While neither Cole or Megann Gunderson need a gluten-free diet, they own and operate Good Hope Bakery, a gluten-free bakery in Springville, Utah.
Learning about the need for gluten-free desserts through a friend jump started their business.
When Cole Gunderson was at BYU earning his MBA, he had a friend in the program, Dallin Squires. Squires and his mother, Charlotte Squires, are both gluten intolerant.
Dallin Squires and his mom had homemade, gluten-free cookie recipes they developed together. Cole Gunderson himself did not need to eat gluten-free but was amazed at how good they tasted when he tried them, he said.
Those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease cannot have food prepared in a kitchen where gluten-containing flour could cross-contaminate food, according to non-profit BeyondCeliac.
“It doesn’t take very much gluten to make you sick,” the website said.
The couple acquired the recipes through Dallin and Charlotte Squires, and started their small operation.
“My wife and I started the business in my parent’s basement,” Cole Gunderson said. He and his wife decided to get out in front of the public and bring cookies to the My Gluten Free World Expo, he said.
Because of a wedding in their family, Cole and Megann Gunderson weren't able to attend the expo's first day. They sent some friends to the expo in their place to help them sell. Their friends returned with quotes from customers, such as “This is the new Crumbl of gluten-free,” the couple said.
The night before day two of the expo, Megann Gunderson had to stay up baking all night because of how many cookies they sold the first day, she added.
Shortly after, the couple began selling online.
“We realized if we wanted to take it to the next level we needed to get our own, dedicated kitchen,” Cole Gunderson said.
Megann Gunderson is responsible for most of their exclusive flavors, she explained. She bakes at home to develop the recipes and then heads into the bakery to help make them a reality on a larger scale. Some of their upcoming flavors include a pumpkin cookie for the fall season and a molasses cookie around the holiday season, Megann Gunderson said.
The name Good Hope Bakery came from Cole Gunderson's great-grandfather’s dairy, Good Hope Dairy, he said. The family feel to the bakery is rooted in gratitude for the help the couple has received from family and friends along the way, the couple said.
After obtaining their kitchen and licensing, Megann and Cole Gunderson continued to sell mainly online, but also in person at their storefront in Springville, Utah, they said. They also supply their treats to soda shops such as Sip-N, as well as the Hale Center Theater, Great Harvest and multiple coffee shops in the area.
Good Hope Bakery was recently reviewed by the Mile High Food Fairy, a social media food reviewer based in Utah. The reviewer herself does not adhere to a gluten-free diet.
“As a non-GF individual, I honestly think Good Hope Bakery has the best GF (gluten-free) cookies in Utah,” she said.
So many things had to fall into place in order for their business to be where it is today, Megann Gunderson said.
“We hope that people can find gluten-free products even easier now,” she said.
To see store hours and find frequently asked questions, visit Good Hope Bakery's website.