At A Bread Affair, we’ve always believed great bread starts with great ingredients and for us, that means sourcing fresh, seasonal produce straight from the hands that grow it. But what many people don’t know is that much of the fruit and vegetables in our pastries and sandwiches never pass through a distributor. They arrive through something far more old-fashioned: bartering.
Yes, the same age-old system of trading goods for goods that communities have used for centuries is still alive at our bakery today. And it’s one of the reasons our flavours taste so fresh, so local, and so distinctly “us.”
Trading Organic Bread for Bounty
Every week, A Bread Affair participates in more than a dozen farmers markets across Metro Vancouver, from Vancouver Farmers Markets to the UBC Farm. These markets connect us with the region’s growers, and by the end of each market day, an informal but meaningful exchange often unfolds.
Our unsold bread and pastries become currency. Farmers with extra produce — items that might otherwise end up as compost — happily trade for loaves, croissants, and scones to take home to their families or farm crews. In return, we bring back ingredients that inspire new creations in our bakery.
One of our regular trading partners is Forstbauer Family Natural Food Farm, a certified organic farm in Chilliwack. On any given week, you’ll find us swapping baked goods for blueberries, potatoes, kale, green onions, strawberries, and even rhubarb.
Another important partner is the UBC Farm, where the collaboration has taken on a life of its own. About four years ago, we began trading bread and pastries for greens grown by students from the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. Our baked goods help feed the student farmers, and their greens, now intentionally included in the program’s curriculum, are used for our sandwiches. With the rising cost of produce, this trade helps us keep greens in nearly all our sandwiches while maintaining fair prices for our customers. It’s a partnership that supports both our business and the next generation of farmers.
What We Bring Home (and What They Bring Home)
Over time, the barter system has shaped some of our most-loved items.
Those blueberries? They’ve ended up in our Blueberry Lemon & Ginger Scone.
Those potatoes and green onions? The stars of our Potato Cheddar & Green Onion Scone.
Those early summer strawberries and rhubarb? The reason our Strawberry Rhubarb Scone sells out on warm weekends.
We also occasionally trade for eggs, though these are so high in demand at markets that we might bring home only a dozen or two, compared to the 300 eggs we use weekly at the bakery. Tomatoes are another tricky one, often sold out long before bartering begins.
How Much of Our Produce Comes from Bartering?
Surprisingly, quite a lot. A little over half (around 55%) of the produce we use comes directly from trades at farmers markets. The rest, including harder-to-source items like eggs and tomatoes, is purchased through traditional distributors.
Why Bartering Still Makes Sense
Our approach to trading isn’t new. For more than a decade, A Bread Affair has been part of the farmers market community, building trust, friendships, and a shared understanding with local growers. Bartering grew naturally out of those relationships.
When we have unsold bread and farmers have extra produce, it simply makes sense to exchange. It reduces waste. It keeps costs manageable during times when ingredient prices are soaring. It gives our customers access to remarkably fresh ingredients. And perhaps most importantly, it reinforces a circular, community-based food system where everyone benefits.
What started as an informal practice has become an essential way we operate. But at its heart, bartering remains beautifully simple: two parties offering what they have, supporting each other, and heading home at the end of a long day with something delicious.
Whether you’re enjoying a sandwich made with just-picked greens or biting into a scone flavoured with farm-fresh fruit, you’re tasting the result of real relationships and real ingredients.
Want to support this local food ecosystem? Visit us at one of our farmers market locations (our schedule is listed weekly on our website) or stop by A Bread Affair on Granville Island. Every purchase helps keep these community partnerships thriving.