A community cannot live on bread alone.
It also takes a caring heart.
That’s why the Blundell Centre location of COBS Bread, and others across the chain, are dedicated to several charitable causes.
“We know that a thriving community is in the best interest of everyone. Our kids get to go to better schools, there are better community facilities, and people are generally happier. And we feel obligated to play a role in helping that happen,” explains Andrew Gunn, who, along with his wife, owns and runs the Blundell Centre location.
“And the flip side is if the community is thriving, there’s a good chance our business will do well, too.”
One of the ongoing charitable efforts they undertake is donating leftover baked goods at the end of the day.
“It’s part of our business model,” Gunn says, explaining that efforts chain-wide to limit wastage act as a consistent donation to food bank services and other similar organizations in the communities COBS Bread serves.
“It’s part of our business strategy to make sure we have enough product left at the end of the day so that if a customer comes in around five minutes before closing, they can choose from a nice, big selection,” Gunn continues.
“It’s also part of our DNA to donate that leftover product in ways that best benefit the community and the people who really need it. Rather than just chucking the products out, we can make a positive impact.”
“That’s just the way we have done things.”
And that can add up quickly to be a significant donation as each day, the Blundell Centre location alone can give away between $1,500 to $2,000 worth of stock.
“There’s a number of different community outreach programs we help support, and since it can be such a hefty amount each day, we also donate to local schools and their student groups that may have projects that impact the community in a positive way,” Gunn describes.
While the food bank donations are a chain-wide initiative, the Blundell Centre location also has a specific charitable target - the BC Women’s Health Foundation.
“We have a special day, a couple of weeks before Easter, called donation day in all COBS Bread stores, which donates a portion of sales to a charity, and we chose the foundation,” Gunn says.
“Our first child was born at BC Women’s Hospital under some complicated circumstances, and they were just fantastic to us then, and we felt it’s hard as a parent not to be touched in some way by the help they provide.”
For more information about COBS Bread and how they support the community, visit the website at cobsbread.com/local-bakery/blundell- richmond/.
