Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Melanie O’Malley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Melanie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Mine is a mission born of the combination of necessity and desire. A little over 20 years ago my mother, brother and self were diagnosed with Celiac disease. At the time it was an unheard of ailment, and a gluten free diet didn’t exist yet.

I think we were very fortunate to have been out in the wild before this was on any industry radar. We learned to incorporate ethnic foods, as many cultures are not as wheat/gluten based as the US. We learned to thrive on a newly curated diet – as opposed to being substitution based. In the years that followed a trickle, then a deluge of products flooded the gluten free market, most of which were very expensive and tasted of cardboard and broken dreams. Anyone diagnosed at that time had the available option of convenient substitution, but it was a depressing reality full of soul crushing disappointment.

The need for gluten free foods that truly spark desire came out of this culinary desert. It began with craving the cream puffs that I now consider the gateway to our bakery. The profiteroles my family craved needed to be gluten free, and we yearned to not settle for “oh, that’s ok for being gluten free.”

Melanie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Growing up I was lucky to have two entrepreneurial parents: one an utterly tenacious grassroots lobbyist, and the other an insanely talented luthier (builder of guitars). They both not only employed me at various times, but more importantly modeled the grit, and the glory of building something for yourself.

I tried government work on for size, and it didn’t fit. While guitar work still makes my heart sing, baking became a passion for me. It so thoroughly combines form and function, like a guitar; with a third dimension of the potential to truly touch lives and affect them, akin to advocacy and law.

Beyond simply selling products that meet a dietary need for so many, I teach cooking classes to empower my customers to create delicious, safe and superior food at home. The bakery participates in the largest farmers market in the upstate NY area, the Troy Farmers Market, contributing to one of the most vital and inclusive communities I’ve ever experienced. Food is all about soul and connection, at least it should be. So, I just love all the candor and conversation that happens in our store, over a bowl of Chinese dumpling filling during class, or at the farmers market!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

O’Malley’s Oven started as hobby in my basement apartment in Albany NY. When I began toying with the idea of it as a business I had two other jobs, so I built it slowly. Around that time there had been another gluten free bakery that grew too fast and collapsed. Another traditional bakery, Bake for You, started really small in the basement of a church, and scaled into their own very successful brick and mortar. A friend who knew what I was doing told me all about BFY, and the parallels between tactics were both comforting, and inspiring – it didn’t have to be huge right away. I was very fortunate to be able to observe a cautionary tale, and then also see someone just a little further down the road from me taking a more paced out strategy.

The measured scaling of the business took about 7 years, and in 2019 I decided it was ready to be my full time gig. I knew I wanted to be in Troy NY, but that was about it. In 2020 I found out I was pregnant, found the perfect space, and then the world shut down. Initially I was going to share the space with another baker, but she backed out so I pivoted to using the space on my own. With a little capital infusion from my mom we were able to move forward.

So while the bakery was being fitted out, I kept the business going out of my old guitar shop’s unused kitchen, at a smaller scale. The bakery weathered covid and managed to grow, open a store, broaden offerings, and become not just a hobby, but a real business that my daughter now rolls pretzels in. We survived multiple leaks and floods in the early shaky days of the store front, as construction continued above our heads. After each issue, with the help of our amazing friends, family, and community we have consistently come back stronger every time.

In business there will always be set backs, and it’s not just my resilience that overcomes them. It is the ability to learn from those around me, to embrace and engage with community, and the collective tenacity those bonds can bring to the table.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Reputation is everything, especially when you’re dealing with a specialty food. I think the slow growth of O’Malley’s Oven fostered an interpersonal trust with our customers that only comes with time. Yes, marketing is important, social media is extremely (and sometimes annoyingly) necessary, but none of that compares to word of mouth, and personal referrals. People know me, know I have celiac, and that the bakery is 100% safe for them.

If you look at the bakery’s marketing, O’Malley’s Oven is actually pretty subtle about being gluten free. Because we aim to be able to serve the whole market, and GF food was so disappointing for so long, we downplay it a bit to skirt the preconceived notion people may have when they see “gluten free.” While we benefit from tapping the whole market, our gluten free clientele is our mission and life blood. Teaching classes, connecting at the farmers market, and suggesting other great places to eat that are safe… all of these things build trust and community with our core customers, and keep me on mission.

My two favorite interactions are the way people light up when they learn it’s ALL gluten free, and the shock on other people’s faces when they learn their favorite market treat IS gluten free.

Offering people a way to simply share good food, without separating dishes or feeling singled out, is a small yet vital way to provide comfort and ease in their busy lives. We all need connection, so lean into that real human network; never take it for granted.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.omalleysoven.com
• Instagram: @omalleysoven
• Email: [email protected]
• Address: 455 Fulton St. Troy NY 12180
• Phone: 518-203-7753

Image Credits
Cake slicing photo: Beth Cleveland Me with pie: Sina Basila