COBS Bread Bakery prioritizes delivering quality products while making impactful contributions to communities they serve.
Their “End of Day Giving” program ensures unsold goods are donated directly to those in need. “We bake extra every single day just to donate,” said Megan Forbes, owner of Cobs Bread in Brooklin.
Since 2003, the bakery franchise has donated over $250 million in unsold baked goods and bread.
The Cobs Bread Brooklin location raises funds and donates goods directly to schools, charities, food banks and shelters within the Durham Region including Nova’s Ark, Uxbridge Food Bank and Durham Ignite.
“[My goal] is to help the community and hopefully raise as much money and as much awareness as I can,” Forbes said.
While food donations and charity events are very important and make positive impacts, Forbes emphasizes the importance of raising awareness about pressing issues in the region.
Her goal is to “make people more aware of what’s going on in Durham Region when it comes to homelessness and hunger,” she said.
In fact, bread products make up nine per cent of the 50 million tonnes of food waste that is generated in Canada annually, according to Love Food Hate Waste Canada.
In Durham Region specifically, one in four households suffer from food insecurity.
Forbes’ goals as bakery owner don’t stop at minimizing food insecurity and food waste. Through the Durham District School Board Community Work Education program, Cobs Brooklin supports young adults with special needs by providing workplace opportunities.
When reflecting on this program, Forbes described the experience of a student being integrated into the workforce through a placement with Cobs.
The 19-year-old student, Jaqueline, was with Cobs from February 2024 to the end of her school year.
“She went from, in February, not being able to talk to a customer … to by the time she left here, she was cashing customers out,” said Forbes. “It was rewarding to see her develop and grow.”
Inside the bakery, a plaque commemorates students from the work education program. Forbes hopes to fill each spot on the plaque and plans to continue “taking on one student each year.”
“I’d be willing to help with anyone’s growth and hopefully make an impact on their lives,” she said.
Her future goals for the bakery involve helping the communities of Brooklin and the Durham Region as much as possible. While she has considered opening another Cobs location someday, she said: “For now, I’m happy with my team here.”