Bringing Thumb Bread home!

Thumb Bread is now available at Shoprite stores in Hoboken, Bayonne, and Jersey City! If you’ve been following us, then you know what a journey it’s been. From being attacked by landlords, to dealing with micro-aggressions, to surviving a recession, and a million other things… we have had our fair share of struggles.

Arzu Esendemir and Gonca Esendemir standing by a Thumb Bread rack in ShopRite Hoboken
Arzu Esendemir and Gonca Esendemir standing by the Thumb Bread® rack in Shoprite Hoboken

Despite all of the obstacles we encountered on our entrepreneurial journey, we never gave up on the things we wanted. EVER. Bringing Thumb Bread to the masses was a long-time dream of ours. Bringing it home and having it available where we grew up was an even bigger dream. Hudson County is such a big part of our lives. We grew up here. We went to school here. We had restaurants here, as did our father.

Coming home is a big deal for us and we couldn’t have asked for a better retail partner. Shoprite has been so tremendously supportive of us. They got behind the product and believed in it. We were welcomed with open arms. We were treated like family.

Gonca Esendemir holding up a Thumb Bread® bag in front of ShopRite Bayonne
Gonca Esendemir holding up a Thumb Bread® bag outside of ShopRite Bayonne


We can’t help but think about how if we stopped and listened to every critic, piece of unsolicited advice, naysayer, or given in to the difficulties and challenges we experienced over the course of a decade, none of this would be possible. We wouldn’t be walking into a major Northeast retailer, and seeing our product on a rack.

Gonca Esendemir and Arzu Esendemir Thumb Bread® at ShopRite Bayonne
Gonca and Arzu Esendemir posing with Emily at ShopRite Bayonne

The journey is always worth it, friends. Don’t let anyone say otherwise. Thumb Bread® is a dream that took us a very long time to realize. Nothing is impossible.

Love,

Fusun, Gonca, Arzu