Winnipeg's iconic KUB Bakery closes its doors amid rising costs, falling demand
Kucher's Ukrainian Bakery had been a rye bread specialist since 1923
A steady stream of customers stopped by KUB Bakery on Wednesday trying to get one last loaf of the beloved Winnipeg rye bread, but the bakery is closed and the racks are empty after almost 100 years in business.
The West End bakery, which was founded in Winnipeg's North End in 1923, posted a note on the front door of its current shop on Erin Street Tuesday announcing its abrupt closure.
Bread from KUB (short for Kucher's Ukrainian Bakery, named for one of its founders) has been on Joanne Moreira's family table for almost seven decades. She was one of the many customers hoping to get one last loaf on Wednesday.
"My daughter texted me, told me to get over right away, because I have a mother who's 94 years old, and she has her special loaf here. Well, she's not going to get it anymore," she said, before snagging some of the last baked goods in the storefront.
She was the last customer to be rung up.
WATCH | KUB Bakery closes its doors:
Several factors led to the bakery's closure, said KUB production manager Ross Einfeld, who ran the bakery alongside his brother and sister. Those factors include the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine driving up grain prices and a porous labour market.
"I'm sorry we failed you," he said.
The business has been in Einfeld's family for decades.
His parents bought it 40 years ago from the Kucher family, who had originally immigrated from Ukraine. When the North End location caught fire in 2008, the Einfelds moved the business to Erin Street.
Since the closure was announced, Einfeld said he'd had "people coming by with their condolences and people who say they've been buying KUB bread since 1953."
"It's kind of overwhelming."
The plan was originally to keep the bakery open all week, and potentially into next week, but after both oven burners failed, the decision was made to pull the plug on the 99-year-old business.
"I'll be happy to be retiring," said Einfeld. "But by the same token, I mean, this was my life for 40 years. I grew up in the KUB Bakery building."
Prior to the pandemic, several Winnipeg restaurants used products from KUB. The Winnipeg Jets, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Winnipeg Goldeyes also served food that included bread made at the bakery, including the foot-long hot dog buns used for the Jumbo Jet Dog.
But due to the pandemic, business with those partners dried up for two years.
Former employee may take over brand
Even though the Erin Street bakery and storefront are shuttered, there is still hope that the famous Winnipeg rye bread will rise again.
A former KUB employee, who now owns his own bakery in Selkirk, is looking at buying the famous recipe and brand.
"I started here when I was 15 years old," said Upper Crust Bakery owner Sheldon Pescitelli.
"They taught me this trade, so I wanted to carry it on. It's a good name. And I still enjoy the bread."
Pescitelli's bakery was working hard on Wednesday making a thousand loaves of KUB bread to fill a big order at a major chain store.
"People love it. It's an icon. It's like tender-link kielbasa," he said.
"It'll be a staple in Winnipeg forever."
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With files from Cory Funk and Emily Brass