Rudderham says, “during the pandemic, we were able to utilize a lot of the government subsidies and grants. So that kind of helped us boost the morale up and we definitely were able to operate with that little cushion.”

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Despite the financial hardships, existing employees haven’t seen their income change for the worse instead they’ve improved, “we did increase wages during the pandemic, which, you know, some people could argue wasn’t a great idea,” Rudderham said.

The bakery just launched province-wide delivery and is launching its second cookbook to help boost sales.

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