Dave's Killer Bread set to expand nationwide
MILWAUKIE, Ore. – It was a killer day on Thursday for the employees of Dave’s Killer Bread. They were all greeted by surprise post-Christmas bonus checks and the big news that Dave’s plans to expand nationally next year now that the company has joined forces with a new equity partner.
The die-hard local fans of Dave’s Killer Bread know the company’s success has to do with much more than the killer name.
“When I first started creating bread I didn’t think about cost, I thought about what’s going to make it the best and the result was Killer Bread,” said co-founder and company president Dave Dahl.
The bread company that started seven years ago with a cult following at farmer’s markets is now available in 11 states. It recently expanded to Colorado and Southern California, and with the new financial partner, Dave’s bread will be available coast-to-coast.
“We’re going to Chicago and Texas,” Dahl said. “I think these are opportunities developing to go to the East Coast and work it back and fill it all up.”
New York-based Goode Partners bought an equity stake in Dave’s Killer Bread and will add three representatives to the company’s board. A long-time veteran of the baking industry will also join the company as chairman of the board to help guide the expansion.
If you’re already a Dave’s customer, you are probably familiar with the Dahl’s powerful story from before his success.
“I’m a four-time loser,” he explained. “I went to prison four times, did 15 years. I was suicidal and somehow made it through.”
Dahl then got medication and education. Eight years to the day since he was released from prison, he’s now the proud owner of a successful company.
“I’m going to go out and continue to inspire people to do what I’ve done, which is to change their lives,” Dahl said.
Now the entire country will get the chance to have a taste of his success story.
“I got out and was excited to work with my family to create new products,” Dahl said. “My story added up to me making a product people like and what’s bad about that?”
I guess I'm in the minority. I don't like his breads, too much like eating a slice of damp granola.
Safeway price is $4.99.... Winco.. $3.88.. Not too expensive actually.. But really why worry about it.. since most groceries in Oregon are paid for by EBT
Congratulations Dave, I bought several loaves at Farmers Market by Esther Short one summer. I think it was around 2007 or so. It was killer bread. We loved it.
Not only do they offer a fantastic product, it's also a great company to work for. Everyone gets free lunches and free bread to take home everyday. The people are enthusiastic and fun to work with. Even though it's a high output facility, there is still a sense of warmth to be found. For the Robust Raisin bread, we still use a retrofitted antique slicer.
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But I do share the concern of a previous poster that corporate greed may take over as Dave's expands. They promote "GMO free" on their packaging, but as time goes on and huge food corporations soon have a stake in the production process, we may find a simpler package that just shows Dave rocking out on his guitar but without the tagline"just say no to bread on drugs". If any product is mass produced on a coast to coast scale, it's inevitably annexed by the way of the system. Small companies turn into colossal entities, sacrificing quality for quantity.
Thee finest bread on the local market today, period!! Being locked-up sometimes gives a person time to reflect and find a different path to success having personally been there...
Unfortunately, I never tried Dave's bread even though I had been meaning to. Now that I have been diagnosed with Celiac, I will never be able to sample the bread. Congrats, Dave, on your success - both in business and turning your personal life around.
 @theprodigal Daves has several options that are gluten free at least from what I understand gluten is only in wheat is it not or a result of the process of wheat? I know the spelt bread is completely wheat free! Might be something to email the company about to if they do not I know that the gluten free movement has become so big alot of companies are willing to add a line ! Also bobs red mill offers a really good gluten free bread dough.
 @theprodigal Udi's makes decent-tasting gluten-free bread. http://udisglutenfree.com/
You can even get it at Fred Meyer's.
Great bread, Dave. And a great success story. And my god, you're providing employment ! Somebody told us you didn't do it by yourself. The smart people know differently.
Congrats Dave....your bread is the best! Â Way to turn your life around!!!!!!
While I'm happy for him I'm a little bummed we have to share our lil piece of heaven ; )
It also makes awesome French toast!!
 @fracas I TOTALLY AGREE FRACAS~IT MAKES "KILLER" FRENCH TOAST!!
I absolutely love this bread!!! It has the right amount of carbs, fiber and protein I need to maintain my weight loss. I love all the varieties. And something else...if you don't eat it in a reasonable length of time...it actually goes moldy. I have other breads sitting in the same place for weeks, still looking as the day I bought it. Tells me they don't preserve the stuff. Flavorful and around $3.59 a loaf at Winco. Great bread!
I can't eat this bread. It always gives me a stomachache. There are other healthy brands that are not as expensive. Ezekial Bread is great. So is Silver Hills. They are made without flour, using sprouted grains instead.Â
 @KKStJohn you might be gluten-sensitive. Try skipping gluten for 7-10 days and see how you feel. There is a world of rices and corn tortillas, etc. out there to eat in the meantime.
I buy a couple loaves of Killer Bread every week, it doesn't last long at my house. Good Seed and Rockin' Rye are family favorites. For those that say it's too expensive, try Costco and the Dave's Killer Bread Outlet store in Milwaukie. You'll pay quite a bit more just about everywhere else.
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This expansion has me worried a bit though. Successful small businesses are often destroyed by corporate greed once big time investors start entering the picture, and I am willing to bet that eventually Dave's will be bought out by Kraft or some other crap food company and the product will never be the same again.
If you like a lot of sugar and a heavy tasting bread it's OK, but it's far from being great bread.
 @Muleskinner His bread is sweet and has a lot of cane sugar in it, I agree.
@Muleskinner I totally disagree. The texture of Dave's cant be compared even with the other breads that are produced in the same plant for Naturebake. It is far from heavy tasting and very great bread.
