Meet Nathan Noiman | Baker Dad & Child of God

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nathan Noiman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nathan, as a parent, what have you done for you children that you feel has had the most significant impact?
In the bible, from the book of Joshua chapter 24 verse 15 there’s a piece of scripture that I cannot forget. My Aunt Rachel had this little quotation in her downstairs bathroom when I was growing up as a kid in southern California.

“…But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

These few little words of wisdom have always stayed with me and as a parent I have been able to give these words and more to our children.

The 2 simple rules are to love God and love your neighbor as how you love yourself. Treat others how you would like to be treated (in other words).

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
We bake vegan pastries and offer exceptional gluten-friendly items as well. Though, honestly, I am a people person. I love people. I like how different we are yet how we are all the same and have the same needs.

What sets us apart? I believe we are the largest wholesale vegan bakery in Arizona? That might be a stretch but to my knowledge that is correct. People cannot tell that our pastries are vegan as if there is a “taste” associated with all things vegan. I know there was a stigma years ago about “vegan” things but we’ve been here to break that stereotype. Our pastries taste great and not all of the coffee shops even market them as vegan. They’re just solid pastries to go with your coffee, tea or meal.

We always have ideas, we’re never short on those but they’re not always good. One idea I am excited about is putting the proper infrastructure in for us to become a “national vegan bakery” and being able to offer pastries not just here in Arizona but across the United States at large. People will be able to order pastries around the country and have them delivered to their door! That excites me and not just from the financial aspect. I believe there is something within us, we like when people eat our food. Or at least the food we prepare for people. I like the pastries we make and many other people have told me the same thing. It’s great to be able to share something you have created and for other people to find joy, peace, happiness from that thing. It’s a nice feeling.

When I look back, I can see the steps we took, the pivots, the uncertainty, the mentors, the worries, the breakthroughs, the struggles, the light bulbs, the challenges, etc. I would hope if I had to do it all over again I could do it much faster and more efficiently from the beginning. I can’t say it was easy but it got done. It was doable. We reached our goals and kept pushing our goals further away, we have reached another goal and yet again the goal gets pushed further. I think it is extremely important to stop, breathe and introspect. Look back and see where you have come from, where you have gone.

I almost got a tattoo of a bible verse on my forearm when I was younger but decided against it at the last minute. I wrote these words on my heart instead. Phillipians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This has been my go to verse whenever I was too tired or frustrated or at a loss. This is how I overcame challenges.

Anything is possible. If you set a goal or intention there is no reason why you cannot reach it. It is a matter of time. Are you willing to put the time in to reach this goal or intention? I think I make it sound so simple but I believe this. Do you have a 25 year plan? I didn’t. I didn’t think that far ahead, never. Now, I have a wife, children, a business, wonderful employees who have lives of their own, partners, we are the same. My goals now are not just for myself or my family. It’s for the business, for the lives our employees. I want to take care of them, get them benefits and help them in life through this vehicle we have created. Our little vegan bakery. The 2 rules still pervade for me love God & love your neighbor. I take my employees to be my neighbor. I want good for them and we strive for that.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m not sure I like this question. We work with a variety of coffee shops and small businesses and I don’t like singling them out over another like that. My family and I are vegan so I will just do vegan places to eat and just a few coffee shops that quickly come to mind.

Steep Tea Company in Tempe is an awesome location. They have all varieties of tea, caffeinated, decaffeinated, they have bottles, cans (fizzy drinks), coffee, pastries and food! Everything is vegan! This place gets super busy when all the kids from ASU are around. Make sure you try the peanut butter latte with oat milk, it’s AMAZING! And the owner is super cool too, a youth like myself (is mid 30’s still youthful?)

Pair Cupworks in downtown Mesa which is located inside Cider Corps (this is a twofer). Cider Corps is a gluten-free establishment. They make cider (from apples) and not beer (often from wheat). So bring all your gluten-free homies here and enjoy the ciders they’re out of this world good! They can’t even keep cans on the shelves sometimes it’s crazy! Great company, great team and great owners, a win win win all the way around. Now, the coffee at Pair. Just go. That’s all I’m going to say. You’re welcome.

Jarrod’s Coffee, Tea & Gallery is a one of a kind coffee shop/art gallery in downtown Mesa. You have to check it out, you’ve never seen anything like it. It is a family-run coffee shop/art gallery/southwest jewelry boutique. There is plenty of room to sit down and there is always something going on. Comedy clubs, artists performing, this last weekend (first week of June) was I believe the first pride festival for the city of Mesa (Jarrod’s Coffee contributed to the event). They even have a private cannabis event once a month, they literally do everything. You got to check this place out!

Pachamama is a SUPER tasty health conscious vegan establishment in Phoenix, Arizona. Go enjoy some innovative creations by wife and husband team Cheffette Maria and Chef Kevin! I believe their food is categorized as Latin fusion or Latin with a twist. I love their tacos, the burritos are solid and I’m not sure they do it anymore but their Mexiyaki was CRAZY good. Flavor combinations were out of this world, I mean, not one but two chefs? 30-40 years of experience between them. Come on. That’s like the equivalence of a grandma, it’s just perfect because they’ve made it hundreds & thousands of times.

Chon Thai Food in Chandler is definitely a go to. I would recommend the Panang curry, drunken noodles and pineapple fried rice. Everything is super tasty and authentic. Family-run of course like every business that will be on this list. People in Arizona support local businesses and we try to do the same exact thing.

Early Bird Vegan/Trash Panda Vegan *dj Khaled voice* another one. Yup, another twofer. These black woman owned vegan establishments push out nothing but straight fire. Chef Krystal is a phenom with the flavors. She offers it all, if you want to be health conscious you can get a nutrient dense power house of a smoothie with banana, dates, hemp seeds, chia seeds, spearmint, spirulina and sea moss. If you know, you know you’re getting hit with some many nutrients all your body can do is say thank you. If you’ve just had a day and all you need is shrimp and grits or a bbq chickn mac and cheeze wrap or buffalo wings or loaded tater tots, they DO IT ALL! Early Bird Vegan is a brick and mortar open 6 days a week and Trash Panda Vegan is the food truck you can find either on site or at vegan events around the valley.

There are so many other great places that come to mind but it’s hard to put them all down. Grindtime Coffee, Spce Coffee, Peixoto Coffee, Provision Coffee, Moxie Coffee, Dulce Vida Coffee, Renegade Coffee.

If you’re eating and drinking with me we’re also visiting and hanging out so you can do that at all these places!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My Mom for sure. She has quite a story herself. She was born in Kenya and came to the United States in the late 80’s and STRUGGLED to get us by. She worked so much, I remember going to bed crying from sadness because I had not seen her all day. She left at 5am, 5 days a week to open the school in Compton which she worked at. She was often the last one to leave as well, waiting for late parents and often and eventually closing up the school. I remember crying from joy when she would come home before sunset. She was and still is a God-fearing woman coming from a heritage in Kenya of farmers and educators. I am very thankful for who I have as a mother and the example she kept for my siblings and I.

Website: www.sugarloaflane.com

Instagram: @sugarloaflanebakery

Facebook: /sugarloaflanebakery

Other: You can find a few reviews on Yelp and Google but we are mainly a wholesale bakery. You can find our pastries at coffee shops and small businesses around the valley. Eventually we may open a retail location but not yet.