European Bakehouse Begins In Somerville

SOMERVILLE, MA — A popular online baked goods company has launched its first physical location in the city.

Wildgrain ushered in its inaugural bakehouse at 29R Properzi Way with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, March 5, with Mayor Jake Wilson leading the event.

Wildgrain was founded by husband and wife duo Johanna Hartzheim and Ismail Salhi in January 2020 as an online subscription service that has since grown to more than 150,000 customers. The new location does not require customers to sign up for a membership in order to purchase products. While Hartzheim was the mind behind the recipes and baking, Salhi grew the business and logistical side of the entity. Prior to Wildgrain, the pair co-founded the music hardware company Qleek in 2014, around the same time they moved to Somerville from Paris, France. They shut down in order to fully focus on their current operation. They were reportedly inspired to launch Wildgrain due to the lack of European artisan breads in their local neighborhood.

The menu features its popular croissants, famous sourdough, and Belgian maple waffles. Customers can also score one of the brand’s signature chocolate chunk cookies in either the original recipe, gluten-free, or vegan. Frozen items are also available in relatively large quantities to be baked at home.

Hartzheim and Salhi also have the goal of fighting food insecurity through their company by donating two meals to food security nonprofit organizations for every order placed.

"It's incredible that all of this started in my little kitchen in Somerville, teaching myself to make the breads I loved in Paris," Hartzheim said in a statement. "Now we're thrilled to create a space where neighbors can experience our products warm from the oven and, for the very first time, pick up our frozen bake-at-home breads and pastries one loaf at a time, no membership needed."

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