Kevin Massey is always getting inquiries for his bakery products, but can’t expand until he finds the right worker.
He sells at the St. John’s Farmer’s Market on Saturdays.
Since his first booth at the original market location at the Lion’s Chalet, Massey’s sales have exploded for his popular croissants, cookies, brownies, cinnamon buns and other goodies.
But he has all kinds of ideas for new products he’d like to try out if he had another pair of hands.
"I don’t take it lightly, the Farmer’s Market pays my mortgage,” said Massey as he worked on the dough Wednesday for this week’s croissants.
The trouble is finding the right help — someone with some skills, but also an interest in baking, working hard, self-discipline and able to embrace baker’s hours.
“They are not hours to keep if you are going out on a Friday night,” said Massey. “If you want to bake, these are the hours. Two hours sleep on a Friday night is all I get (baking on my own).”
Massey has been baking out of the Cochrane Centre in downtown St. John’s for a year now and used to bake from home.
“I turn down business every day,” he said.
He can only take on so much and while he has had part-time help in the past, he’s looking for someone who’s dedicated to making a job out of it.
Massey got his start selling cinnamon buns at the CLB Armoury, and demand for his product is high, with lineups every week at the Farmer’s Market. But he isn’t able to produce any more product on his own.
“Cinnamon buns pay me wages,” he said. "It’s a love-hate relationship because it never seems to be enough.”
He makes 300 croissants a week — a huge increase from the four dozen a day he sold at the old market.
The work is all by hand.
The opportunities to expand include inquiries from restaurants, catering offers and the expansion of hours at the farmer’s market.
Massey prepares the croissant dough through the week and then bakes overnight Friday into Saturday morning.
He’s been working at it fulltime for the past two and a half years.
Since beginning his search, a couple of weeks ago, Massey said he’s had a bit of interest, but it’s a matter of attracting the right creative person.
Twitter: @BarbSweetTweets
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