NEENAH (NBC 26) — Ed Jervis, a retired Army veteran of (exactly) 20 years and one day, says his business, Ed's Breds, is proud to be a part of the Neenah community.
But Ed's Neenah roots—and even his love for bread-baking—only recently came to be.
Military service spans two decades
Born and raised in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia, Jervis says he was compelled to join the Army after watching the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the news.
"I joined because I just had the urge to help people who couldn't help themselves," Jervis said.
His military career included six years with the 82nd Airborne Division, deploying three times to Iraq. He later became a drill sergeant and worked at the United States Army Drill Sergeant School, training other drill sergeants.
After spending four years in Germany, Jervis returned to the United States where he served as a military advisor before finishing his military career as an instructor at San Diego State University.
Pandemic hobby becomes thriving business
"It was the stereotypical moment of being stuck at home and looking for something to pass the time," Jervis laughed. "My wife always joked that I needed a hobby because the army would end and I would need something to keep me as busy."
That hobby, he decided, would be bread-making.
"While making my first loaf of sourdough, something just clicked in me and it just felt right," Jervis said.
From soldier taste-testing to farmers markets
Starting small, Jervis began sharing his bread creations with his soldiers for feedback. Jervis says that feedback is what really took his passion to another level.
"I became so into bread making that one loaf at a time wasn't enough. I had to keep pushing myself further to see what I could do," Jervis said.
One of his Army friends suggested turning the hobby into an official business, leading Jervis to research cottage food laws.
Just 15 months after making his first loaf, he had his first sale.
"Quickly during those first couple farmers markets, I knew I was onto something. The pure enjoyment of talking bread and sharing what I was making became the whole point," Jervis said.
Neenah's charm wins over military family
Neenah wasn't always the end stop for Ed or his family. In fact, Jervis says he only discovered Neenah through a friend's recommendation while looking for areas in the U.S. that reminded them of the "small German town" where they had lived while Jervis had been stationed.
"We had never heard of Neenah before that trip," he said. "We were actually looking in the Green Bay area."
But after finding himself at a local yarn shop in downtown Neenah, that plan changed.
"Once we met the [yarn shop] owner and saw downtown Neenah, we knew this would be our home," Jervis said. "The charm of the city and the friendliness of its people really had an impact on us."
The family moved to Neenah in September 2024 while Jervis was still on active duty, and he completed his final six months in the Army doing an internship at Voyageurs Bakehouse in Green Bay.
Simple mission drives business philosophy
Ed's Breds primarily sells at farmers markets, but recently launched online store for pickup orders.
But no matter where he sells his bread, there's one thing he wants to maintain.
"During all the moves and economic changes, I have never raised my prices," he said.
What's next for Ed and his "breds"?
"The future isn't really all rich and fancy for me and Ed's Breds," Jervis said. "I am enjoying retirement and making bread while also being there everyday for my wife and two sons. That was always the goal when I exited the army," Jervis said.
Jervis also says he has thought about opening up a brick-and-mortar store, but only if the right opportunity presented itself.
"I enjoy being able to just open and close my store as I see fit. Again, the whole point of retiring when I did."
This story was reported by a journalist with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
