Finding Your Bakery Niche: A Conversation with Elizabeth from Borges Family Homestead | Episode 80

mikalonte
Apr 28, 2025
3 min read

Building a microbakery that feels meaningful and sustainable doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intention, clarity, and sometimes a lot of learning as you go. In this episode of The Bread Winner Podcast, I had the joy of talking with Elizabeth from Borges Family Homestead. She shares how she grew her microbakery by embracing her Portuguese heritage, leaning into her local market, and focusing on simplicity.

If you've ever wondered whether you should niche down or how to market cultural products without overcomplicating your business, Elizabeth's story will inspire you. Her approach is honest, practical, and a refreshing reminder that small, steady steps really do add up.

Starting with Community at the Center

Elizabeth’s microbakery is located in a rural area, where sourdough wasn’t something people were familiar with at first.

She started by:

Offering free loaves to her neighbors and community.
Using these early experiences to educate customers about what sourdough is and why it’s different.
Building trust through consistency and genuine connection.

Instead of trying to reach everyone, she focused on the people right around her—and that made all the difference.

Blending Heritage and Microbakery Growth

One of the most powerful decisions Elizabeth made was tying her bakery back to her Portuguese roots.

She did this by:

Offering traditional Portuguese sweet breads, especially around Easter.
Baking items that carried personal family significance.
Introducing cultural products in a way that felt natural, not forced.

By leaning into her story, she stood out in her local market without having to constantly chase trends or reinvent her offerings.

The Power of Clear Product Descriptions

One thing Elizabeth emphasized is how important clear product descriptions are when you're introducing something new.

She made it simple by:

Describing her sweet bread to customers in relatable terms, like calling it “similar to Hawaiian rolls” when needed.
Helping customers understand the flavor and texture before buying.
Keeping communication casual and warm, not overly formal or complicated.

When people know what to expect, they’re more willing to try something new.

Simplifying for Sustainable Growth

Like many bakers, Elizabeth had to learn that just because you can bake a lot of things doesn’t mean you should offer everything at once.

Her strategies included:

Keeping her core menu simple and consistent.
Limiting how many different items she offered at a time, especially around busy seasons.
Planning production so that bake days didn’t become overwhelming.

Simplifying her offerings helped her bake smarter, serve her customers better, and protect her time and energy.

Scaling Without Losing Joy

As her microbakery grew, Elizabeth started offering wholesale to local markets and shops. But she did it carefully and intentionally.

She shared that:

She didn’t jump into wholesale until she felt ready and confident.
She protected her love of baking by not overcommitting.
She stayed mindful about which partnerships aligned with her values and goals.

Growth wasn’t about getting bigger at all costs. It was about expanding in a way that still felt manageable and joyful.

Practical Lessons for New and Growing Bakers

Throughout our conversation, Elizabeth shared so many practical takeaways:

Educate your customers, but keep it simple.
Start small and let word of mouth work for you.
Don’t feel like you have to explain every detail of your process—just share from the heart.
It’s okay to grow slowly and intentionally.
Stay true to your roots and your story.

These reminders are powerful, whether you’re just getting started or refining an established bakery.

Final Thoughts

Elizabeth’s story is such a beautiful example of how anchoring your bakery in authenticity and community can lead to steady, meaningful growth. She didn’t rush. She didn’t force it.

She trusted her skills, her heritage, and her heart to guide her decisions.

If you’ve ever wrestled with feeling like you have to do it all—or questioned if your story is enough—this conversation is proof that showing up simply, consistently, and wholeheartedly is more than enough.

Resources & Links

Follow Elizabeth on Instagram: @borgesfamilyhomestead
Find links to all of my sourdough microbakery favorites including packaging, pans, and more here!
Follow me on Instagram for more microbakery tips: @carolinebower_sourdough
Download the FREE Guide and Checklist, Your First Steps to a Successful In-Home Bakery at https://www.carolinebower.com/checklist to begin building YOUR thriving microbakery!