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This news made my day! :) I've been a huge fan of Dave's Killer Bread for several years after discovering it (and meeting Dave himself!) at the Vancouver Farmers Market. He uses healthy, delicious ingredients and it is totally worth the price since it's actually GOOD for you! It's like medicine for the tummy which tastes absolutely delicious! It's REAL bread, not some pasty combination of starch, water and air. YOU GO DAVE! Good for you!
As always, I'm happy and excited for Dave. Curious about what happened to his family bakery, though. If I remember right, he was given an entry level position at the bakery when he was released from prison. Did the business grow together, or did he branch out on his own?
LOVE Dave's killer bread and his story is so inspirational! Rock on, Dave!
Dave Dahl had the will to turn his life around, and a forgiving brother willing to bring him into the family business. Now that he has become a success and sold half of the company, Dave's Killer Bread has the capital to expand production around the country so everyone can enjoy the delicious bread. Hopefully they won't lose the quality.Â
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Not every con can achieve the level of success that Dave Dahl did but every con can turn to making an honest living. Dave Dahl is an inspiration for those that want to change.
Great bread. Far too expensive.
Maybe with nationwide competition,
prices might become more reasonable.
@Mipsfer unless you're eating wonder bread or some other ultra cheap, ultra processed bread its pretty competitive with its higher end competition.
I would never promote myself or my product with an f-bomb, and breedlove guitars are effeminate.
 @swimbad And we care why?
 @rozeguy  @swimbad Easy, for the same reason anyone would want to hear your crap! Choke on it :-)
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@swimbad well la de frikin da!
Dave Dahl is indeed an inspiration to ex-cons. He has been blessed because of his personal determination to make something of his life, a lesson that many people could learn a valuable lesson from. While I have tried his breads, and will admit that they are delicious, they are out of my families food budget.Â
As someone mentioned down below, my concern at this point is that the bean-counters are going to ruin yet another product in the persuit of the allmighty dollar.Â
@MarkKpic Yes, and they might ruin another product in the pursuit of the almighty dollar, too.
For all those people who eat white bread, there is a saying in my house, the whiter the bread, the sooner you're dead. Dave's killer bread is healthy in every way, and  people more and more are interested in their health, this is why it is so successful!!!  This news has made my day!! Go Dave Go!!!!!Â
 @Just Me By any chance, are you Dave's mommy?
I love this bread and it's my healthy breakfast each and every morning. Eat for health!!! Â
I'm hoping this guy's bread doesn't suffer from the same sort of admin. bean counters that have ruined many, many craft- or micro- brews that have been bought up by InBev-Anheuser/Busch or Miller-Coors. Great products become nothing better than swill. They will take a wonderful, full-flavor product and dumb it down in order to keep the $$ flowing into their pockets.
I have tried several different varieties of Dave's bread and honestly I didn't really care for it but I do like this story and I wish him well.
I LOVE this bread!  We started buying it at the Farmers Market about 6 years ago. It's the best bread ever. I got my family in Texas hooked on it and used to have to ship it down to them every once in a while. I'm excited to see that they'll be able to buy it for themselves down there now!  I just sent the word out to my buddies in Texas to be on the lookout for it on the shelves soon!  That's wonderful.  Congratulations Dave!Â
must be nice to screw up your life and the innocent people you hurt..and then have a super rich family that makes you richer and all the people that fall for the bad boy done good story...and do you really trust bread made by ex-cons??
@Pazzo1 and what are you hiding in your background.? he is out of jail and made something of his self and has stop victimizing others and he has even said that as well .
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 @tk  @Pazzo1 By any chance, are you Dave's mommy?
 @Pazzo1 I see you don't believe in second chances? My jeans (Prison Blues) are made by convicts and they have not fallen apart yet. Some people make mistakes, but to realize that you have and try to better yourself and become a productive member of society is a good thing.
@[ppintblank you're missing my point..my point is: the company was already successful and he is lucky that he has a loving and forgiving family (that I'm sure went thru a lot of dark times with him) and that he should be grateful that he had that instead of patting himself on the back making it sound like he did it all by himself...I think it's great that he turned his life around and more power to him and if it helps someone see that there's a better life out there GREAT...oh by the way ...and as for your jeans (Prison Blues)..great that they're good quality however, I was referring to something that is edible
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@Pazzo1 Addiction knows no race creed or color. It could have been you or someone you loved.
@ ipickbadnames  you're right addictionk knows no race or creed or color..what I'm saying is..he should be grateful that he had a forgiving , loving family that was there for him...not everyone has that..and it sure makes things easier when a person has that kind of support ...that they had the means to market his story...how many people that get out of prison have that?...
 @Pazzo1 I was kind of disappointed, too, to hear that it wasn't quite the rags to riches story he makes it out.  I'm certainly happy that he turned his life around but I'd feel better about supporting the company with a little truth in advertising.
 @Pazzo1 What an ignorant comment.Â
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I trust them. I've eaten his bread. It's awesome. You don't think a person can redeem themselves? He made mistakes along the way, paid the price, and made good. Sure it doesn't happen all the time but this is a perfect example of someone that realized his mistakes and redeemed himself.
and I would also be impressed if he did it on his own..got out of prison and walked right into an already extremely successful bakery ..that had the means to market and capitalize on his turn around...I think it's great that he turned his life around and more power to him however, the success and money were already there..he should be grateful that he has a good forgiving family instead of patting himself on the back.;.had he not had their support and forgiveness where would he be today???
I applaud this man. Look what he has accomplished in only 8 years after his life was basically in ruins. Good Job!
This is the BEST BREAD ever!! If you haven't tried it, do yourself a favor and go buy a loaf.Â