The organic bakery and neighborhood cafe Mission Pie has been awarded the annual Restaurant Appreciation Award by District 9 Supervisor David Campos for its significant community involvement, longevity and ethical business practices.
Mission Pie, located on the corner of Mission and 25th streets, prides itself on baking handmade, organic goods; all ingredients are sourced from roughly a dozen different ranchers and farmers within California, as well as from their own farm: Pie Ranch.
Pie Ranch, which opened in 2005, hosts students from high schools all over California, as well as groups from other parts of the world to participate in farm related activities and programs, “working the land” and learning about food cultivation first hand.
In the shop, there is a large map of California on the wall, displaying where the various farms are located.
“I love that you know where all of the ingredients baked into these lovely pies are from,” Miriam Steiner, a retired schoolteacher and 30-year San Francisco resident, said over a slice of pear raspberry pie. “It’s refreshing to visualize and pinpoint where, exactly, those berries you are eating were grown.”
Wholesome, mouthwatering, sweet and savory pastries aren’t all the folks at Mission Pie have to offer, they also believe in being sustainable and basing business decisions on social and environmental values.
“We are very happy to be a for-profit business that’s also weaving positive social impact into all of our business decisions,” co-owner Krystin Rubin said. “Many people have an assumption that a for-profit is just interested in making money and a not-for-profit is interested just in doing good work—we don’t think it’s so cut and dry.”
Campos says he chose Mission Pie for the award because of its social focus, which he sees as going above and beyond basic ethics.
“There are some restaurants, in the minority, that don’t do right by their employees, but I think it’s important for us as we combat those practices to recognize those restaurants that are doing things right, not only complying with the law but going beyond it,” he said. “There are places like Mission Pie that are successful in providing delicious food, and at the same time treating their employees really well.”
Mission Pie also works closely with community based non-profit groups for at-risk teens, such as New Door Ventures, and provides internships, which often lead to employment.
“What the owners do here is amazing,” said Jacob Beales. “This is my third time here, and every time I come back, I discover something new and unique about this place.”
In May of 2011, the Young Workers United, a group dedicated to the improvement of job quality for immigrant and young workers, published a pamphlet titled “Dining with Justice,” which listed businesses they felt employ fair socially just practices.
Using the criteria of job security, promotion opportunities, fair hours and wages, as well as worker safety and health. Only 11 out of the 35 San Francisco restaurants reviewed made the cut; Mission Pie was one of them.
“Dining with Justice” is available in both Spanish and English for free online at www.youngworkersunited.com.