WEDCO Board of Directors has announced that The Grainless Baker, Inc., of Hamlin, PA, has been selected as the organization’s 2008 Innovator of the Year. Dan and Jane Trygar, co-owners, will accept the award on behalf of the company at a special luncheon on November 7.
James A. Howarth, Vice President of Business Development for the New York, Susquehanna, and Western Railway Corporation will be the guest speaker.
The Grainless Baker, Inc. is a company devoted to manufacturing foods that are gluten-free, and thus able to be enjoyed by individuals with celiac disease. Those afflicted with this aliment cannot eat any food that contains wheat, rye or barley—grains which are typically in bakery products. Founded in 2004 by Mr. and Mrs. Trygar, The Grainless Baker manufactures breads, pastries, cookies and other food products from recipes and processes they have developed.
The Grainless Baker is one of only a handful of companies in the U.S. making gluten-free bread products, and this uniqueness, along with the use of technology and job creation, led to their selection as Innovator of the Year.
“I understand that we have products being made in Wayne County that are not made anywhere else in the world,” stated WEDCO President, Atty. Alfred J. Howell. “Creating a recipe is different than following a recipe – and we are honoring a company that is partnering with research groups, universities and health organizations where new food sources are being explored and refined.”
In 2008, The Grainless Baker constructed a 4,000 SF manufacturing facility on J & J Road in Hamlin. The facility also includes a small retail space for walk-in customers. Current employment is 16.
The Grainless Baker distributes its products to retail locations through New York, New Jersey and the New England area, and just recently began global distribution. The company has experienced significant sales growth since moving into the Hamlin facility, and expects that growth to continue. Mr. Trygar attributes this to an un-met market demand and his belief that celiac disease is under-diagnosed. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, more than 2 million people in the United States have celiac disease, or about 1 in 133 people.
According to WEDCO staff, there is another reason for the company’s growth – and that is that the product tastes good. “Naturally, we had to sample of few pastries before giving testimony about this company,” said WEDCO executive director Mary Beth Wood. “We were delightfully surprised at how tasty everything was – even without wheat!”
James A. Howarth
Mr. Howarth’s career in the railroad industry spans 35 years. In the early 1970’s, he was a locomotive engineer for Delaware Otsego Corporation and held various management positions. From 1973 to 1984, he worked as a Sales Representative for the Delaware and Hudson Railway Company. From 1984 to 2003, he worked at CSX Transportation where his numerous marketing and management positions included VP of Northeast Commercial Integration and VP Merchandise Marketing.
Mr. Howarth was VP of Sales and Marketing at TransLoad America, Inc, prior to joining New York, Susquehanna, and Western Railway Corporation in 2005, where he currently holds the position of VP of Business Development.
Mr. Howarth has a Bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York, Oneonta, and earned a Masters of Business Administration from the State University of New York, Albany. His postgraduate education includes the Advanced Transportation Marketing Program at Northwestern University and Logistics Management Program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“We look forward to welcoming Mr. Howarth as our guest speaker” stated Atty. Howell. “From him, we will gain a broader understanding of the railroad industry and the movement of goods throughout the U.S. This is especially important now that the Stourbridge Rail Line is fully operational and we can resume commercial freight service in Wayne County.”
WEDCO established the Innovator of the Year Award to recognize businesses that enrich Wayne County’s reputation for quality and creativity. The selection committee for 2008 was WEDCO Board members Tina Diehl, chair, Mary Ellen Bentler, Brian Chapman, Kuni Holbert, and Jim O’Neill.
To learn more about The Grainless Baker, visit their website at www.thegrainlessbaker.com. For more information about WEDCO, visit www.wedcorp.org.
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WEDCO Board of Directors has announced that The Grainless Baker, Inc., of Hamlin, PA, has been selected as the organization’s 2008 Innovator of the Year. Dan and Jane Trygar, co-owners, will accept the award on behalf of the company at a special luncheon on November 7.
James A. Howarth, Vice President of Business Development for the New York, Susquehanna, and Western Railway Corporation will be the guest speaker.
The Grainless Baker, Inc. is a company devoted to manufacturing foods that are gluten-free, and thus able to be enjoyed by individuals with celiac disease. Those afflicted with this aliment cannot eat any food that contains wheat, rye or barley—grains which are typically in bakery products. Founded in 2004 by Mr. and Mrs. Trygar, The Grainless Baker manufactures breads, pastries, cookies and other food products from recipes and processes they have developed.
The Grainless Baker is one of only a handful of companies in the U.S. making gluten-free bread products, and this uniqueness, along with the use of technology and job creation, led to their selection as Innovator of the Year.
“I understand that we have products being made in Wayne County that are not made anywhere else in the world,” stated WEDCO President, Atty. Alfred J. Howell. “Creating a recipe is different than following a recipe – and we are honoring a company that is partnering with research groups, universities and health organizations where new food sources are being explored and refined.”
In 2008, The Grainless Baker constructed a 4,000 SF manufacturing facility on J & J Road in Hamlin. The facility also includes a small retail space for walk-in customers. Current employment is 16.
The Grainless Baker distributes its products to retail locations through New York, New Jersey and the New England area, and just recently began global distribution. The company has experienced significant sales growth since moving into the Hamlin facility, and expects that growth to continue. Mr. Trygar attributes this to an un-met market demand and his belief that celiac disease is under-diagnosed. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, more than 2 million people in the United States have celiac disease, or about 1 in 133 people.
According to WEDCO staff, there is another reason for the company’s growth – and that is that the product tastes good. “Naturally, we had to sample of few pastries before giving testimony about this company,” said WEDCO executive director Mary Beth Wood. “We were delightfully surprised at how tasty everything was – even without wheat!”
James A. Howarth
Mr. Howarth’s career in the railroad industry spans 35 years. In the early 1970’s, he was a locomotive engineer for Delaware Otsego Corporation and held various management positions. From 1973 to 1984, he worked as a Sales Representative for the Delaware and Hudson Railway Company. From 1984 to 2003, he worked at CSX Transportation where his numerous marketing and management positions included VP of Northeast Commercial Integration and VP Merchandise Marketing.
Mr. Howarth was VP of Sales and Marketing at TransLoad America, Inc, prior to joining New York, Susquehanna, and Western Railway Corporation in 2005, where he currently holds the position of VP of Business Development.
Mr. Howarth has a Bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York, Oneonta, and earned a Masters of Business Administration from the State University of New York, Albany. His postgraduate education includes the Advanced Transportation Marketing Program at Northwestern University and Logistics Management Program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“We look forward to welcoming Mr. Howarth as our guest speaker” stated Atty. Howell. “From him, we will gain a broader understanding of the railroad industry and the movement of goods throughout the U.S. This is especially important now that the Stourbridge Rail Line is fully operational and we can resume commercial freight service in Wayne County.”
WEDCO established the Innovator of the Year Award to recognize businesses that enrich Wayne County’s reputation for quality and creativity. The selection committee for 2008 was WEDCO Board members Tina Diehl, chair, Mary Ellen Bentler, Brian Chapman, Kuni Holbert, and Jim O’Neill.
To learn more about The Grainless Baker, visit their website at www.thegrainlessbaker.com. For more information about WEDCO, visit www.wedcorp.org.
