COBS helps local restaurant customers with free bread

Restaurateur Alex Lavroff is blown away by COBS Bread's generosity.

"They are giving me my bread orders for free while restaurants have to suffer through this whole partial-shutdown thing," said Lavroff, owner of Kalamansi restaurant in The District in downtown Kelowna."

"I can't believe it. It's so supportive and nice and really generous."

Kalamansi, which positions itself as a luxury take-out with a fancy-salad focus, uses COBS products to make its pizzas, breakfast wraps, artichoke rolls and Turkish bread and dips.

Lavroff estimates his bread order is about $100 twice a week.

Overall, COBS Kelowna is filling bread orders for free for its 14 loyal restaurant customers as they grapple with a three-week provincial pandemic order banning indoor dining.

Other restaurants benefitting include De Dutch Pannekoek House, The Naked Cafe, KB&Co. and several food trucks.

"I know how much they are hurting," said COBS Kelowna owner and operator Cory Eaton.

"I know Kelowna is supporting them as much as possible by dining on patios and ordering take-out and delivery, but still I would hate to wake up and find any of my favourite restaurants has to close."

So, Eaton's ex-wife, Susan, who also just happens to be the bakery manager, came up with the idea of donating all the orders for its regular restaurant customers until the restrictions, hopefully, end April 19.

"We'll also look at it beyond April 19 if we have to," said Cory.

The bulk of COBS's business is its storefront bakery at 1889 Spall Rd., which is booming during the pandemic as people shop local and crave comfort foods like scratch-baked breads, rolls, scones, cinnamon buns and other pastries.

Cory estimates the giveaways are worth about $2,000 a week.

"It's the least we can do to pay it forward and do whatever we can to help in these tough times," said Cory.