Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Pereira.
Hi Mark, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
“Can I do this?”
That’s literally how The Union Sourdough Co. started.
The first loaf of sourdough I ever tried to make was a complete failure. But I tried again, and the second loaf was one of the most delicious loaves of bread I had ever eaten. From that point on, I was hooked.
I started baking more and more, learning as I went and experimenting with different flavors. What started as something I was doing for myself and my family slowly turned into friends and other people wanting loaves of their own. Eventually, I started wondering if this could actually become a business.
In the beginning, everything was made out of my home kitchen. I could bake five loaves at a time in my home oven, so there was only so much I could physically produce.
The real growth started when I began doing local farmers markets and finally had access to a real commercial kitchen. The farmers markets put my bread in front of so many new people and gave me the opportunity to meet my customers face to face. People started coming back week after week, telling their friends, and looking for me at the next market. At the same time, having a commercial kitchen meant I finally had the space and equipment to keep up with that growing demand.
Then in May 2026, I unexpectedly lost my full-time job. I had a decision to make. I could start looking for another job, or I could see what would happen if I gave this little bread business everything I had.
I chose the bread.
Today, instead of baking five loaves at a time in my home oven, I can bake 16 at a time. During busy weeks, I’m producing hundreds of loaves for farmers markets, festivals, direct orders, and events.
But one of my favorite parts of all of this has been the community that has formed around the business. I have customers who come back week after week, people who tell their friends about us, and people who have watched The Union Sourdough Co. grow almost from the beginning.
I still feel like I’m at the beginning of the story. I’m constantly learning, trying new things, and figuring out where The Union Sourdough Co. goes next.
It’s pretty crazy to think that all of this started because I made one terrible loaf of sourdough and decided to try one more time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Definitely not. I don’t think starting and growing a business is ever really a smooth road, especially when it starts growing faster than you expected.
One of my biggest struggles has been learning how to scale. There’s a huge difference between making a few loaves of sourdough at home and trying to make hundreds of loaves in a week while keeping the quality consistent. I’ve had to learn everything from larger-scale mixing and production schedules to figuring out how much bread to make for each market without making too much or selling out too early.
The farmers markets have been incredible for growing the business, but they’ve also taught me how much of this is completely out of my control. I can spend days preparing, bake dozens of loaves, and then have a market canceled because of rain. The bread is already baked. It doesn’t care that the forecast changed. Suddenly I have a kitchen full of sourdough and have to figure out what to do with it.
But probably the hardest part has been the time it takes away from my family. There have been days when I leave the house before my daughter wakes up and don’t get home until after she’s already in bed. That’s difficult. I’m building this business in large part because I want to create something for my family, but there are times when building it means sacrificing time with them. Finding that balance is something I’m still working on.
Losing my full-time job was another huge turning point. It gave me the opportunity to put everything I had into The Union Sourdough Co., but it also meant the business suddenly needed to be more than something I enjoyed doing on the side. It needed to work.
And through all of this, I’m learning as I go. There was no roadmap for any of it. I’ve made mistakes, had bad days, lost sleep, made too much bread, made too little bread, and had plenty of moments where I wondered what I had gotten myself into.
But that’s also how this entire thing started. My first loaf was a complete failure. I tried again, and the second one changed everything. I’ve basically been following that same philosophy ever since: learn from what didn’t work, make adjustments, and try again.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Union Sourdough Co. ?
The Union Sourdough Co. is an independent artisan sourdough bakery based in Union, New Jersey. We specialize in naturally fermented sourdough bread, but we’re probably best known for taking traditional sourdough and having a little fun with it.
Of course we make a classic plain sourdough, but flavored loaves have become a huge part of our identity. Jalapeño & Cheddar, Garlic, Pepperoni & Cheese, Everything Seasoning, Sausage & Cheese, Goat Cheese Garlic & Herb and other rotating flavors give people a reason to come back and try something different.
Our bread also looks a little different from what people might expect when they hear “artisan sourdough.” I bake in loaf pans rather than making the traditional round boule. That was intentional. I wanted to make real sourdough that fit into everyday life. It makes great toast, sandwiches and grilled cheese, and you don’t need a tutorial just to figure out how to cut it.
I think what really sets us apart, though, is the personality behind the brand. I never wanted to build a bakery that felt overly polished, serious or pretentious. The Union Sourdough Co. has a sense of humor. I talk to customers on social media the same way I talk to them when they walk up to my table at a farmers market. They know there’s a real person behind the bread.
Farmers markets have become a huge part of our identity. There’s something special about seeing the same customers every week, knowing what loaf they’re going to ask for before they even get to the table, and watching someone who bought their first loaf a week ago come back with a friend because they told them they had to try it.
We’ve also grown beyond bread into sourdough bagels, cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls, pizza dough, granola and other products, along with homemade jams and butters. I’m always experimenting, and some of our best products have come from simply asking, “What if we tried this?”
What I’m most proud of brand-wise is that The Union Sourdough Co. has become more than just my logo on a bag of bread. People recognize the name. They recognize the personality. They seek us out at markets. They recommend us to their friends. There’s a community forming around something that started with me wondering if I could even make a loaf of sourdough.
We’re growing quickly, but I never want to lose that personal connection. No matter how big The Union Sourdough Co. becomes, I want people to know who made their bread, feel good about supporting a local business, and most importantly, be really excited to eat it.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that you don’t have to have everything figured out before you start.
If I had waited until I knew exactly how to make the perfect loaf, how to run a business, how to scale production, how many loaves to bring to a farmers market, or what the next step was supposed to be, The Union Sourdough Co. probably wouldn’t exist.
I’ve learned most of this by doing it. Sometimes I get it right, and sometimes I get it completely wrong. Then I figure out why, make an adjustment and try again.
I think a lot of people have an idea for something they want to do, but they’re waiting until they feel ready. I’ve learned that you might never feel completely ready. Sometimes you just have to ask yourself, “Can I do this?” and be willing to find out.
My first loaf of sourdough was a complete failure. If I had stopped there, none of this would have happened.
Pricing:
- Plain Loaf $12
- Flavored Loaf $15
- Any 2 Loaves $20
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.unionsourdough.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theunionsourdoughco
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19KqhSGJBg/?mibextid=wwXIfr
