We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Briana Contreras a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Briana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I grew up with pan dulce being a big part of my childhood, walking into a panaderia, the smell of fresh bread, picking out conchas with my family. It was such a special treat every time and something I always looked forwards to.

But as I got older and started paying attention to ingredients, that experience started to change. I began reading labels and realizing that so many of the baked goods I grew up loving were made with artificial dyes, preservatives, seed oils, and enriched flours. It was honestly an eye-opening moment. What felt traditional and wholesome wasn’t actually nourishing, but quite the opposite.

That shift became even more personal when I had kids, especially having a child who is sensitive to additives and certain ingredients. Suddenly it wasn’t just about me anymore. I couldn’t justify giving them something that I knew could negatively affect their health, but at the same time, I didn’t want them to miss out on something that created so many beautiful memories for me and is a staple in our culture. That tension is really where the idea was born.

I started asking: Why isn’t there a version of pan dulce made with real, clean ingredients? Something that honors the tradition but is actually good for your body. And the more I looked, the more I realized, no one was really doing it this way, especially not in a way that still felt authentic.

So I began experimenting in my own kitchen. Reworking recipes. Removing artificial ingredients. Using real butter, high-quality flour, fruits, things you can actually recognize and trust. It wasn’t easy, and there were a lot of failed batches, but I was driven by the idea that this had to exist, not just for my family, but for other families like mine.
What made me believe it could work was simple: I knew I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. There are so many people today who care about what they’re putting into their bodies but don’t want to give up culture, flavor, or experience. Most options force you to choose one or the other.
We’re offering both.

What excited me most was the idea that we weren’t just selling baked goods, we were creating a new standard. A way for people to enjoy pan dulce again without compromise. Something you can feel good about sharing with your kids, your family, your community.
And that’s when I knew, this wasn’t just a hobby. It was something worth building.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Briana Contreras, and I’m the founder and head baker behind a clean-ingredient Mexican panaderia based in Southern California. What started in my home kitchen has grown into a purpose-driven business centered around redefining what pan dulce can be.

I didn’t come from a traditional culinary background, my entry into artisan baking was deeply personal. After becoming a mother and learning more about nutrition, I started paying closer attention to the ingredients in the foods I was giving my family. That’s when I realized that many of the Mexican baked goods I grew up loving were made with artificial dyes, preservatives, seed oils, and highly processed flours. At the same time, I had a child who was sensitive to those ingredients, which made the issue impossible to ignore.
I felt torn between honoring my culture and protecting my family’s health, and that’s what led me to start creating my own versions of pan dulce using only real, recognizable ingredients. What began as an idea, quickly became a passion, and then a calling.

Today, we specialize in handcrafted pan dulce, especially conchas, made with clean, high-quality ingredients. No artificial colors, no seed oils, no unnecessary additives, just real food.

As a Mexican-American brand, we also embrace the influence of the culture we’re part of today. Alongside traditional offerings, we incorporate seasonal and locally loved flavors like pumpkin, lemon, and lavender into our menu and even into our conchas. It allows us to create something that feels both nostalgic and new, honoring tradition while evolving it for the modern customer.
We offer everything from classic flavors to innovative seasonal drops, as well as custom orders, event catering, and wholesale partnerships with cafés and local businesses.

The problem we’re solving is one that many people feel but don’t always have access to a solution for: the desire to eat clean without giving up cultural foods or meaningful experiences. Too often, people are forced to choose between health and tradition. Our brand exists to bridge that gap.

What sets us apart is not just our ingredients, but our intention. We are deeply committed to doing things the right way, even when it’s harder. From sourcing real, high-quality ingredients to carefully developing recipes that still deliver on texture and flavor, every detail matters. At the same time, we’re not afraid to innovate and meet people where they are, which is where that Mexican-American influence really shines.

What I’m most proud of is that we’ve created something that allows families to enjoy these traditions again with confidence. Parents can share pan dulce with their children without second-guessing what’s inside. That means everything to me.

I’m also proud that we’re building something that represents both heritage and evolution, something rooted in culture, but forward-thinking in how it’s made and experienced.
What I want people to know is that this brand was built with intention, integrity, and heart. We’re not just baking bread, we’re creating a new standard. And whether someone is prioritizing their health, reconnecting with their culture, or simply looking for something that tastes incredible, we’ve created a space for them here.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One of the biggest lessons in my journey has been learning how to keep going, even when it would have been easier to pause.
Building this business didn’t happen under perfect circumstances, it was built in the middle of real life.

I’m a mother, I homeschool my children, and during this season of growth, I’m also expecting another baby. At one point, I was even dealing with serious physical limitations from spinal injuries that made something as simple as standing in the kitchen incredibly difficult.

There were moments where continuing didn’t make logical sense. Baking is physical, demanding work, and there were days where my body was telling me to stop. But what kept me going was knowing why I started in the first place.

I had already seen the gap, families like mine who wanted clean, real-ingredient versions of the foods we grew up with, but didn’t have access to them. I knew this mattered, not just for my family, but for others too.

Resilience, for me, didn’t look like big, dramatic wins. It looked like continuing to test recipes after failed batches, showing up for orders when I was exhausted, learning how to work smarter when I couldn’t physically do more, and choosing to build something meaningful in the middle of uncertainty.

I also had to let go of the idea that I needed perfect conditions to start or grow. That was a mindset shift. Instead, I learned to build with what I had and where I was. Trusting God every step of the way.

What that season taught me is that resilience isn’t about pushing yourself to the point of burnout, it’s about staying rooted in your purpose and adapting when challenges come. That’s something I try to carry into my business every day.

And in many ways, those challenges have reminded me that what I’m building isn’t just about baked goods. It’s about creating something meaningful, sustainable, and worth showing up for, even on the hard days.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve had to unlearn is the idea that “this is just how pan dulce is made.”

When I first started looking into the ingredients used in traditional pan dulce, I assumed there must be a reason for it—that artificial colors, preservatives, and certain processed ingredients were necessary to achieve the right texture, flavor, or shelf life.

But as I became more intentional about what I was feeding my family, especially with a child who is sensitive to certain ingredients, I couldn’t ignore what I was learning. I had to ask myself: Is this actually necessary, or is it just normalized?

That question changed everything.
I realized that a lot of the industry relies on shortcuts, not because they’re the only way, but because they’re the easiest and most scalable. And I had to make a decision early on: was I going to follow that model, or was I willing to do things differently, even if it was harder?

Unlearning that mindset meant letting go of convenience and committing to a higher standard. It meant reworking recipes from the ground up, accepting that I would have more trial and error, and being okay with a slower, more intentional growth process.
It also reshaped how I see my role as a business owner. I’m not just here to replicate what already exists, I’m here to challenge it and improve it.

That shift is what defines our brand today. We don’t cut corners, even when it would be easier or more profitable to do so. We prioritize real, high-quality ingredients and take the time to get things right.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hotplate.com/panaderiacontreras
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/panaderia.contreras.bc

Image Credits

Estefania Galvez