Season 2
Beyond Bread is one of Tucson’s most recognizable local food brands. In this episode of Two Lane Tucson, I sit down with Jane Overbey to talk about how the company grew from a small bakery into a multi-location operation built on consistency, logistics, and product standards.
We talk about what growth really looks like behind the counter — staffing, ordering, communication, catering, food costs, and the systems it takes to protect quality as the business expands.
Guest: Jane Overbey
Organization: Beyond Bread
Two-Lane Tucson: Episode 3
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Category: Restaurant & Multi-Location Food Operations
In this Season 2 episode of Two Lane Tucson, I sit down with Jane Overbey of Beyond Bread, one of Tucson’s most recognizable locally owned food institutions.
Jane joined the company in 2001 when the original Campbell location was still a tiny hole-in-the-wall bakery with no seating, a small menu, and weekend lines that ran out the door. What started as a part-time college job quickly turned into a long-term career as she watched the company expand across Tucson.
Over more than two decades, she’s seen Beyond Bread grow from a single small bakery into a multi-location operation with a central commissary and bread mill — and a level of internal logistics most customers never see.
We talk about what it actually takes to keep a scratch-made product consistent at scale: communication between departments, accurate ordering, catering execution and delivery, staffing, training, and the constant pressure of labor and food costs.
Jane is clear about the non-negotiable: protect the product. Because when execution slips, quality drops — and customers don’t come back.
Beyond Bread is a Tucson-based bakery and scratch kitchen that grew from a small Campbell shop into a multi-location operation. Behind the counter, it’s a logistics-heavy business built on systems, communication, and disciplined execution — all in service of a consistent product.
The company is known locally for its bread, sandwiches, and catering, but the larger story is operational: keeping quality steady while managing staffing, production, and customer expectations across multiple locations.
Business profile: Beyond Bread | Tucson Bakery & Scratch Kitchen
Beyond Bread is the kind of Tucson business people treat like a fixture — a place to meet up, bring friends, and return to because it’s reliable.
That local loyalty is earned through repeatable execution: bread, sandwiches, catering, staffing, and the operational work that keeps standards steady across locations.
Two Lane Tucson highlights the stories behind businesses and organizations that helped shape the city.
Explore more conversations with Tucson founders, operators, and community leaders on the Two Lane Tucson podcast page .
One thing that stands out in this conversation is how much consistency matters when a business grows.
A lot of Tucson businesses depend on Google to help people find them, but visibility does not always turn into calls, booked work, or steady revenue.
If you’ve ever wondered where that breakdown is happening between being found and getting booked, I run a Pipeline Profit Inspection that looks at what is getting in the way and what to fix first.
See what the Pipeline Profit Inspection includes
Below is a readable transcript excerpt from the conversation. Minor edits were made for clarity.
Elaine: You’ve been with Beyond Bread for 20 years. What did the company look like when you first joined?
Jane: I started in 2001. It was a tiny “hole in the wall” spot off Campbell. Small menu, small team, no seating — and on weekends the line would go out the door.
Elaine: What drew you in?
Jane: Everything was made from scratch. Bread in the morning, roasted turkeys in the afternoon — it was a small operation, but everyone worked shoulder to shoulder and made it happen.
Elaine: When did you realize you were going to stay long term?
Jane: When the owners decided to open the Speedway and Wilmot location. I saw the following the product had, and I wanted to be part of the team. The bread is the heart of Beyond Bread.
Elaine: What became more complicated as the business expanded?
Jane: Logistics. The bigger you get, the more complicated it gets — especially staff and coordination between departments. You have to streamline processes to execute the product. If you can’t execute it, it’s subpar, and no one wants to come back.
Elaine: Where does pressure show up first?
Jane: Managing people, and managing labor and food costs. That’s one of the major issues for every local restaurant.
Elaine: How do you protect quality at scale?
Jane: You don’t put out a product that isn’t 100%. If something comes out underbaked or not right, you don’t sell it. People pay for a quality product — you give them a quality product.
Elaine: What’s the leadership lesson that’s stuck with you?
Jane: Be flexible. You have to think on your feet, adapt, and be ready to pivot.