2 weeks Ago By RubyAnn Stiegelmeier
DICKINSON — With a birthday cake nearly as big as their factory building near Patterson Lake, the owners of Baker Boy hosted an employee appreciation day on April 15, celebrating a milestone few businesses reach: their 70th anniversary. Guy and Sandra Moos, their daughter Melissa, and Guy’s sister Midgie sat down with the Press to reflect on the evolution of the business.Started by their father, Marvin, in a small building less than a block off Villard, photos of Baker Boy’s early days show Guy and Midgie as two smiling children hugging their dad, innocently unaware of the bakery’s future exponential growth.
Not unlike the yeast-fermented products Baker Boy makes, the business has ballooned over the past seven decades—and the owners say their success is still just beginning.“I always think about how proud Marvin would be that we have lasted this long and that we have grown to this magnitude,” said Sandra. “He would be so proud of his kids.
” During the interview, the Moos family generously shared access to Sandra’s collection of scrapbooks, which meticulously document memorabilia from each stage of Baker Boy’s growth.“My dad was a serial entrepreneur,” Guy said, candidly describing Marvin opening the first bakery within a grocery store in North Dakota.Marvin’s business initially expanded in several directions, including the Lunch Box, franchising donut shops, experimenting with a drive-in bakery, and even starting a pizza shop that Guy ran before Marvin decided to consolidate his focus into one venture.
“We started out doing everything with just three full-time employees, my dad, myself, and Gerald Burwick,” said Guy. “Initially we would take orders, we’d make the product, freeze it, package it, put it in boxes, and load the truck. On rare occasions I would even hop in the truck and deliver it the next day.
Our starting service area was a 200-mile radius from Dickinson. We’d sell to anybody that would buy from us because we were going to go broke if we didn't increase sales,” Guy continued, noting the grit required of small business owners. “There’s another side to the story, though — at my dad’s age, to take that plunge — he was 57.
”According to the Moos family, automation has been a key factor in the company’s evolution. The recent addition of a robotic palletization machine to the shipping process reduced the need for multiple employees in that department. In the donut line, just in the past seven years, production capacity has increased from 5,000 per hour with 18 staff to 20,000 per hour with just 10.
While some may see this development as concerning, Dustin Monke, the company’s marketing director, says cross-training employees opened doors for them to shift to other roles despite the reduced need for human effort.“The evolution of the company over the last seven years is impressive, but the most amazing part about this business is seeing the owners prioritize how the changes influence the working environment for their employees,” said Monke. “People aren’t treated as disposable here.
”“We’re in a sprint to automate,” said Guy. “Automation allows us to not just increase capacity, but create better paying jobs, and to better every job in this organization. Years ago, we had to lift every dough out of the mixing bowls.
We still work hard, mind you, but we have tools to help us do that heavy work.”Guy credited their long-term employees with much of Baker Boy’s success, highlighting that of the company’s 240 employees, more than 70 have been with Baker Boy for over 10 years.“I’m thankful for the investment Baker Boy has made in me,” said one employee, echoing Guy’s and Monke’s views.
Monke noted that artificial intelligence has played a role in the business, even during the process of adding balloons to the company’s logo. Guy credited the Dickinson community, the state of North Dakota, and the PACE program for Baker Boy’s continued growth. Despite changes over the years, the Moos family says some of their favorite Baker Boy products are still the timeless laminated pastries, now made by the massive machines housed in the 173,000-square-foot network of interconnected workspaces.
“There are three things that I will always pull hot off the line,” said Melissa. “A croissant, a jalapeno cheddar biscuit, or a glazed old-fashioned cake doughnut.”“My favorites are the sweet yeast rolls,” said Sandra.
“They are my absolute favorite.”“I would say my favorite is a creamy caramel roll,” said Guy. “That’s a combination of two products, cinnamon roll dough and creamy caramel smear.
”Midgie said her favorite is the French baguette, describing the flavor as ‘to die for.’To meet strict quality standards, control extends throughout production and includes testing individual ingredients. The plant is Global Food Safety Initiative and kosher certified.
Barb Beck, quality control department manager for 28 years, said working conditions, benefits, and competitive wages convinced her husband to join Baker Boy three years ago after decades in another local manufacturing company. One safety measure includes a metal detector near the packaging line to catch even the smallest non-edible materials.In the research and development department, lead food technologist Jenny Kuchynski and the R&D team develop formulas for each product.
Even the fillings are made in-house to ensure consistency from test kitchen to customer oven.Monke said the frozen dough market has seen a resurgence since COVID-19. During the pandemic, customers prioritized pre-baked items, but now demand for fresh-baked taste is growing.
“I think our garlic toast is better than anybody else’s on the market,” said Monke, before describing the company’s new brioche cinnamon roll dough, released after a year of testing. Gallery More snapshots from the Baker Boy factory. More snapshots from the Baker Boy factory.
More snapshots from the Baker Boy factory. More snapshots from the Baker Boy factory. More snapshots from the Baker Boy factory.
More snapshots from the Baker Boy factory. More snapshots from the Baker Boy factory. More snapshots from the Baker Boy factory.
More snapshots from the Baker Boy factory. More snapshots from the Baker Boy factory. The family shared advice for entrepreneurs—lessons that extend beyond baking.
“Never give up,” said Midgie, both gentleness and firmness in her soft voice. “That’s the difference between winning and losing.”“Surround yourself with really great people,” said Guy.
“I’m sure you’ve heard that before, but it really did work out in our case.”“Never stop learning,” said Melissa.“Work hard, it’s going to pay off,” said Sandra.
Between the Moos’ capacity for both innovation and motivation, Guy’s parting words feel less like exaggeration and more like a promise to the community.“If there’s one thing I want people to hear, it’s that there’s more to come,” said Guy.]]>.
