Will Spencer has always had a keen interest in making food. With a postdoctoral degree in microbiology and an understanding of allergies and digestive development, he was ready to put his science expertise to the test. The challenge? To make gluten-free bread with the perfect crumb structure, correct rising properties, and irresistible mouth feel and taste.

Launch of rND Bakery in 2013 marked success. The bakery supplies local stores and online customers with products including sorghum oat loaf, ciabatta and an assortment of bagels and buns with exciting flavours like orange ginger, curry onion and tomato basil.

Initially, Will was focused on providing the very best gluten-free products to consumers with allergies and health concerns. Today, Will notes that people are looking to reduce wheat in their diet as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Boutique stores in the Ottawa/Gatineau, Brockville and Kingston regions carry his products, but there is a new focus in 2021 to achieve national distribution which means production scale up. Will has a novel approach to increasing supply with a closed loop system that connects farmers, especially in Eastern Ontario where organic oats grow well, with the supply chain.

And when it comes to new products, rND Bakery is turning its attention to vegan and yeast-free breads (an emerging allergen category) with support from research at St. Lawrence College.

Visit www.rndbakery.com to learn more about rND Bakery, make an online purchase or strike up a thought provoking conversation with Will on the future of food, and food as medicine.