Meet: 24 Carrots Bakery
For over 20 years 24 Carrots Bakery has been providing quality baked goods to many fine food establishments. They bake from scratch using simple, wholesome ingredients. Family owned and operated, 24 Carrots Bakery began as a small food court outlet in Spring Garden Place and has proudly grown into a well-established full service bakery located at 3200 Kempt Rd. in Halifax’s revitalized North End.
We spoke to owners, Demita and Richard Boschel, to learn more about this great run business.
What is the most significant change you have seen in your business over the years? Having been in business for over 23 years we’ve experienced many changes, however one of the most notable and positive trend has been the greater awareness by consumers of what ingredients go into our food, where our food comes from, and the benefits to our economy and environment of buying local. Our growth has been significantly influenced by this trend, as informed consumers are searching out products such as our custom hand decorated cookies, and wholesome breads made from scratch with no preservatives or chemical additives, which can be purchased fresh daily from our bake shop. All made locally by our professional bakers at our bakery on Kempt Rd. in Halifax’s revitalized North End.
What is your favorite part of being in business with your family members? 24 Carrots Bakery is truly a family run business. We, Richard and Demita, are very hands on in the daily operation; with the invaluable support of our son Tim, who grew up around the bakery, and joined full-time in 2015. His energy is infectious and he has brought a new perspective to the business. Our daughter Devon also works with us on a casual basis when she is home from university and always leaves us with a list of ideas and suggestions! The best part is seeing how this family atmosphere filters down to all of our staff, as we have a wonderful, dedicated core group of long term employees who are the backbone of our business.
What opportunities do you see for entrepreneurs who are growing a business in Nova Scotia? Our primary market is HRM and it is growing! You just have to look at our changing skyline populated by new condos and apartment buildings to see this. With the trend to buying local, there is tremendous opportunity for entrepreneurs, who are willing to do the hard work, to take advantage of the potential business from this growing customer base. Entrepreneurs can also benefit from hiring co-op students and new grads from the many post-secondary colleges and universities in Nova Scotia. Many of our bakers have graduated from the NSCC’s professional baking programs, which has been a valuable resource of talent for our business.
In speaking with Demita and Richard, I can see that they are just as excited about their business today as they must have been when they first dreamed it up! It’s so wonderful that they have been able to create opportunities for themselves, their family and their community.