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“If I knew then what I know now, I probably wouldn’t have done it,” reflected Josh Allen on the eve of a milestone event.
Allen is the owner of Companion, a local bread company celebrating its 20th anniversary this Saturday, November 9, 2013, with an open house from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at their factory located at 4555 Gustine in south St. Louis.
Allen says that starting his company at the age of 24 was both “a blessing and a curse,” though this doesn’t mean he has any regrets. He continues, “Jumping in at that age was my saving grace. It was fun and exciting and a bit of a neat time in St. Louis. Kaldi’s opened up shortly after we did, and I think Schlafly had been open for about a year when we opened, so there was this whole movement of micro-producers, though we’ve always had a really incredible restaurant town.”
Companion began 20 years ago as a small, 1,800 square-foot factory with just six breads in its product line. Though they reside in the same location today, their factory has expanded to 15,000 square-feet and they sell their baked goods to more than 100 local restaurants, 30 Schnucks and Dierbergs, and at their two cafes in Clayton and Ladue.
The company has also grown in its mission over the years. Though Companion was born from a passion for baking bread, it was quickly influenced by the giving nature of the St. Louis restaurant industry.
Allen says, “From the get-go, there were all these events that we were asked to participate in—James Beard barbecues and March of Dimes events…food is integral to those events and so those folks and those organizations have always leaned heavily against the restaurant community in St. Louis. I’m amazed daily at the generosity in the industry and the people around me. Those were the people that we wanted to support and so it was really a natural progression for us to be a part of those things.”
Companion is continuously giving back to its community, working with a number of organizations to make a positive impact. To continue this mission, Companion has partnered with the St. Louis Area Foodbank for their open house on Saturday. “We wanted to pick a partner that was equally committed to the city and to eradicating hunger and the challenges that folks face around here,” Allen says. The Foodbank will be accepting canned goods onsite throughout the day.
The event on Saturday is Companion’s way of saying “thank you” to the St. Louis community. “We’re inviting folks down to the factory for our big open house,” says Allen. “There will be tours and chef demos, a lot of family stuff—I have five kids so no event would be complete without cookie and cupcake decorating. We’re going to have photo booths and lots and lots of samples. I think maybe we didn’t stop often enough in the past 20 years to just smell the roses and appreciate where we are and where we stand. This is an opportunity for me and for all of our companions to stop and recognize the relationship we have with St. Louis. I think it will be a real joy for everyone here.”
Companion 20th Anniversary Open House
Free & open to the public
Saturday, November 9, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
4555 Gustine
