Midtown's Avalon International Breads, the bakery that blends Buddhist philosophy and financial success, has attracted a trio of investors who have backed successful restaurants, breweries and distilleries in Michigan.
The move could signal an expansion of the organic bakery, which anticipates $2 million in retail and wholesale business this year, and the creation of another microbrewery in the city.
The development coincides with the announcement Wednesday night that Avalon is among the top 100 urban businesses in America. Avalon owners and founders Ann Perrault and Jackie Victor were in Boston to receive the award from BusinessWeek's Small Business magazine and the nonprofit Initiative for a Competitive Inner City.
Chet Czaplicka, Jon Carlson and Greg Lobdell have become minority owners of Avalon, which has grown steadily despite the tough economy. They have financed ventures altogether or in part that include the Bastone and Café Habana restaurants in Royal Oak, the Ann Arbor-based Jolly Pumpkin cafe-breweries and other operations.
