A highly popular destination point for skiers, Whistler is the backdrop to some of the most beautiful scenery in the British Columbia. After falling in love with the area seven years ago, Ed and Natasha Tatton decided to make the area home.
“We wanted to snowboard for the winter, so we came up with a one-year visa deciding to stay in Whistler for six months with the plan to head to Montreal. Yet, within six months we decided we loved Whistler and chose to stay forever.”
Combining their love of plant based/vegan eating, skiing, hiking and other outdoor activities, Ed and Tash (as she is known to locals) managed to successfully do what they were cautioned wouldn’t work; open a plant-based bakery.
Their decision to open the doors to Ed’s Bred was not without a lot of thought and planning. Researching some of the finest bakeries in the States, they realized there was a great untapped opportunity to open a plant-based/vegan bakery.
From their original offering of plant-based sour dough bread, Ed’s Bred, pre-pandemic, grew their menu choices into espresso, cinnamon buns, cookies, pizza dough and a few choice deli items.
Enjoying record breaking growth month-after-month, they hit their best month ever when the pandemic hit. Realizing they needed to pivot quickly, it took only 24 hours for Ed and Tash to admit things had dramatically changed.
With no time to wallow in fear or self-pity, they got to work making substantially dramatic changes.
Within 24 hours, they went from hitting their best month ever, to literally being told they had to shut down and lay off their entire staff. Ed and Tash immediately rolled up their sleeves, put pen to paper and figured out what the next steps needed to be.
With no idea how long their doors would be shut, they pivoted by the next day and made the decision to take their business completely online. People submitted their order online, and were able to have a no contact pickup of their order.
Even before the shift in their business model, they achieved what many businesses aspire to, 100% zero waste. With sustainability one of their major values, they are constantly on the lookout for ways to bring no harm to animals and the environment. From choosing vendors who have similar business practices, to implementing environmental programs, Ed and Tash have built a loyal customer base that continues to grow.
An Exciting Future
Realizing business will never go back to the way it was, Ed and Tash are excited about what the future holds. With a desire to continue to educate the public about the benefits of a plant-based/vegan lifestyle, Ed and Tash walk the talk of sustainability. They have implemented a tree planting initiative grounded in their value of caring for the environment.
Their drive is not based solely in business. For both Ed and Tash, their passion for plant based/vegan eating is based on living the healthiest life possible. Ed has dealt with heart issues from an early age. During our conversation, Ed shared about major heart surgery in his twenties that saved his life, being put on several medications and subsequently eliminating his need for meds due to eating plant based.
For more information about their products, initiatives, and commitment to the well-being of animals and the environment, visit http://www.edsbred.com
About Natasha and Ed
Natasha Tatton is an English teacher turned bakery manager, animal rights advocate and co-founder of BReD a 100% plant-based organic sourdough café/bakery in Whistler, BC, Canada.
Ed Tatton is an animal rights advocate, professional fine-dining chef and co-owner of BReD: a 100% plant-based organic sourdough café/bakery in Whistler, BC, Canada, where he leads a small bakery team, making and baking bread, pizza dough and other small baked goods.
Contact Ed and Tash Tatton on Social Media
