Voyageurs Bakehouse

OVERVIEW
The delectable story of Voyageurs Bakehouse began around 2010 when Ben Cadman met his future wife, Celeste Parins. At that time, Celeste decided to give up gluten, and Ben wanted to show her that not all bread is the same; there’s a way to enjoy healthy, gut-friendly bread. This was the start of the journey that led to the successful bakehouse the family passionately created. Ben began making sourdough, which was a hobby he cherished for many years, until he and Celeste moved to Green Bay in 2018.

When they made the move, Ben started to refine his craft and took his baking to the next level. He began participating in pop-up markets and selling locally. The unofficial business naturally grew, and Ben and Celeste launched a website, starting to accept online orders and deliver bread around Green Bay. As demand continued to grow, the couple needed a larger space to bake, so they began using a shared kitchen. For a little over a year, Ben and Celeste increased production and explored whether there was a market for a physical bakery location in the area. The answer was a resounding yes.

In March 2020, the couple opened their first official bakery in Green Bay. When the pandemic started, Ben and Celeste went back to delivering, just like they had before, but this time to the entire Fox Valley and shipping across the state and country.

From there, they only grew. In 2022, they expanded by opening a bakery in Appleton, and in 2024, they opened another in East De Pere. What started as Ben’s hobby has now grown into a bakehouse with nearly 40 employees.

ROOM TO GROW
As their business continued to grow, Ben and Celeste started feeling limited by their small bakery space in Green Bay. They were running low on cooler space and room for larger equipment. To keep up with their production levels, they realized a move was necessary and began considering relocating.

Around the same time, Ben heard that The Cannery space was going to become available, so they jumped on the opportunity and began leasing. Its potential was amazing, but to realize their dream, Ben and Celeste looked for the perfect construction partner.

RISING TO THE OCCASION
By the end of 2024, the couple had spoken with several contractors, and Alliance Construction & Design had been a standout from the start.

“Tim is our project manager, and when we first met him, you could see the enthusiasm he had for the project,” Ben says. “It was a great feeling having more of a personal relationship from the start.”

BRINGING THE VISION TO LIFE
Alliance became a trusted partner as Ben and Celeste’s space came to life.

“This was our fourth build-out, but our first with Alliance. They showed amazing patience and understanding of what we were trying to achieve,” Ben says. “In hospitality, you’ve got to think about every detail, like how guests use the space, how staff move around, how efficient and ergonomic everything is. Alliance really got that, and I think it’s because they’ve done a lot of food and beverage projects. There were plenty of changes as things came to life, and they handled all of it with patience and perseverance. It’s not a cookie-cutter type of build, and they knew that.”

The project involved fully demolishing the old space and building out the new one. Part of this process included creating the ideal production bakery, centered around a 14x14-foot bread oven from Italy, along with their existing oven, relocated from their old venue. On the customer side, they had to design and rebuild a space for guests. They created a 90-seat restaurant with unique features like custom cabinetry and counters, which are Ben’s favorite parts of the space.

With Alliance’s help, Voyageurs nailed the design, and the space is stunning with a mix of textures and materials. It's the perfect spot to sit and enjoy a meal or stop by just to grab a loaf of artisan bread to go. The customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Compared to their previous space, people say things like, “Wow, this is truly unbelievable.”

CONCLUSION
The space was officially finished in 2025, and with that, Voyageurs can keep moving forward in their mission to bring people together around bread that inspires curiosity and connection.

“The mission and vision of the business is to provide high-quality sourdough bread to our community,” Ben says. “What I love is how our bread brings people together. When someone takes it home, it’s not just another supermarket loaf. It’s like a piece of art on the table. People tell us all the time, ‘I love having friends over and serving your bread and eating together.’ That’s the best part for us, creating something people can gather around. Bread has done that for centuries, but in the last 40 or 50 years, it became this commercial, factory-made product. We’re just trying to bring it back to what it was meant to be.”