KANSAS CITY, Mo. –The closure of Hostess Bakery now has local restaurants on the hunt for new bread vendors. When news of the shutdown spread to Zarda Barbecue, it was time improvise.
“It sent us into a scurry,” said Zarda C.O.O Terry Hyer. “We headed to the grocery store and began to stock up on as many buns and bread as we could.”
The store-bought buns were significantly smaller forcing Zarda’s to put up signs stating the meat portion is the same, just a smaller bun. The temporary bun fix didn’t last long due to high demand at the restaurant.
“We went old school, we literally went to white bread and wheat bread, that’s all we had, ” said Hyer. “It was bread sandwiches, it was like an old school backyard barbecue.”
Now Zarda is using Bimbo Bakery for all it’s bread needs. The companies are currently working out the specifics of a hoagie bun.
Arthur Bryant’s also used Wonder Bread, Willis Simpson runs the 17th and Brooklyn location says the transition has been smooth.
“No one has said anything, it’s mostly about the meat,” said Simpson.
Arthur Bryant’s now uses Roma Bakery for its sliced bread. General Manager Mike Quarrato says the local bread maker continues to get calls for bread service.
“We had a tremendous amount of calls have come our way,” said Quarrato. “We’ve been able to take care of some customers.”
Quarrato says the bread isn’t the problem, it’s expediting the bread to clients is the tricky part.
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