Missy Vatinet spreads her morning cheer among La Farm employees at the Cary Parkway store.
Much has changed in the 25 years since Missy Vatinet and her husband, Lionel, opened the La Farm Bakery in Cary.
In 1999, they offered just seven breads and some cinnamon buns at their single location, taking only cash, check, or offering a pay-later option. Today, La Farm bakes more than 35 styles of artisan bread, and Vatinet carefully counts off the La Farm locations, saying she doesn’t want to forget any of “the children.”
There’s eight “offspring,” with the latest opening at Creekside in Raleigh. It’s not just brick-and-mortar locations, as distribution partnerships mean their bread makes its way up and down the East Coast.
She and Lionel have added two children of their own. Their teen girls help at La Farm and have become “the best critics of Lionel’s research and development,” Vatinet says with a laugh.
For all that’s changed, much remains the same. She calls their customers “neighbors,” and delighting their neighbors is always the goal.
“We’re continuing our quest to put great bread on the tables of as many people as we can without sacrificing the quality or the art of bread baking,” says Vatinet.
It’s difficult to get her to talk about her own role in La Farm’s epic success. Vatinet quickly turns the focus to their expansive team. But it’s also clear that her passion is a driving force.
Vatinet was named a Cary Magazine Woman of Western Wake in 2017, and she received the Women of Western Wake Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024. In the years in between, La Farm continued to spread its wings — quite literally in a way, with an RDU Airport location meaning customers now take La Farm goods around the world. Thinking that their bread might be on someone’s table in Paris makes Vatinet smile.
La Farm’s original Preston Corners space still exists. They have a production bakery and granary now, and those additional bakery and café offspring span from Cary to Fuquay-Varina to Raleigh.
They felt the bumps in the food industry in recent years from the pandemic, supply chain issues, and rising supply costs. Vatinet, with her positive attitude, looks back grateful for their ability to provide for their neighbors. She and Lionel relied on their faith and thought about how they could serve.
“It was an honor to bring nourishment through our bread during covid,” she says.
And from those experiences, she and the team grew.
Vatinet works in the bakery assembling a tray of s’more treats for display.
“All of us had the opportunity to grow so much, personally and professionally,” she says. “I am incredibly indebted to key customers who are really smart in certain areas and stepped up to advise us.”
Vatinet embraces lifelong learning. Her background gave her the foundation — she attended Virginia Tech, where she studied hospitality and went on to work in positions that readied her for opening a new concept and understanding consumer behavior. Coupled with a passion for natural food retail, it all came together with La Farm.
Vatinet was honored with the Cary Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award at the Women of Western Wake Forum last year.
She is as enthusiastic about the grains they use, the science of baking, and La Farm’s relationships with farmers and vendors as she is about running the business.
“I’m passionate about the value you get out of our bread,” she says. “We work to bring forward some of the most progressive things that the farmers in our state are doing, as well as those nationally and internationally.”
She and Lionel can’t do it alone, and La Farm’s leadership team emulates their passion. Omar Gaye was recently named La Farm’s chief operating officer. He progressed from dishwasher and sandwich maker to a regional president with Whole Foods Market, thus bringing a unique perspective to all levels of the business.
Vatinet gets a little emotional when she reflects on the most rewarding part of the past 25 years. For her, it’s not growth or profits, but people.
Hearing her team gave a man a fruit tart for his wife’s birthday after he lost his job. A mother pulling her aside to say she’d seen her two children smile for the first time in a week while enjoying a pumpkin challah following the passing of their father. Having the honor of baking yeast rolls for a child’s funeral because it was his favorite food. These moments resonate with Vatinet and highlight her gratitude for La Farm’s team.
“It takes a lot of work and a lot of energy and a lot of passion to do what they do, and they continue to knock it out of the park when they continue to impact individuals.”
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