KANSAS CITY, MO — Marking the second special edition for the Craft to Crumb mini-mag, the July | A2 2026 Roadshow issue explores another city rife with bakery innovation.
This special edition features six Chicago bakeries where business is booming and inspiration is always flowing, offering bakers a deeper look into the trends shaping new product development behind the bench.
Hoosier Mama Pie Co. | Founded by a husband-and-wife duo passionate about artisan pies, Hoosier Mama now has two brick-and-mortar locations and a permanent stand in Lincoln Park’s farmers market. The pie shop produces about 140 different flavors annually, ranging from classic sweets to unexpected savories.
Verzênay | This bakery is the brainchild of Paris-trained executive pastry chef Arshiya Farheen, who built Verzênay’s menu around fusing French baking techniques with classic Indian flavors. By monitoring repeat purchases, catering requests and weekly sales, Verzênay has found the ultimate strategy for product development and customer retention.
Hewn Bread | With its flagship location just outside of Chicago and two additional outposts, business is booming for this from-scratch bakery. Hewn’s full selection of croissants, brioche, scones, muffins, and artisan bread loaves offers an authentic taste of what’s in season.
Sugar Bliss | Small in back-of-house size but large in reach, Sugar Bliss crafts products for several distribution channels, including corporate catering, foodservice, and a CPG line. The bakery is known for its macarons and cupcakes, the latter of which even has its own trademarked frosting design.
Au Levain Bakery and Cafe | Though new on the scene, this bakery has earned a reputation as a “third space” for its customers. Founded by Angel Chavez, the shop is renowned for its never-empty pastry case and multi-cultural flavor combinations, including its French pastry cream-filled conchas, fruit-forward Paczkis and al pastor-filled croissants.
Hendrickx Bakery | This eponymous Belgian-themed bakery is known for its artisanal croissant; more specifically, its 13 flavor variations. This includes Hendrickx’s trademarked Croizāng, a weekend-exclusive in high demand for its decadence and originality.
Rounding out the Roadshow is Top Traits, which offers a glimpse of trends seen in bakery cases across the Windy City, and Bakers Know Bakers, a list of recommendations of local bakeries from those who know best.
Dive into the latest mini-mag for a taste of the action.
