CORONAVIRUS: STRONGER TOGETHER

South Jordan Baker Keeps Employees Working While Giving Back

Mar 21, 2020, 10:55 PM | Updated: 11:14 pm

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah — The recipe for success always involves an idea. For Steve Borg, that idea turned into a lifelong career and dozens of employees he’s indebted to — employees he doesn’t want to let down, even though the future of his business may be shrouded in uncertainty.

His career kicked off in front of an old oven back in 1975, after working at a bakery managed by his grandfather.

“I worked with a lot of wartime Europeans,” Borg said. “Germans, Dutch, and I learned from them while I was going to college. A lot of immigrants were bakers.”

Eventually, he cooked up his own career, buying a shuttered business named “Schmidt’s.”

“It had been a small German bakery,” he said. “When we bought it, there was one oven in there, a couple of old showcases. He’d come in there and just open up and bake a few things for his German friends on Christmas. He lived next door.”

Borg said the “Schmidt’s” part of his business came to be because he couldn’t afford to change the name on the sign of the bakery he bought.

The old name lives on to this day — Borg’s business is called “Schmidt’s Pastry Cottage.” But the only reason he kept the name was out of necessity.

“I couldn’t afford to change the name on the building,” Borg said with a smile.

With a healthy helping of flour and a whole lot of elbow grease, his business grew. Borg now owns three separate locations in Utah but scoffs at the idea of being praised for his pastries.

“I can’t build this alone,” he said. “I couldn’t do it without my family, and I couldn’t do it without my employees. I have employees that have been with me for 20-something years.”

But recent events have left his business feeling the pinch. The lack of public gatherings as a result of the global pandemic means he’s seen entire orders evaporate.

“My wife was worried because we lost all our wholesale business,” Borg said. “All our reception business, no wedding cakes, everything got shut down. We were baking for Vivint, and you know what happened there.”

An employee decorates a birthday cake in the kitchen of Schmidt’s Pastry Cottage in South Jordan.

Borg refers to his employees as “family.” He repeats it over and over, constantly speaking of how much they’ve meant to his success — and when those employees learned what was happening in Utah and around the world, he knew they were weighed down with worry.

“When I came in, they were all, ‘What are we going to do now?'” he said.

Their question was clear; his answer was unconventional.

“I came in one morning with my son, and I told him, ‘We’re gonna give bread away,'” Borg said.

While the kitchen in South Jordan is still stirring frosting, baking eclairs and decorating cakes, there’s also an endless assembly line of dough rolling on racks towards the giant oven. Borg’s given away thousands of loaves of bread over the past few days —not just to help his customers, but to make sure his employees keep working and keep getting paid.

“I want to take care of them, because they took care of me all these years,” he said.

But for those looking to take a loaf, there’s a catch: No one is allowed to only take just one. While helping keep his employees working, he’s also trying to encourage a sense of community. Each loaf comes with a sticker, reading:

“Customers, as a token of gratitude for your continued support at this difficult time, we are gifting you two loaves of bread. One is for you to enjoy and one is to share. With keeping social distancing in mind, please share it with someone who would benefit from paying it forward. We’re all in this together and our hope is to spread some comfort at this time.”

A label comes with each loaf of bread, encouraging Utahns to check on their neighbors during these trying times.

Borg plans to keep baking for as long as he’s able. He said he’s been surprised by some of his longtime customers reaching out with donations to help keep his kitchens running, and he even received a free shipment of flour from a company in Colorado.

While his employees continue to work, Borg hoped his customers will take the opportunity to reach out to someone else — passing along a gift of bread and checking to see how their neighbors are coping in a troubling time.

“It just helps,” he said. “It takes a little bit of the stress away.”

In Steve Borg’s kitchen, the key ingredient in the recipe for success involves looking out for those who helped get you to where you are — and remembering that none of us stands alone.

“We’re in it together,” he said. “It’s just a loaf of bread. As long as they go out and share it, it just makes somebody feel good for a little while.”

KSL 5 TV Live

Coronavirus: Stronger Together

This photo provided by Pfizer in September 2023 shows single-dose vials of the company's updated CO...

Lauran Neergaard, AP Medical Writer

US approves updated COVID vaccines to rev up protection this fall

U.S. regulators have approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, shots aimed at revving up protection this fall and winter.

7 months ago

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 09: A pharmacist prepares to administer  COVID-19 vaccine booster sho...

Jed Boal

University Health recommends getting omicron booster and flu shot now

The CDC approved the COVID-19 bivalent boosters that target the most recent omicron variants on September 1. Since then, tens of thousands of Utahns have rolled up their sleeves.

2 years ago

Only 50% of Utans are vaccinated and cases are surging because of the Omicron variant BA.5. FILE PH...

Jed Boal

BA.5 variant driving new surge of Utah COVID-19 cases

President Joe Biden’s positive Covid case Thursday was a sober reminder that Utah is not done fending off COVID-19 in many communities.

2 years ago

Utah COVID testing site. Getty images...

Cary J. Schwanitz, KSL TV

New mobile COVID-19 testing sites open in Utah

With the summer travel season underway and a steady stream of people still testing positive for COVID-19, Nomi Health opened several mobile testing sites across Utah.

2 years ago

The lawn of Timpanogos Regional Hospital was adorned with flags to honor the lives lost to COVID-19...

Ashley Moser, KSL TV

Hospital ceremony honors survivors, healthcare heroes as U.S. hits one million COVID-19 deaths

The lawn of Timpanogos Regional Hospital was adorned with flags to honor the lives lost to COVID-19, those who survived it, and the caregivers and healthcare workers who cared for the sick.

2 years ago

...

Debbie Worthen, KSL TV

Utah County couple gives Minky Couture blankets to medical team at Utah Valley Hospital

Russell Greene doesn't call himself a COVID-19 survivor, he calls himself a COVID-19 miracle. His family thanked medical workers for saving his life.

2 years ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

South Jordan Baker Keeps Employees Working While Giving Back