The Pioneer Collective

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Nuflours - Member Spotlight

Nuflours isn’t only delicious, it’s a really unique Seattle bakery as well! How long has Nuflours been around and what makes your tasty treats stand out?

We’ve been in business for 10 years now. We are all about making treats that are allergen-friendly without sacrificing flavor or texture. Our baked goods are high-quality and fresh, and guaranteed 100% free from gluten, rice, and peanuts. We also have options that are soy-free, dairy-free, or vegan. Something for everyone!

How did the baking begin & grow into a flourishing bakery?

I went gluten-free in 2007 and, at the time, there were so few options out there for gluten-free baked goods. So I started experimenting with my own baking, and that turned into a farmer’s market stand, and then we opened our brick-and-mortar store in 2014. I never could have dreamed that we would grow the way we did, but now we are getting into e-commerce and the wholesale market, and getting our products into grocery stores. It’s really exciting.

Nuflours' baked goods are so heavenly, you’d never know they were allergen sensitive. Could you tell us how the recipes are created & a little about the people behind their creations?

The recipes are my own creations! A lot of the treats that we make are my favorites from before going gluten-free, things that I really missed eating and thought I wouldn’t be able to have again. With gluten-free baking, the recipes really come down to finding the right ingredients. It starts with our custom flour blend; we’re very intentional about the sourcing of our ingredients, many of which come from local farmers and producers.

What would be the first thing you recommend trying? Where can people find you?

Our cakes! I always say that cake is about celebration and joy, two things that we could all use more of. Our cakes are very light, flavorful and delicious, and we’ve been working to make them more available to people. You can usually find our cake slices in the grab’n’go section at PCC and New Seasons Market, we’ve just launched with Market of Choice, and we’re getting back into some local coffee shops as things reopen. More to come soon!

The past 18 months have been a rough time for everyone, small businesses especially. What’s been the most challenging obstacle your team has encountered throughout the pandemic?

We have faced many of the same challenges as everyone else: staffing, supply chain issues, and just trying to keep up as the world evolves. We really took this time as an opportunity to pivot our business model and find different directions to grow in, which has been very exciting, but of course growth presents its own challenges, as well. The biggest obstacle has probably been trying to get the funding and the staff to support the level of growth that we aspire to.

Have there been any uplifting or inspiring moments that have been a silver lining for your team?

Early in the pandemic, we were determined to continue supporting our customers, and our customers really supported us - continuing to order our gluten-free treats online rather than in person. We’ve since launched into grocery stores here in the Pacific Northwest, with a lot of excitement for our cake slices! Cake always brings joy.