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In 2015, when Geoff Kober was working at a San Francisco cafe, gluten-free bread was a staple on supermarket shelves. But even with a decade of sales and traction to perfect the recipe, the product was still subpar for Kober.
“At the time, gluten-free bread was inherently not user-friendly, and it was often underbaked and sticky,” he said. Working with these deficiencies was so frustrating for Kober that he realized he needed to create something better.
Young Kobras was born out of this frustration. The name is a play on his last name and where he falls amongst his siblings (last). The business got its footing at San Mateo’s food incubator space, Kitchentown, after spending the first couple of years working out of a shared commissary in San Francisco.
To Kober, it was irrelevant that he wasn’t gluten-intolerant. It was more important that his product worked like typical bread and that it tasted good and was healthy. “My mom is a dietitian, and I grew up with an understanding of healthy eating and clean labels, so that was indoctrinated in me from a young age,” explained Kober.
The first several months involved learning how to make traditional sourdough with wheat flour, so he could understand the science behind bread baking before substituting alternative flours that didn’t contain the gluten protein found in wheat, barley and rye.
In 2017, Kober brought in Juliana Lopker as a partner, who helped take the business to the next level. They created an online store among other operational improvements. In 2020, a serendipitous opportunity presented itself that led to the company’s move to San Carlos.
“It was a really beautiful transitory connection,” Kober said. “The bakery that was here before us was looking to move. At the same time, we were ready to leave Kitchentown and graduate to a larger facility. The space was already built out as a gluten-free facility, so it couldn’t have been a better match for us.”
Gluten-free breads and pastries have come a long way since the early 2000s, but it can still be hard to convince someone who isn’t gluten-allergic or intolerant to voluntarily opt for a sandwich made with gluten-free bread. Kober is hoping to bridge that divide. “Yes, my bread is gluten-free, but it’s also just really good, tasty bread,” he said. “It’s artisanal sourdough, and we use the same techniques as any other artisanal bakery.”
Besides being certified organic and vegan, the bread is free from preservatives, refined flours, oils and gums that are added to attempt to replicate the plushness that gluten creates when fermented. Young Kobras uses psyllium husk to bind the bread, and Kober notes that psyllium husk is a plant fiber that gels up similar to chia and doesn’t result in the bread crumbling like many gluten-free bread brands.
The San Carlos bakery is buzzing at night while bakers bake and prep the bread for shipping. Expedited delivery means it ends up in people’s pantries within two days. Kober recommends either eating it within a few days or popping it in the fridge or the freezer to extend its life. Besides their online shop, the bread can also be found on Good Eggs and in Bianchini’s Market in San Carlos and Portola Valley.
“We have a great connection with Bay Area customers, but we also have this nationwide connection that’s been really incredible,” said Kober. “Our accounts are split about 50-50 between direct-to-consumer and food service, with Project Juice being our largest commercial account.” The company’s next phase of growth will focus on obtaining more food service clients. “There’s a real need for good gluten-free sourdough bread in the commercial space,” he said.
One of the ways Kober is meeting this next phase is by working with other food businesses that are similarly ready for that next stage. Kober is just wrapping up a 12-week intensive small business accelerator through Oakland’s ICA Fund, a funding, coaching and connections resource.
“I’ve been on this journey of owning a business, and when I first started, there was that ‘spark’ or energy you get from the hustle of R&D, obtaining customers and other stuff associated with a new business,” he said. “I now have seven employees, am doing payroll and invoicing, and I almost feel like the work has become stagnant. The ICA has been a really important space for me to re-perceive my business. It kind of feels like a condensed MBA program.”
“It’s also really inspiring that they are a nonprofit, and one of their primary missions is social impact,” he added. “I’m really inspired now to make bigger decisions that can have more impact as we grow the company over the next five to 10 years.”
Young Kobras, Instagram: @youngkobras.
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