Jason Heaven |
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His father, Graham Heaven, is a legendary baker in Hawkes Bay and around New Zealand, famously passionate about the craft and the business, and Jason was brought up in the bakery.
How could Jason do anything else? The Heaven’s have a big new purpose-built craft bakery in Napier and four shops in the area. Any baker looking to grow the business could do far worse than spend a bit of time at Heaven’s Bakery in Napier. Bakers are always welcome to pop in and learn. It’s very much a family business, with Jason’s wife Leanne, mother Denise and father Graham always likely to be found in or around the bakery. Jason and Leanne have four children, the youngest, Max, now aged three. Like Jason was himself, the children are being brought up with the bakery as their creche and playcentre. Max now goes to work with Jason at 4.30 most mornings. All the kids have their own uniforms and enjoy taking part in work. The notable success of Hawkes Bay bakeries in various baking competitions often intrigues people from elsewhere but Jason can account for it. It is, he says, at least partly due to Graham’s willingness to share his ideas and enthusiasm, and to lift the bar for himself and others. The tradition of friendly competition has paid off for bakeries throughout the region and further afield through the Association, and is something Jason is sure to continue uphold. Hobbies? “Golf and anything that’s got a motor.” But obviously he has a very full life these days and little time to indulge his outside interests. Regarding his new role as a member of the executive, regards the training issue as “seeing a bit of light now” and the big issue is maintaining smaller private bakeries as going concerns. He is concerned that they will all go the way of the corner dairy and local butchery. “I’m really keen to put some new ideas into the industry,” he says. The Heavens have always offered a wealth of ideas to any bakers who care to listen. Jason is part of a strong tradition.
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Jason Heaven was born to bake, and bake he does.
