75 Commercial Street / Portland, Maine
Rooted in a deep love for traditional European baking, Standard Baking Co. is a bakery that began as a small family-owned business by Alison Pray and Matt James in Portland, Maine in 1995.
Early in their relationship, while visiting France, the couple spent time learning about traditional bread and classic pastries, finding elegance in both the culinary skill and the critical role bakers play in every town they visited. Alison and Matt soon found themselves asking “why can't we walk down the street at home and get really good food?”
Inspired by all they’d seen, Alison quickly took to learning as much as she could about European baking, impassioned by the rich history and deep community involvement.
From a Boston bakery apprenticeship, where she learned the art of baking naturally leavened bread, to the pair immersing themselves in a baker’s guild to becoming experts in the art of slow fermentation, launching the dream of Standard Baking Co. seemed like a natural next step.
In 1995, Standard baked its first traditional French baguette using a pizza oven for a local restaurant. When the smell of fresh baked bread kept bringing in customers, Alison and Matt expanded into the current Commercial Street location. Since then, the business has grown to over 15 full-time bakers, drivers, retail sellers, and office staff.
But one thing remains the same: the love of baking.
At Standard, we take the time to find the most organically sourced and local ingredients possible. From the eggs and dairy sourced from small local farmers to seasonal fruit and berries to organic nuts, you can always count on getting the best at Standard Baking Co. Each and every baked good is made with love — for you.
