Uplifting the Community Through Treats

As the old adage goes, the dog is man’s best friend. And what better way to show you love your furry friend than by giving them the all-natural treats from Brewhaus Bakery, all while supporting a good cause?

Brewhaus Bakery, founded by Lisa Graham, is a non-profit organization that uses the production of handcrafted goods for both furry friends and people to help young adults with disabilities develop vocational skills.

"We got started when I when I had taken a trip to San Diego, California, and came across some craft beer dog treats. That’s where I got the idea. I saw these really cute dog treats and thought, ‘This is really something we could do in Cincinnati!’ I did some research, met with some breweries and talked with some people, and Listermann Brewing Company was really instrumental in helping us get started," says Graham, director and chief baking officer for the company.

"So I developed a non-profit organization with the platform to help young adults with disabilities to develop skills and to have the means for additional vocational training."

Brewhaus Bakery has partnerships with 24 local microbreweries that donate grains to the company or sell their product at the brewery. The bakery celebrated the grand opening of their first brick-and-mortar store in Madeira on March 24. This location serves as both a bakery and a retail location for the Brewhaus product, providing jobs to 10 employees. While many of these employees have disabilities, others serve as mentors or role models.

Additionally, Brewhaus is a collaborative bakery where two other women conduct their baking businesses alongside the Brewhaus bakers, which gives them an opportunity to be inclusive and diverse, and to create more opportunities for learning and work. The goal is to provide a setting where everyone has the opportunity to learn from and support each other, and develop good relationships, both with coworkers and the community at large.

"We wanted to have our own space that could include the retail so that we can invite the public to come in and meet our bakers, and have additional opportunities for training and employment," says Graham.

Graham’s business is mission-focused, providing vocational opportunities for those with disabilities while working to unite the community. But the business started with the dog treats.

"We do use all-natural ingredients; it’s really important to me that we have a healthy dog treat. So we use all-natural peanut butter, we locally source eggs from farms where I know the people personally and work with them and we use brown rice flour for ease of digestion and what’s best for dogs. We also have two veterinary advisors in our program from Family Animal Hospital that review our recipes.

Those who may not have a lovable canine in their own life can still support Brewhaus Bakery by purchasing any of their "people treats," or by picking up a donation jar, a jar of treats whose proceeds can go to a charity of your choice. And, Graham says, they’re working on a recipe for treats for our feline friends as well. 

Brewhaus Bakery is located at 6927 Miami Avenue, Madeira, OH 45243. For more information, call 513.520.0310, visit brewhausbakery.com or visit brewhausdogbones.com.