Scandi Bakery shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Scandi Bakery, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Baking is where I lose track of time and find myself again. Even outside of my business, I’m often baking for myself, my friends, and my family. It’s something I’ve always done because it brings me pure joy and it’s a way for me to express my love for someone! I get completely lost in the process, the rhythm of working with dough, the scent of something rising in the oven, and the creative outlet it allows me. I’m constantly brainstorming what to make next, exploring flavor combinations, and challenging myself to create something I can be proud of. Even during a stressful time, you’ll find me in the kitchen tuning out the world and diving into what I have in front of me. I’m not truly happy unless I’m creating!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello! I’m Sara, the founder and baker behind Scandi Bakery. I launched this dream when I was only 25, inspired by a profound desire to honor my loved ones who have passed on.
Growing up, our home was filled with the aromas of Swedish and Danish recipes. I watched my parents lovingly carry on recipes from my grandparents and great grandmother. From the limpa bread, pepparkakor, and Swedish meatballs to the aebleskiver on Saturday mornings.
These memories became the foundation of my bakery. I blend cherished family recipes and stories with a lifelong passion for baking. Scandi Bakery isn’t just a business, it’s a way to feel connected to the loved ones I’ve lost while inviting the community in to share in that joy.
Today, we’re proud to be the only Swedish bakery in Central Florida. We offer a warm and inclusive space where everyone is welcome. Whether you’re familiar with Swedish fika culture or discovering it for the first time, there’s always a seat at our table and something delicious waiting for you.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
My parents, without a doubt. I’ve watched them work incredibly hard my entire life, and that work ethic is something that shaped me from a young age. They taught me to create everything for myself, to keep pushing forward no matter the circumstances, and to never let the world get me down. That mindset stuck with me! I love being busy, I love having work to do, and I love taking on a new challenge. It makes me feel grounded and accomplished. Building my bakery from the ground up is a direct reflection of the values they instilled in me.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
One of the defining wounds of my life has been losing both of my grandparents when I was young. Since then, I’ve also lost most of that side of my family. They were everything to us. We were always together, celebrating our culture, gathering around food, and sharing traditions that made us feel connected to something bigger. My grandmother had so many plans for us. She wanted to teach us Swedish, bring us to Scandinavia to meet our extended family, and pass down the roots of where we came from. Losing her, and all those dreams, took me a very long time to process.
My healing lives in everything I bake. From every pastry, every trip I now take myself on to Scandinavia, and the connections I make with our customers is a way of honoring the people they were and carrying on the legacy they left behind. With this business, I’ve built something rooted in the very things my grandmother was trying to teach me. I know in my heart I’m making her proud!
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies in the baking and food industry right now is that success comes from going viral. There’s so much pressure to constantly create the next trendy, eye catching pastry for Instagram. Something over the top, packed with fillings or toppings that are often highly processed, overindulgent, and more about shock value than substance.
At Scandi Bakery, we try to bring it back to the basics. We focus on quality ingredients, intentional flavor combinations, and a deeper connection to the community we serve. We believe that when you prioritize authenticity and care over quick clicks, you build something lasting. Something people come back to not just because it looks good, but because it means something. That’s the kind of bakery and community we’re working to build.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I created something with heart. That I didn’t just build a bakery, but that I built a space where people felt something real. That through my morals and my baking, I made others feel welcomed, seen, and safe. I hope I gave people small moments of peace, a sense of belonging, or the comfort of being part of something special.
I want to be remembered as someone who honored where she came from, who carried her family’s legacy forward with intention and love. That I stayed true to what mattered, and that I made my grandmother proud, not just in what I created, but in how I treated and made others feel.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://scandiswedishbakery.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/scandibakery
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Scandi-Bakery-100095079146746/
