About Us

El Jardín Bakery was started in 2001 as a non-profit business development venture of Nuestras RaÌces, Inc., a local organization that promotes sustainable development and coordinates community gardens as well as a farm in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

NEW! Click here to watch a slideshow of us baking our bread!

The bakery was transformed into an independent small business in 2004. With support from Nuestras Raices, the bakery manager, Neftalí Duran was able to purchase the operation and turn it into his own successful small business that has expanded under his leadership over the past two years.

El Jardín provides a greatly needed source of employment and training for local community members while continuing to help support Nuestras Raices's community development mission in Holyoke. The bakery is dedicated to producing the highest quality organic products and supporting local farms. We also rely on renewable energy, baking all of our sourdough bread using a 100% wood-fired brick oven, true to the Old World tradition, and helping to protect the environment from the devastating effects of the greenhouse gases emitted by the use of fossil fuels.

Started as a wholesale bakery, we currently sell our breads to hundreds of local customers each week at more than local CSA farms, farmers markets, fine restaurants including Chandler's Tavern at the Yankee Candle Flagship store, and many retail markets in Western Massachusetts. We were instrumental in the development of a Community Supported Agriculture program between local farms and more than 50 Liberty Mutual Insurance Company employees and are exploring similar arrangements for other businesses.