First Nation-owned bakery a thriving business

By Sam Laskaris

CHIPPEWAS OF RAMA FIRST NATION – Whenever Alderville First Nation citizen Adam Crowe has an idea, he makes sure he follows through with it exactly as envisioned.

Crowe is the owner/operator of The Butter Tart Empire Bakery, located in the community of Roseneath.

Crowe and his fiancée, Betty-Jo Cayen, were guest speakers at the First Nations Agriculture & Finance Ontario Conference held Feb. 3-5 in Chippewas of Rama First Nation.

The couple spoke about the history of their bakery, challenges they encountered, and how it has become a thriving business.

“Entrepreneurship isn’t about having the best idea in the room,” Crowe said. “It’s about having the courage to begin, the strength to continue without a Plan B. It’s about making decisions with the information you have and then standing behind them…I personally do not believe in having a Plan B because it takes away from my Plan A. You’re already giving yourself an out. And the way I think, there’s no option for failure. So, I don’t have Plan Bs.”

Crowe added that he never tells himself something is impossible. Instead, he asks himself what needs to be done to make things happen.

“That mindset shaped everything,” he said. “You tell yourself something is impossible, you’ve already decided it won’t be.”

Crowe enrolled at Toronto’s George Brown College to study baking professionally in 2017.

“I told everyone at school, including my chefs, I’m going to open a bakery someday,” he said. “I just don’t know how yet. Even without a clear path, I can see it in my mind, and I knew it would happen.”

Crowe said he submitted a business plan for his butter tart shop in early March of 2020. Two weeks later, the world took a dramatic turn as the COVID-19 pandemic spread in earnest.

“To say we were devastated was an understatement,” Crowe said. “What followed was an uncontrollable situation. But it did not stop us. We proved that timing doesn’t have to be perfect. Execution and adaptability matter more. We had a vision and regardless of the obstacles in front of us, we were determined to open our bakery.”

Crowe felt he had an ideal plan to open his bakery, especially since there were a dozen cannabis shops nearby.

“Everyone gets the munchies,” he said. “At a time when many bakeries were closing, there certainly was doubt. People wondered, how could we possibly succeed in the middle of the pandemic, especially in a rural community?”

Though construction costs were skyrocketing during the pandemic, ground was broken in October of 2020, as the bakery started being built. Then, the following October, The Butter Tart Empire Bakery, had its grand opening.

“Heading into the winter months was a risk, but a risk we were willing to take,” Crowe said.

He recalled that during the bakery’s opening day, hundreds of butter tarts, cookies, and squares were prepared.

“Within just three hours, we were completely sold out,” he said.

And the couple has not looked back as its business has been booming ever since.

“We are a testament to the irresistible allure of butter done right with a beautiful golden crust,” Cayen said. “Each year, our business continues to grow.”

Cayen also said the bakery recently introduced online ordering, which has been a huge success, especially for out-of-town customers.

“It allows them to order and pay ahead, skip the line, pick up exactly what they want with ease,” she said.

Cayen also said the business is expanding as it recently purchased new equipment.

“We truly believe you have to crawl before you walk,” she said. “And we are now confidently taking those next steps.”

Cayen added that customer satisfaction is extremely important.

“Customer service is at the heart of everything we do,” she said. “We take great pride in creating a welcoming, attentive, and memorable experience for every person who walks through our doors.”