Farm To Market Bread Co. was started by Kansas City residents Mark Friend and Fred Spompinato in 1993. Mark Friend had moved to Kansas City in the late 70’s and worked as pastry chef at Crown Center, head baker at La Bonne Bouche, and production manager for Pacific Baking Co. Mark’s experience in the baking field extends over forty years. He received training from the San Francisco Baking Institute as well as the American Institute of Baking. Mark gives numerous lectures on Sourdough at the American Institute of Baking as well as at national conventions and was one of the founding members of the Bread Baker’s Guild.

Farm to Market Bread has been locally owned from the beginning. Mark Friend married Dr. Joanie Friend in 1982 and they had their first and only son John in 1985. Followed by their only daughter Molly in 1988. Today the Friend family is the majority stockholder and operator of Farm To Market Bread, and they still reside in Kansas City. Dr. Joanie Friend is the ADA Coordinator for the Kansas City Metropolitan Community Colleges. Joanie is often involved in the local community events such as Jazzoo and Plaza Pizzazz, as well as being a member of the Farm to Market Bread Company board of directors. In 2004 John became Vice President of Farm To Market and assists  

Mark with the day to day running of the bakery. While Molly is currently attending De Paul University in Chicago, she provided her artistic abilities by painting a mural that hangs in the Farm To Market Neighborhood Café. Molly has also spent many summers working in the offices of Farm To Market. The business office and bakery is located in the heart of Waldo at 216 West 73rd where it employs over 30 Kansas City metro area residents.
 
Since Farm To Market Bread Co. is local it allows us to ensure the freshest products available. Farm To Market delivers seven days a week and 363 days a year to over forty local grocery stores and seventy restaurants in the greater Kansas City metro area. Because we can deliver seven days a week we don’t add any preservatives in our bread and you the customer can be assured that you’re eating the freshest bread possible. By not adding preservatives or artificial ingredients you will receive the best tasting and often the best nutritional breads on the market.