Check out this unique gluten free & vegan bakery

Rachel Murga watched as her baby brother, Joel, was diagnosed with celiac disease at 10 years old and couldn’t enjoy the same food as the rest of their family.

Their mom tried to provide him with treats specific to his dietary needs, so he didn’t feel left out.

But it proved to be a challenge.

“At that time there wasn’t really anything that was for him,” Murga told Sarah Nick from 104.7 the Lizard. “There was a little freezer in a certain grocery store with just these frozen chocolate chip doughnuts that he would have every once in awhile. They weren’t the greatest. They were kind of cardboard like.”

Fast forward to high school and Joel met his future fiancé, Jade. She also had to find vegan and gluten free alternatives.

Together, they decided to open Jaide & Joel’s Baking Company, one of only a few bakeries in the Okanagan that serves treats targeted at those with dietary restrictions.

Murga serves as the store’s general manager, which sits at the corner of Rutland and Montgomery Road.

Inside, the quaint, cozy space houses ample seating, crawling vines, and fun murals and animal prints on the wall.

A shelf near the front entrance stocks essential baking ingredients for those with a rang of food allergies with offerings of flour, hot chocolate, and even sprinkles. A nearby fridge sells the kind of snacks Joel wishes he had growing up.

Doughnuts, cakes, and dozens of other baked goods are on display at the front counter behind glass. One of Murga’s favourites is the Christmas cake that tastes of de-alcoholised rum.

Behind the decadent display, the kitchen is in full view with bakers spreading pizza dough onto sheets ready to go into the oven.

When asked about some must-order items, Murga pointed to a jalapeno loaf with olives and vegan cheddar cheese on top, along a strawberry mocha coffee.

Customers have been known to shed tears after discovering Jaide & Joel’s.

“We do have a couple of people who come into the bakery, and they come straight to me and say, ‘I’m going to be crying for a couple of minutes. Please deal with it,’” Murga said. “And it makes me cry because they’re just so excited, too, and so happy to have a place that’s fully catered to them.”