Get That Bread, Delivered

Remember way back in March of 2020 when you couldn’t find flour or yeast in any grocery store?  Yeah, well, I think I know who bought it all: Uma Iyer.

Uma is a former human resources executive who, in 2020, created BreadEx, a subscription-based bread delivery company. A self-taught baker and pastry chef, she left the executive life in 2016 to launch Tart-a-licious, a catering endeavor that made tarts, mousses, and other delicacies for events and office buildings.  Like a bread whose gluten mesh isn’t fully developed, Uma’s business collapsed. The pandemic flattened her catering business like a cold pita.

During the pandemic, Uma baked loaves and rolls for friends and neighbors, and the reception was very positive.  Friends asked for more bread, offering to pay and encouraging her to make it her full-time business. From there, BreadEx was born.

The brilliantly named BreadEx is a subscription-based bread delivery service that provides fresh-made bread once a week to subscribers. But it’s not just any bread, it’s bread from countries and cultures around the globe as well as bread-box essentials for your favorite PB&J.  Subscribers can choose from two plans: monthly deliveries of breads from around the world or the essentials. Or, of course, you can do both.

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The BreadEx World subscription allows customers to enjoy breads from different countries and regions of the world, with each month bringing a new culinary experience. In March, weekly deliveries will be inspired from Italy, with Pane Siciliano ushering in the month on March 5, followed by Focaccia with pesto, confit garlic, and cherry tomatoes the following week, Ciabatta the next, and closing out with Sicilian Brioche.  April’s breads celebrate the Levant, the region along the eastern Mediterranean that includes Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. In May, get out the butter for baguettes from France. BreadEx has the entire year scheduled. Each delivery includes a flyer with the history of the region and examples of the foods eaten there.

BreadEx Essentials include fresh and varied artisan sandwich loaves such as Japanese milk bread, buttered oat porridge bread, and seeded multi-grain bread.

Bread is one of the oldest prepared foods on earth, and every culture on earth has a form of bread unique to it. In the past years, gluten-free diets and carb haters have given bread a bad name, but bread consumption increased 17.4% in 2020 and only dipped slightly in 2021. The business of bread is projected to be strong. And, if you’re going to eat it, eat the good stuff.

BreadEx has a strong family vibe among the team members, perhaps thanks to Uma’s experience in human resources, or perhaps because the very essence of bread is about nourishment and community gathering, hence the term “breaking bread together.” Her lead baker, Neil Tigner, says, “I’ve enjoyed the creative process of exploring and tweaking hundreds of recipes from around the world before shortlisting the ones we are going to offer to our customers.” He adds that each loaf is baked the night before the delivery to ensure freshness.

BreadEx requires a subscription and breads are delivered as scheduled – Essentials on Wednesday mornings and World breads on Saturday mornings. BreadEx products are not available in stores or restaurants. BreadEx’s delivery area includes all parts of Preston Hollow and the Park Cities but areas outside of those areas may want to confirm availability of delivery before ordering.

Eating is travel on a plate. BreadEx’s World breads subscription is such an easy and fun way to take your family abroad without leaving the dining room.  For more information or to subscribe, visit the website www.breadex.com and follow them on Instagram at @breadex.bakery.

All photos courtesy of BreadEx.