Food Academy

Bake Barn

The idea of creating a place like Bake Barn first emerged many years ago when I listened to my grandfather's stories of running a bakery in my hometown, Wroclaw, Poland. His tales, recipes, and strong work ethic deeply inspired me. 

I arrived in Ireland in 2008 at the age of 18, seeking a better life, prosperity, and freedom. However, upon settling abroad, I realized how much I missed Poland, my home country, and my family who reside there. In 2020, I reached a turning point and felt ready to bring a taste of home here. How did I do it? I brought my grandfather's story back to life on the outskirts of Dublin, in the small town of Rathcoole. Here, an opportunity arose to secure a good-sized retail unit where I could unleash my creativity and establish a coffee and bakery shop all in one place. After years of working abroad, I finally had the opportunity to invest some of my hard-earned savings into this venture. 

Realistically, it wasn't the best time to start a business. Just a few days after signing my lease, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and lockdowns were imposed across the country. Despite these challenging times, I refused to give up. I knew I possessed the strength and determination to overcome any obstacles. I was confident that, in the end, I would create a beautiful space offering original flavors, where customers could sit with their families and enjoy homemade bread and cakes, reminiscent of my own childhood memories. The memories we create now become the story of Bake Barn. 

I've always been a creative person who wanted to make the world better by creating better tastes, something that's not easy and not attempted by many, for good reason, as I now understand how hard it is. 

Our recipes originated from Poland, and we bake only real sourdough bread, without any rising agents or additives. Authenticity and tradition are paramount to us, and we take pride in our work. The traditional taste of our childhood memories is embodied in Bake Barn. 

We bake fresh cakes every day, and you can find our bread still hot when you enter our shop at 7:30 am. Our bakery operates 24 hours a day because the long-fermented mother starter must be fed daily to produce these raised sourdough loaves. Although our pastries are hand-laminated using real butter, you may notice slight variations each time you visit - this is the nature of creating artisan bakes by our own hands. 

As our products are 100% natural, sustainability is important to us, and our packaging is made of recyclable materials. We minimize food waste by baking smaller batches to ensure we only bake what we know will be sold on the day. 

Our promise is to one day have a VW BUZZ Commercial van to deliver goods in a sustainable manner, thereby reducing food miles. This is my small dream to align our rustic bakery with sustainability. 

So far, I have created two full-time and three part-time jobs, and I offer work placements to help individuals kickstart their new careers. I will be creating three more full-time positions in 2024. We also support local and international charities by providing them with baked goods to help others. Our next endeavor is the Polish Meeting Day in November, featuring speakers and classes in Inchicore, while also supporting animals in shelters. 

The SuperValu Food Academy has been instrumental in every aspect of growing my business and learning from food industry professionals. The workshops, seminars, and learnings will not be forgotten and will stay with Bake Barn for the rest of its journey. 

Distributing to SuperValu stores is a huge opportunity for small producers like us. Not many producers have this chance to observe trends in the market and collaborate with industry leaders, and I'm incredibly grateful for that opportunity. 

Malwina Wojewoda