Dave's Killer Bread

Bread has always been an essential part of life. In our quest to speed things up and make things last, we've mass produced breads to the point they're no longer good for us. Most don't taste all that great, either. In more recent years, artisan bread has been making a return. And in 2005, Dave's Killer Bread hit the market (literally—it debuted at a farmers market). It's organic, it's vegan, it's full of seeds and whole grains. And damn it tastes good!

"The" Dave is Dave Dahl. His father was a pioneer in the world of sprouted wheat breads in the late '60s. It was a family business with his mom and older brother Glenn involved as well. His dad worked long hours. At 9, Dave made it to the work bench and got to join in. But by the time he was a teenager, he no longer thought it was cool and was trying to figure out who he was. Using drugs made him feel better. Unfortunately, it also started him on a life of crime that lasted years. Lucky for all of us, this is a story of redemption.

Dave posing for labels in 2006

Dave's been able to figure it out. He can look back and realize what his dad accomplished. "None of this would have happened without my dad's influence," he says now. His dad died in 1998 before Dave's Killer Bread came on the scene, but his mom knows. His brother and a nephew, Shobi, are partners in the business. Dave's daughter works at the farmers markets and wraps bread.

Glenn had taken over the family bakery in the '80s. They were producing good whole grain breads, some organic, and a sprouted wheat bread. They created private label bread for Trader Joe's. Dave's final prison sentence ended December 27, 2004. He and Glenn worked on an idea and Dave started making bread. "I had to screw around with it for awhile before I felt it was ready to go," he says. In August 2005, they started selling bread at farmers markets. People loved it immediately. "Customers wanted to know where they could get our bread after the farmers markets closed for the season. We told them to ask their local stores to carry it. Within six months we had good distribution in Portland," recalls Dave. They're now carried at Metropolitan Market, Whole Foods, PCC, Costco, QFC, Central Market, Fred Meyer Nutrition Centers, New Seasons in Portland and a host of independent stores like Madison Market in Seattle. Each Saturday finds them at their booths at both the Beaverton and Portland farmers markets.

They now have close to 100 employees and all products are made in one location. They moved from a 15,000 square foot facility to a 52,000 square foot facility in 2008. They no longer make Dave's Killer Bread for Trader Joe's, but do still provide them with private label and Naturebake brands. Their breads have an amazing shelf life considering they're all natural—no preservatives, no chemicals. "My unproved theory on long shelf life is that we use less flour and more intact grains," says Dave. They use no animal products (vegan!) and are GMO free (genetically modified organisms). Sweeteners used are organic cane juice and organic molasses. One bread, Powerseed, uses natural fruit juices. All wheat and spelt is US grown. "I wish we could get all our ingredients locally," says Dave. "But not everything is grown in this area. We get our spelt from Eastern Washington. Hard spring and winter wheat isn't grown here due to the climate. We get seeds from around the US, Central and South America and Indonesia."

Currently they sell 10 types of bread and are working on some new items. Once they feel they have a new product where they want it, they sell it first at their own store and the farmers market. "We're making our first cookie which is kind of retro. My dad created a similar cookie in the '60s called ‘Surviva.' Sprouted wheat cookies kind of died out but now people are buying a ton. We can't make enough of our Sin Dawg cinnamon roll. We're selling 1000 a week without even trying. We've had to outsource the baking to another organic bakery to handle the volume."

Dave is working on a whole grain white bread. "It's organic wheat and light flavored. Little kids love it and it has the same nutrients as our other whole grain breads." He's also working on more sprouted wheat organic cookies and a bread strictly for diabetics. They'll test it through the diabetic association. "Lots of diabetics already eat our bread," says Dave. "We have enough resources now to spend money on testing. And I've gotten much better at research. It's very different than when I started on a shoestring." One of his projects is "probably" the world's healthiest bread (aka "the best bread on earth"). "I'll add nutrients and cool stuff to the bread. The more whole grain and seeds, the harder it is to make it. It takes time."

Good Seed bread

Dave is in a happy place. "I have the energy and spirit to make this happen," he says. "The more I make, the more passionate I become. Being at the farmers markets is my favorite thing, talking to people." He also likes to speak to groups about both his life and the business. "I just talked to a group of Job Corps kids. I like to be an example and promote the business in a way I can feel good about it." Watching customer after customer stopping to thank him for his bread, you can understand his satisfaction.

Connie Adams/November 2009