Troubleshooting Innovation

S13E4: Feeding Kids with the One Bread Project

Welcome to Season 13 of the Troubleshooting Innovation podcast. Joanie Spencer, editor-in-chief for Commercial Baking, is spending this season with Markey Culver, CEO of The Women's Bakery, a social enterprise bakery in East Africa. They're discovering the challenges and rewards that come with creating change through baking. Sponsored by Middleby Bakery Group.

In our fourth episode, Markey talks about how The Women's Bakery has gone from empowering women to feeding kids with its One Bread Project.

S13E3: Starting an Operation and Introducing Machines

Welcome to Season 13 of the Troubleshooting Innovation podcast. Joanie Spencer, editor-in-chief for Commercial Baking, is spending this season with Markey Culver, CEO of The Women's Bakery, a social enterprise bakery in East Africa. They're discovering the challenges and rewards that come with creating change through baking. Sponsored by Middleby Bakery Group.

In our third episode, Markey explores how The Women's Bakery has remained viable in the face of seemingly insurmountable barriers. She discusses the impacts of automation, the pandemic, supply chain disruptions and more.

S13E2: Lessons Learned From Taking Off

Welcome to Season 13 of the Troubleshooting Innovation podcast. Joanie Spencer, editor-in-chief for Commercial Baking, is spending this season with Markey Culver, CEO of The Women's Bakery, a social enterprise bakery in East Africa. They're discovering the challenges and rewards that come with creating change through baking. Sponsored by Middleby Bakery Group.

In our second episode, Markey shares the journey of building a successful bakery and nonprofit. She discusses the obstacles that came along with opening a business in a new country and scaling up, and what her team learned along the way.

S13E1: Origin Story of The Women's Bakery

Welcome to Season 13 of the Troubleshooting Innovation podcast. Joanie Spencer, editor-in-chief for Commercial Baking, is spending this season with Markey Culver, CEO of The Women's Bakery, a social enterprise bakery in East Africa. They're discovering the challenges and rewards that come with creating change through baking. Sponsored by Middleby Bakery Group.

In our first episode, Markey explains how she went from a business student in St. Louis to a bakery entrepreneur in Rwanda, drastically changing lives for East African women with a simple loaf of bread.

S12E5: Modern Marketing Strategies

Welcome to Season 12 of the Troubleshooting Innovation podcast. Joanie Spencer, editor-in-chief for Commercial Baking, is spending this season with Tony Martin, president of Martin's Famous Pastry Shoppe. They're exploring how this company has grown from a family-owned brand into a national icon. Sponsored by AMF Bakery Systems.

In our fifth and final episode, Tony dives into how the company's growth over time has transformed its marketing strategies. He also offers insight into how Martin's incorporates the latest trends into existing operations.

S12E4: Building a Corporate Culture That Lasts Through Generations

Welcome to Season 12 of the Troubleshooting Innovation podcast. Joanie Spencer, editor-in-chief for Commercial Baking, is spending this season with Tony Martin, president of Martin's Famous Pastry Shoppe. They're exploring how this company has grown from a family-owned brand into a national icon. Sponsored by AMF Bakery Systems.

In the fourth episode, we hear how Tony's family has passed down their values for generations, from supporting non-profits in their community to providing workers with benefits like a wellness program, profit sharing and more.

S12E3: Operational Considerations That Come With Growth

Welcome to Season 12 of the Troubleshooting Innovation podcast. Joanie Spencer, editor-in-chief for Commercial Baking, is spending this season with Tony Martin, president of Martin's Famous Pastry Shoppe. They're exploring how this company has grown from a family-owned brand into a national icon. Sponsored by AMF Bakery Systems.

In the third episode, we hear Tony's perspectives on scaling the business through acquisitions and facility expansions, and how rapid technology advances have impacted equipment and operational needs.

S12E2: Innovation for a Niche Product in a Staple Category

Welcome to Season 12 of the Troubleshooting Innovation podcast. Joanie Spencer, editor-in-chief for Commercial Baking, is spending this season with Tony Martin, president of Martin's Famous Pastry Shoppe. They're exploring how this company has grown from a family-owned brand into a national icon. Sponsored by AMF Bakery Systems.

In our second episode, Tony talks about the unique taste and texture of potato-based products, and how Martin's takes different approaches to product innovation when working with foodservice vs. retail.

S12E1: A Walk Down Memory Lane

Welcome to Season 12 of the Troubleshooting Innovation podcast. Joanie Spencer, editor-in-chief for Commercial Baking, is spending this season with Tony Martin, president of Martin's Famous Potato Rolls and Bread. They're exploring how this company has grown from a family-owned brand into a national icon. Sponsored by AMF Bakery Systems.

In the first episode, we dive into the history of the company, starting with Tony's grandparents baking out of a one-car garage in the ’50s. You'll also hear about Tony's winding career path, from pilot to president, as the third generation of leadership in a four-generation company.

S11E5: Portfolio Expansion Beyond Coffee Cake

Welcome to Season 11, Episode 5, of the Troubleshooting Innovation podcast. Joanie Spencer, editor-in-chief for Commercial Baking, is spending this season with Jennifer Steiner Pool, president and creator-in-chief of Steiner’s Baking Co., about how to turn a special family recipe into a commercially viable brand. Sponsored by Puratos.

In our final episode, we look to the future of Steiner’s and talk about portfolio expansion beyond coffee cake.