When Delicious magazine named Artizan Gluten Free Bakery one of the best regional bakeries, it marked a milestone for a small, dedicated team based in regional Queensland. For Simone Lawrie, owner and founder, the recognition was as unexpected as it was rewarding.

“I follow Capricorn Enterprise and do a little bit with them. And so, I sort of saw it through their threads. I was just so excited to see it,” Simone said.

The accolade reflects not only the bakery’s technical achievements in gluten-free baking but also its deep roots in community care.

“I saw the need for people with celiac disease and how they struggled, particularly in regional areas. They’d struggle to find anything gluten free and anything that tasted good,” Simone said.

“Opening the bakery really came from my love of helping people and wanting to provide something for my community.”

Artizan’s mission has never wavered: creating gluten-free baked goods that don’t compromise on taste or texture. Yet meeting that mission hasn’t come without its challenges. Developing recipes was just the beginning, maintaining safe and consistent ingredient sourcing has remained an ongoing effort.

“In the beginning, developing a piece was the challenging bit. It wasn’t so much finding the supply, but keeping an eye on the supplies that are coming in,” Simone said.

“At any given time, the ingredients might change, or they may start processing the products we use in a gluten environment. It’s important that everything that comes into and leaves the bakery is 100 per cent gluten-free and, training my staff around that as well.”

In the nine years since opening, Simone has seen a clear shift in public understanding around gluten intolerance and celiac disease. Early doubts from some in the community have given way to growing acceptance and enthusiasm.

“When I first started the business nine years ago, nobody knew what celiac disease was, especially in our hometown,” she said.

“A lot of people view gluten intolerance as a fad. I had some people say to me, that a gluten-free bakery wouldn’t work. They were saying things like nobody’s going to want to eat this—there isn’t enough people.”

That’s no longer the case.

“Over the nine years, we’ve increased in customers, and the awareness around it. Our goal with the food is to have it tasting as close as the real thing as possible. And many times, we’ve had people saying, ‘I wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t told me’, which is always nice to hear. We’re finding we’re getting a customer base that is just more health orientated around gut health.”

Community response has evolved hand-in-hand with this shift. What began as a niche offering has become a local institution, supported by council and embraced by locals and travellers alike.

“It took some time but now we are so loved. We have huge support from our local council here. We have travellers come through all the time,” Simone said.

The emotional impact of creating a safe space for people with dietary restrictions isn’t lost on her.

“Food is such a huge part of people’s lives, I don’t want anyone to miss out. People walk through the door and ask if anything is suitable for celiac and it feels so good to tell them the entire bakery is safe. You can see the relief and that means everything knowing they feel comfortable in our space.”

Looking ahead, Artizan continues to innovate while staying true to its values. With support from a Rockhampton Regional Council grant, Lawrie and her team are exploring new ways to serve their customers.

There’s also movement on the wholesale front and a promising new direction with take-home products.

“So, people who can’t have our fresh product can at least have our beautiful flavours and mixes they can bake at home,” Lawrie shares.

And at the heart of it all is the team.

“Yeah, my staff here are incredible. We have the most amazing team. They’re just so caring and committed. And we will go over and beyond for people every day here.”