bake - February 2019 - 17

Achatz Pies serves up valuable lessons for
branching out in strategic directions.
BY JOHN UNREIN
Inside the bakery department of Westborn Market, a

of the ever-changing consumer marketplace. It is no

four-store gourmet grocer that operates in the Detroit

secret that today's consumers are hungry for higher

metro area, a featured display of Achatz Pies show-

quality products that are convenient and have cleaner

cases 6-inch and 8-inch pies for $6.99 and $11.99,

ingredient labels.

respectively, in multiple ﬂavor options like Achatz
signature Michigan 4-Berry (blackberry, blueberry,

"It is wonderful that the American public is starting

cherry and raspberry). A similar scene can be found

to understand high quality," Wendy says. "We source

at more than a dozen other supermarkets and grocery

ingredients locally wherever we can, and we use

stores in the city, and Achatz Pies are carried at

unbleached pastry ﬂour. We feel a responsibility to do

prominent local restaurants, as well.

the right thing."

"The gourmet markets in Detroit stand out. These

Sustainable business strategies

markets are where we got our foothold," says David

As consumers aim to incorporate more environmen-

Yono, director of operations for Achatz Handmade

tally responsible practices into their lives, they have

Pie Company, which, in addition to wholesale, runs

begun to expect the same from the companies they

six retail bakeries and a central bakehouse in the

buy from, including retail food sellers and restaurants,

northern suburb of Chesterﬁeld, Michigan.

according to a new Mintel study. Diners depend on
food retailers and restaurants to draw on environ-

Achatz Pies celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2018,

mentally friendly business practices. This creates

and the family business continues to grow in a multi-

an opportunity to become a guiding force that can

tude of directions: wholesaling to supermarkets, retail,

enable consumers to feel good about the decisions

mail order, and third-party vendor Goldbelly.com.

they make, including where they buy food.

Retail sales continue to be brisk (Achatz Pies retail
stores sold 35,000 fresh pies in three days this past

"With more restaurants adopting environmentally

Thanksgiving), and their mail-order business is up 5%

friendly practices, sustainability will become the

since a year ago. And Achatz Pies have been available

new normal, and operators will need to take more

on Goldbelly.com (a curated online marketplace for

innovative steps to stand out. Expect to see restau-

regional and artisanal foods) for the past three years.

rants make changes to the way they operate in 2019,
including partnerships that put the greater good

"There's so much competition today. We are always

above competition and circular economies that

willing to try new things," says Wendy Achatz, who

beneﬁt the environment and the people involved in

founded Achatz Handmade Pie Company with her

the food systems," says Amanda Topper, associate

husband, Dave, in 1993.

director of foodservice research at Mintel.

It is for this reason that retail bakeries are wise to

The same is true in the grocery sector, which is

examine the supermarket sector for opportunities to

embracing local bakery products at an accelerated

grow their businesses, particularly by offering signa-

pace. Key trends identiﬁed by Mintel include the height-

ture, one-of-a-kind items that cater to a speciﬁc niche

ened demand among consumers for full disclosure

bakemag.com | FEB 2019 > 17
http://www.Goldbelly.com http://www.Goldbelly.com http://www.bakemag.com
bake - February 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of bake - February 2019
