MINNEAPOLIS — From fleeing war-torn Ukraine to starting their own small business here in the United States, Vlad and Polina Lahoda are spreading their roots in Minnesota, one loaf of bread at a time.
“In Ukraine, we eat bread for breakfast, dinner and lunch, and it’s very traditional,” says Polina.
In Ukraine, Vlad worked in the field of IT, and Polina in the field of aromatherapy. However, with the start of the war in 2022, the couple had to evacuate their home in Kiev.
“I woke up at 5 a.m. to the sound of explosions, packed up my things, left in two hours, and haven’t been back since,” Vlad said.
A long-standing friendship with a Peace Corps volunteer drew them to Minnesota, and Polina’s passion for baking now became Vlad’s passion as well.
“When I bake something and give it to someone, I share my love with that person. And now we get to share it with so many people. It’s really incredible. That’s something we’re very happy about,” she said.
Together they started Heaven Gluten Free Bakery. We offer a variety of breads that are all vegan, gluten-free, and made with natural ingredients.
“We came here and we couldn’t eat bread. We felt very sick, because it’s very different from Europe,” Vlad said.
Polina also has an autoimmune disease and is gluten-free. Nevertheless, they said that their bread belonged to everyone.
“Gluten-free food is delicious. It’s very tasty, nutritious and good for you,” Polina says.
Despite the financial challenges of starting and expanding a business, the couple feels blessed to be able to stay in Minnesota and share the bread they make with love.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to feel safe and free. You don’t realize how important it is until you lose it. I think the people here are really great,” Vlad said.
Heaven Gluten Free Bakery sells its breads at various locations throughout the Twin Cities metro.
