SnackDot is excited to feature Greyston Bakery’s Brownie selection as our January Snack of the Month! Greyston exhibits a rare blend of meaningful social initiative and excellent products.
We had the good fortune to speak with a Greyston team member, and these are the insights that she shared about their remarkable business:
What is the inspiration behind Greyston Bakery?
In 1982, Greyston founder, Roshi Bernie Glassman, launched a modest bakery in the Bronx based on a keen economic and social insight: “Employment is the gateway out of poverty and towards self-sufficiency.” During the years leading up to the bakery relocating to Yonkers, Glassman positioned the bakery as an economic engine to offer first, second, and third chances to those who found themselves difficult to employ. The result was the creation of an original Open HiringTM model. Today, one will often hear this refrain around Greyston: “We don’t hire people to bake brownies, we bake brownies to hire people.”
What makes the Greyston Brownie stand out in the crowded snack market?
Our brownies are exemplars in unique product categories. For example: When we began working on the Vegan Fudge Brownie, we focused on creating a vegan brownie that was indulgent. In the vegan and non-dairy dessert space, few offerings are able to embody that attribute. However, we have received customer feedback that indicates the Vegan Fudge Brownie is not just indulgent but decadent! It has a unique flavor that some of our non-vegan consumers have come to prefer to our traditional brownie varieties. One customer enthusiastically claimed, “The Vegan Fudge Brownie is one of the best vegan desserts I’ve ever had! And it supports a company with a mission… double win!”
What other benefits does Greyston make available to employees?
The Greyston philosophy is to better our community and the lives within it. The bakery and Open HiringTM model comprise the backbone of our strategy, but there are so many other initiatives that build into the creation of thriving communities. Over the last 30 years, Greyston has evolved into “an integrated network of programs providing jobs, workforce development, low-income housing, supportive services, childcare, after-school programs, tenant services and community gardens.”
What are you especially proud of at Greyston?
Easy. Our incredible team of bakers. The Open HireTM process includes a carefully designed apprenticeship to equip new hires with the mindset and skills necessary to thrive here and wherever they will work next. To get a more robust understanding of Greyston’s mission, hear the story of one of our bakery supervisors:
Going Forward:
Here at SnackDot, we are thrilled to come alongside Greyston’s remarkable efforts by featuring their products in our catalog! Greyston plans to scale the Open HireTM model nationally. We fervently hope for their success and are excited to continue including Greyston Bakery brownies in our SnackDot deliveries!