Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcelle Malkin.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always loved being in the kitchen, but I started baking sourdough when my middle son, who wasn’t even two at the time, was struggling with severe eczema. I wanted to see if I could help heal his gut through better nutrition. I quickly fell in love with the process. Before long, I was baking for friends and getting a lot of positive feedback.
One day, I posted a few loaves for sale on our neighborhood Facebook page, just to see if anyone might be interested. I ended up getting 26 orders from that one post. I turned to my husband and said, “I think I need a business name and a logo.” A few minutes later, we had both, and just like that, Fort Mill Sourdough was born.
In the beginning, we worked seven days a week, baking four loaves at a time in Dutch ovens and offering porch pickup from our home. We didn’t advertise – everything spread by word of mouth. As demand grew, we added a second pickup porch about 15 minutes away, and when that took off, we just kept going.
Today, we bake about 400 loaves each week using two brick bread ovens and our home oven, five days a week. We also offer other treats made with sourdough such as cookies, granola, bagels, focaccia, and more! As of now we have 11 porch pickup locations, we retail in one store in downtown Fort Mill, and offer home delivery through our partnership with Farm Fresh Carolinas.
The biggest gift in all of this is that I get to do it early in the mornings and still be present for my three young kids. I’m proud that they’ve seen this grow from the ground up, and I hope one day they’ll want to be part of it too.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road the whole way. Like any craft, there’s been a big learning curve. I went through a stretch where my dough just wasn’t rising properly some days, and I had no idea why. I’d end up tossing whole batches and canceling orders, which was incredibly frustrating. I had jars of starter everywhere, trying different things to troubleshoot. I was tracking temperatures, data, testing theories – it looked like a full-on science lab in my kitchen.
Eventually, I reached out to the miller of the organic flour I was using, which I had been buying in bulk from a wholesale club. That’s when I found out the protein content in one lot I’d purchased was unusually high, which was throwing everything off. Once I made the switch to buying directly from the miller, everything stabilized, and I haven’t had that issue since. It was definitely not for the faint of heart, I went through what I call a “dough-pression” in trying to figure it out, but it all worked out in the end and my knowledge is greater because of the massive amounts of research I conducted to get through that! I’ve also saved my husband from having to go on flour runs to the store. We get 7,500 lbs delivered directly to us about every three months!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’m a local, small-batch sourdough baker based in Fort Mill. Every loaf I make is long-fermented for a minimum of 36 hours, using organic flour and high-quality ingredients. I specialize in artisan-style and sandwich loaves, and I rotate through different flavors each week to keep things fresh and seasonal.
What really sets me apart is my commitment to both quality and customer service. I know many of my customers personally, and I always try to go above and beyond when someone has a special request or needs help with an order. These aren’t just transactions to me. People are going out of their way to order directly from me and pick up from a porch near them. I don’t take that trust for granted, and I do everything I can to make sure the experience and the bread are always worth it.
What I’m most proud of, brand-wise, is that my bread has become a household staple for so many families in Fort Mill and the surrounding area. It’s still surreal to meet someone new and hear they’ve either tried my bread or know someone who has. That kind of word-of-mouth support means the world to me.
More than anything, I love being able to offer something that’s both nourishing and delicious. There’s something really special about knowing people are feeding their families with something that was made with care, by hand, and with real intention.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I’ve found that the best learning for me has come through hands-on experience with trial, error, and a lot of observation. Most of what I’ve built has come from listening closely to my customers, staying curious, and being willing to figure things out along the way. I’m always open to new ideas and love learning through conversations with others in the small business or food communities. I also have a group of a few women I’ve come to know who run micro-bakeries across the country. We have a text thread where we share ideas, recipes, ask questions, and support each other.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fortmillsourdough.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fortmillsourdough/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553836388600
