At Small State Provisions in Hartford, Connecticut, Kevin Masse has built a bakery with intention, from its sourcing to its staff to the community it serves. A former brand strategist turned full-time baker and business owner, Kevin brings sharp clarity to what makes a workplace not only functional but affirming. 

As a queer owner, Guild member, and leader of a growing team, Kevin reflects on the early days of home baking, the realities of scaling up, and how being visible in small ways can mean everything. For Pride Month, we spoke with Kevin about bread, belonging, and what it takes to keep the lights on.

Can you tell us about your journey into baking? What first sparked your interest, and how did that evolve into a professional pursuit?  

I grew up in a very food-focused family...Italian on my mom’s side, Irish on my dad’s...so food was always central. I remember making pizza with my grandmother, and it was always about the feel of the dough, not the recipe. 

In high school, I wanted to go to the Culinary Institute of America. This was during the golden age of Food Network, when it was all about food education. But my parents encouraged me to go to business school first, which I did. I graduated from the University at Buffalo with degrees in business and psychology, then worked in New York for over a decade doing brand strategy and communications.  

Food was always in the background.Eventually, I found my way into food media, and that was the first time I got to combine my marketing background with the food world. 

In 2019, I learned to bake sourdough from a friend and got a cottage license to sell bread from home. That’s how Small State started. Now it’s my full-time job. We have two locations, 35-plus employees, and just announced an expansion of our flagship location. 

For me, baking is about working with my hands – I love the way dough feels, I love the process, I love every aspect of owning a bakery, and most of all I love ending the day exhausted and knowing I accomplished something real. 

You made a significant career shift from brand strategy to sourdough. What motivated that leap, and how did your background influence your approach to building Small State Provisions?  

I’ve always wanted to be working in food, working with my hands, and being part of something that builds community.  I was motivated to take the leap because at the time, I felt like there was a gap between what I wanted (really really good bread that reminded me of NYC) and what was available here – by starting out small in my home kitchen, I never felt like it was too much risk. I focused on what was directly in front of me which was making bread, a few loaves at a time.  

I think my background in marketing and brand strategy informed some key early decisions, which was thinking about how I was going to get the word out about our bakery, organically – it felt like a gift that the handle @smallstate was available when I started the business.  

How do you define your baking philosophy, especially when it comes to sourdough and using organic, locally sourced ingredients? 

We always start with the best ingredients we can get, and organic if available.  Of course, if we went fully organic on everything, we’d be out of business — but, for me, it is about supporting an ecosystem of farmers and suppliers who are as committed to the process as we are.   

We’re fortunate that bread is our primary product, and while it’s incredibly labor-intensive, especially since all our breads are naturally leavened, it has a decent margin. That helps offset some of the higher costs in other areas. 

I’m fortunate that we’re in an area where we can command a higher price. People aren’t expecting to pay only $1.50 for a cookie here. That gives us the flexibility to use organic ingredients and source locally when we can. 

But I know that’s not the case everywhere. In a lot of places, bakers are constantly battling consumer expectations about pricing, which makes it much harder to prioritize local or organic sourcing. It really does cost more to do it that way. 

Small State started as a cottage bakery and grew into a full-scale operation. What were some challenges and lessons during that transition? 

I feel like there’s always more we could be doing, but for me, it’s always been about solving the problem that’s right in front of us. I remember being on the board of a local nonprofit in early 2020, right before the pandemic, and we all had to state our goals for the year. Mine was simple: I wanted to hit the $25,000 revenue cap allowed under Connecticut’s cottage food law. 

At the time, I was baking bread and granola out of my house, and that felt like a big goal. Now, we’re a seven-figure business, and we surpass that number many times a month. I never set out to build a multi-location bakery...it just grew naturally. 

Small State Provisions is known for more than just great bread; it's deeply rooted in community. Why is that aspect so central to your mission? 

For me, it was always about trying to create the community I never quite found or felt part of. When we moved to Connecticut, I missed really good bread...but I also missed the kind of community I’d had in New York. I thought, if I’m going to pour this much time into something, I want to build something strong and meaningful around it.  

I’m trying to create an analog space where people can slow down and feel at home; a place where people can be, not just buy. 

At the end of the day, I always ask myself: how is what we’re doing making someone’s life a little better?" 

As someone who’s been intentional about creating a welcoming and inclusive space, how do you foster that culture within your bakery? 

We have our Pride flag out front right now on a big flagpole—and that visibility matters. 

Growing up in the ’80s and ’90s, I didn’t have role models in the gay or queer community. And when I moved to New York, or even when I was in college, being out just wasn’t something that felt visible or talked about—it wasn’t a thing I even really considered. Now, I have no problem saying, 'This is my husband.' 

If someone sees that and thinks, 'I can do that too,' or, 'I can do even better when I’m older,' then we’re doing what we’re meant to do. That’s what we’re here for. 

Follow Small State Provisions: Website | Instagram 

Photo credit: Small State Provisions.