Greyston Bakery
{{Short description|Social enterprise in Riverdale, New York}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Greyston Bakery
| logo =
| type = Social enterprise
| foundation = Bronx, New York, U.S. (1982)
| founder = Tetsugen Bernard Glassman
| location_city = Yonkers, New York
| key_people = Joseph D. Kenner, CEO & President
| industry = Baked goods
| products = Ice cream mix-ins, brownies, cakes
| num_employees = 78 (2020)
| parent = Greyston Foundation
| homepage = {{URL|Greyston.org}}
}}
Greyston Bakery was founded in Riverdale, New York, by Bernie Glassman, a Zen Buddhist. Although it is a for-profit company, its profits go to its non-profit parent organization, the Greyston Foundation, where they are used on behalf of the local community.{{Cite news |last=Connolly |first=Peggy |title=Greyston Bakery: Recipe for success |newspaper=The Corporate Citizen |year=2006 |url=http://www.bcccc.net/index.cfm/fuseaction/Page.viewPage/pageId/1514 |access-date=2008-07-21 |archive-date=2011-07-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723024027/http://www.bcccc.net/index.cfm/fuseaction/Page.viewPage/pageId/1514 |url-status=dead }}
History
The bakery was founded in 1982. Later that decade, Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry's ice cream company agreed to purchase Greyston Bakery brownies for chocolate fudge brownie ice cream. In 2004, Greyston Bakery moved to a larger facility designed by Maya Lin to accommodate growth.{{Cite web |title=Greyston Bakery: Let 'Em Eat Cake |date=January 11, 2004 |publisher=CBS, 60 Minutes |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/greyston-bakery-let-em-eat-cake-09-01-2004/}} In 2012, Greyston Bakery became New York State's first registered benefit corporation.{{cite web |title=Greyston Bakery: Great brownies with a greater-good mission |url=https://www.benjerry.com/greyston |publisher=Ben & Jerry's |access-date=September 20, 2019}}
Social mission
The company aims to hire the hard-to-employ and is known for its "open hiring" practices,{{cite web |last=Chhabra |first=Esha |title=This Company Has $20 Million In Revenues And Hires Anyone Who Wants Work |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/eshachhabra/2018/08/22/this-10-million-company-does-not-ask-for-a-resume-or-any-job-experience/#51e2effe2517 |work=Forbes |date=August 22, 2018 |access-date=September 20, 2019}} where anyone can sign up regardless of background.{{Cite news |last=Stewart |first=Barbara |title=In the Hood: Jobs for the Poor |newspaper=NY Times |date=February 23, 2003 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507E0D8113DF930A15751C0A9659C8B63}}{{Cite news |last=Steadman Charkes |first=Juli |title=Bakery's 'Open Hiring' Offers Anyone a Chance |newspaper=NY Times |date=November 26, 2006 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/26webakery.html?_r=1&oref=slogin |publisher=The New York Times}} All profit from the company go to the Greyston Foundation, which uses it for low-income housing, day care open to the community, a medical center for those with AIDS, and other community endeavors.
The hiring process at the bakery is via a first-come, first-served waiting list. There are no background checks or interviews. When a name gets to the top of the list after a number of months, that person is offered a paid apprenticeship, initially at slightly above minimum wage. The apprenticeship lasts six or more months, as required to train the employee. At the successful completion of the apprenticeship (reached by about 40% of new hirees), the employee is given a permanent position. The company claims that apprentice training costs them $1,900 per employee, compared to $1,400 typically spent in recruiting and vetting expenses, and that employee turnover is comparable with other businesses in the industry.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/29/opinion/greyston-bakery-open-hiring.html|title=Opinion: Want a Job but Have a Record? Who Cares? You're Hired.|last=Rosenberg|first=Tina|date=2019-05-29|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-05-29|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}
Greyston has a social worker on-site to assist employees solve problems, such as transportation issues, child care, and housing, which may interfere with their work.
Products
Greyston Bakery is the primary supplier of brownies for Ben & Jerry's, which is its main client.{{cite web |first=Keith |last=Seiz |date=May 1, 2004 |title=Greyston Bakery builds for the future |website=baking-management.com |url=http://baking-management.com/successful_plants/bm_imp_6190/ |accessdate=2008-07-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107093129/http://baking-management.com/successful_plants/bm_imp_6190/ |archive-date=January 7, 2009 |url-status= dead}} The bakery also has its own line of baked goods that it sells online and a co-branded line of products with Whole Planet Foundation sold exclusively at Whole Foods Market.{{cite web |last=Harper |first=Erin |title=The Magic of Greyston Bakery |url=https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/magic-greyston-bakery |publisher=Whole Foods Market |date=June 13, 2014 |access-date=September 20, 2019}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.greystonbakery.com Official website]
{{Authority control}}
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Category:Bakeries of New York (state)
Category:Companies based in Yonkers, New York
Category:Certified B Corporations in the Food & Beverage Industry