When Asalia Powalie moved to Dunn, North Carolina, nearly two years ago, she never imagined she would become a baker, let alone the owner of a thriving micro bakery. Now, she’s celebrating a year in business characterized by strong community support and rapid growth. 

Motivated by her husband’s health challenges, Powalie began to explore healthier food options for her family. 

“My husband has ulcerative colitis… so he does have a gluten sensitivity. And I have a feeling that my kids do [too]...But it’s only with store bought stuff, is what I started to notice,” shared Powalie. 

Powalie began paying close attention to the ingredients in her food and working to find locally sourced products for her family. 

“When we moved here, at the farmers markets it was so easy to find, produce, fresh produce, fresh fruits. I even found a great farm called R&B Farms in Angier, where I get my meat from. I mean, it was so easy to find those types of products, but for some reason, I couldn't find bread,” added Powalie. 

Frustrated by the lack of truly healthy, locally sourced bread, Powalie took matters into her own hands. This led to the founding of Asalia’s Sourdough Bakery. Powalie received her certification by the Department of Agriculture and her home occupation permit and hit the ground running. 

Powalie’s commitment to nutrition and transparency has driven her to continually improve her baking process. She recently invested in a stone grain mill, allowing her to grind organic wheat berries from local sources and use the freshest flour possible, maximizing the nutritional value of her products.

Operating her micro bakery from home, Powalie manages orders on a weekly basis. Customers can place orders on Monday and pick up their bread on Saturdays, either from her home or at local farmers markets. Powalie offers a variety of breads including sandwich bread, focaccia bread, pumpkin white chocolate chip loaves and more. She regularly updates her Facebook to include new flavors. 

A significant milestone for Powalie is her new permanent vendor spot at The Station in Clayton, a multi-tenant space that includes a restaurant, a food and beverage market for customers to source local goods and other retail space. This opportunity provides her with a consistent location for customers to find her baked goods, in addition to her appearances at various farmers markets.

Reflecting on her first year in business, Powalie acknowledged the challenges of balancing entrepreneurship with family life, especially as a homeschooling mother. Despite the difficulties, her passion for baking and commitment to her values have kept her motivated. 

Looking ahead, Powalie aspires to open a storefront when the time is right for her family. She is also in the process of seeking additional help to support her growing business, with plans to bring on an assistant soon. 

“I do really want to open up my own store. I think that’s my angle. I think that’s a dream that I have. It may not be something that I want to do right now, just because it doesn’t fit my family’s lifestyle right now, but it’s something that I’m looking forward to, and especially here in Dunn because I feel like our little town is growing, and I just want to be a part of that, too,” shared Powalie.

Powalie’s micro bakery stands as a testament to her dedication to health, quality and community, and she looks forward to continuing her journey as both a baker and a small business owner.

To learn more about Powalie’s business follow her Facebook page.