Our Story
In their little bakehouse (pictured above) in Caledon, Canada Linda Haynes and Martin Connell crafted artisan bread and baguettes using nothing but the simplest, natural ingredients, old world starter doughs, long fermentation periods and stone baking. Linda & Martin gifted their bundles of deliciousness to friends and family who encouraged them to start their very own artisan bakery...so they did! In 1993, at the intersection of King and Spadina, in Toronto, Canada, the ACE Bakery® Retail Store & Cafe was born. Torontonians enjoyed freshly made artisan breads daily, and soon, ACE Bakery® was the iconic corner bakery in the heart of the city.
The demand for ACE Bakery® artisan bread was at an all time high, so Linda and Martin decided to pursue the momentum and opened a fully operational bakery, at Keele and Lawrence, in North Toronto. ACE Bakery® had capacity to deliver fresh bread to restaurants and grocery stores around the city, and eventually across North America. The original ACE Bakery® at Keele & Lawrence (1 Hafis Road) is still where most of our artisan baking happens.
Today, ACE Bakery® breads are available in restaurants and supermarkets across North America. We have five bakeries: four in the Greater Toronto Area, and one in Gaffney, South Carolina. Our portfolio has grown to include remarkable baguettes, specialty loaves, gourmet burger buns, sandwich rolls, granola, and bagels.