In the rolling hills of Bloomington, Scholars Inn Bakehouse started baking its homemade granola as a supplement to its wildly popular bakery menu of European-style breads, bagels, pastries, and sandwiches. While the world-class bakery menu has drawn rave reviews throughout the Bakehouse’s history – the Bakehouse has been voted Bloomington’s Best Bakery for 15 consecutive years – Bakehouse Granola has consistently been the bakery’s secret weapon.

With that in mind, Scholars Inn Bakehouse is proud to announce that, starting this month, Bakehouse Granola will be distributed in Kroger grocery stores throughout the states of Indiana and Illinois. Granola will be placed in-store near the fresh breads or gourmet cakes, representing Scholars Inn Bakehouse’s roots as a world-class purveyor of Artisan breads and pastries. “Our loyal Bakehouse customers have always told us that our granola is the best that they’ve ever tasted, and they always come back for more,” adds Bakehouse President Greg Berke. “We’re thrilled that Kroger has joined this loyal list of customers, and we are excited to continue to grow with Kroger’s help.”

“Over the years, as students have left Bloomington, they have asked for Bakehouse Granola as they continued their lives throughout the country. It seems that, once someone tastes our granola for the first time, they become hooked for life,” says Scholars Inn Owner and CEO Lyle Feigenbaum. “With Kroger’s help, we are so happy to give more people throughout the Midwest the chance to become hooked on our unique, healthy, and all-natural granola.”

A chef and a craftsman’s dream, Bakehouse Granola is a medley of tasty, all-natural ingredients that combine to form something close to perfection. From a base of rolled oats, the Bakehouse’s talented staff adds a host of ingredients including almonds, coconut, sunflower seeds, and wildflower honey. Mixed by hand and baked in small batches, Bakehouse Granola is a perfect mixture of hearty, wholesome goodness, with a touch of sweetness.

Regular consumers of Bakehouse Granola have been known to eat the product with milk, in yogurt, or by itself, and have also had fantastic results by using it in cookies, pancakes, and other sweets. Scholars Inn Bakehouse Granola makes a perfect start to the day, but has been known to satisfy fans for lunch, as a mid-afternoon snack, as a source of pure, clean energy before a bike ride through the hills, or as they are winding down in the evening.

Bloomington’s Best Bakery for 15 consecutive years, while the redesigned SI Restaurant & Lounge on Massachusetts Avenue in Indianapolis was named “Best Upscale Dining” of 2008 in Indianapolis by Nuvo magazine.

“Our loyal Bakehouse customers have always told us that our granola is the best that they’ve ever tasted, and they always come back for more,” adds Bakehouse President Greg Berke. “We’re thrilled that Kroger has joined this loyal list of customers, and we are excited to continue to grow with Kroger’s help.”

Scholars Inn Bakehouse’s new distribution partnership with Kroger represents a major expansion of an already-thriving wholesale operation. From its wholesale baking facility across from Oliver Winery on Route 37, Scholars Inn Bakehouse serves nearly 200 regular customers with its variety of breads, bagels, pastries, and cakes. Customers range from large four-star hotels in Indianapolis to local storefront bakeries and restaurants. In addition, Sysco Food Service regularly distributes Scholars Inn products throughout the Midwest as part of its menu. Bakehouse Granola has recently been added to Sysco’s menu with great success, shipping bulk granola to hospitals, institutions, and restaurants throughout Indiana. “It’s a big hit,” says executive chef Kelly Kimpton of Clarian Health in Indianapolis, who has recently added Bakehouse Granola to her menu.

Added Feigenbaum, “We have always had great support for our high-quality products from our Bloomington and Indianapolis in-store customers, and from our wholesale customers statewide. We are so excited to have the chance to expand throughout the Midwest in this partnership with Kroger.”

About Scholars Inn
From the time Lyle and Kerry Feigenbaum purchased the Scholars Inn Bakehouse in Bloomington in 2001, they have grown the Scholars Inn name in revenue and esteem. The Scholars Inn family now includes the six-room Bed & Breakfast in Bloomington; the Scholars Inn Gourmet Café and Wine Bar in Bloomington; the SI Restaurant & Lounge in Indianapolis; and two Scholars Inn Bakehouse locations in Bloomington. The Scholars Inn Bakehouse has been named Bloomington’s Best Bakery for 15 consecutive years, while the redesigned SI Restaurant & Lounge on Massachusetts Avenue in Indianapolis was named “Best Upscale Dining” of 2008 in Indianapolis by Nuvo magazine.