Janice Lawton is the owner of Saturday Sangria Bakery & Cafe which is a dedicated gluten-free facility in Winfield, Indiana. Initially, it was just a personal dietary option, but she realized others faced the same gluten-related challenges. After retiring, she opened her shop to help others by providing gluten-free options.
"The main reason I started making gluten-free food is that I have celiac disease," said Lawton. "I can't have wheat, meat, or other foods that contain gluten. When dining out, I would often find that the menu items were things I couldn't eat. This led me to start experimenting with gluten-free baking."
As she continued her bakery journey, she realized that baking gluten-free products had become her retirement dream.
"I started by making gluten-free products on the side for people. People would ask me to bake gluten-free foods for them,” said Lawton. “Later, a friend with a business invited me to be part of their event. This was when I started to focus on baking these products. I began baking at more events and even at a couple of restaurants. Baking was always in the back of my mind while I was working full-time. After work, I would go to a rented kitchen and bake — it felt like therapy to me as I truly enjoyed it."
She loves that other companies also recognize the issue and are selling gluten-free products. It makes her happy to see more options available for people facing the same challenges she does.
"I enjoyed sharing that with other people who were in the same boat as I was," said Lawton. "I never realized how much people needed this in the area until they started buying the products. When I retired, things began to fall into place: a storefront opened up, and everything went smoothly — we signed a lease and opened up. The amazing thing to me is that I knew there was a need because I had dealt with the problem myself. I remain dedicated to maintaining a gluten-free kitchen, café, bakery, and coffee shop where people know they can go and it's safe."
Lawton also understands the importance of having a place where parents can take their kids to eat gluten-free products.
"I love that parents know they can bring their kids here," said Lawton. "They can get birthday cakes and other treats, and it's different from going to a typical café. At a gluten-free café, everyone can enjoy cake or cookies without the hassle of checking the ingredients. I especially love being able to offer special cupcakes or treats for kids' parties so that all children can enjoy the celebration. At most bakeries, whether gluten-free or not, you might not even notice a difference. This allows kids to have 'normal' birthday parties with decorated cakes, making them feel like everyone else."
She also caters and consistently strives to support and give back to the community.
"We do catering as well, so people come to us for their special dietary needs at events and other occasions," said Lawton. "It's nice to be able to serve people in this way and support their everyday lives. I was raised with the belief that you should do things for others, and at this stage of my life, this is my way of continuing to give back and help people."
Lawton consistently strives to support and give back to the community through various initiatives and local involvement.
"We offer vegan options and accommodate requests for sugar-free items," said Lawton. "I don't keep them in the case all the time, but if people need sugar-free options, they can give us a call, and we'll make sure to provide them. I especially love helping our customers with food allergies who come in asking for nut-free or soy-free products. It feels great to be able to meet their needs."
She graduated from Morgan Township High School in Valparaiso and then attended Ball State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. She received her Master of Science in Criminology from the University of Wisconsin. Now retired, she spends almost every minute dedicated to her business.
"I retired from a 40-hour-a-week job, and now I work roughly 85 hours a week," said Lawton. "Although it doesn't feel like it while we're at the bakery, working long hours in the kitchen, I have a very small staff to ensure consistency and maintain our success."
She was a 10-year member of 4-H in Porter County and is currently a member of the Beta Rho chapter of Tri-Kappa and the Crossroads Chamber. Her extensive community involvement underscores her commitment to the cause, and she emphasizes the importance of her staff, many of whom share her connection to the need for gluten-free foods.
"Everyone who works for me loves their job," said Lawton. "I've hired some people temporarily in June until they leave for school. My nephew works with me, and he and his family have food allergies, so they understand the mission I'm trying to promote. My dishwasher and his family also share similar dietary concerns."
Lawton has been running storefronts for two years and has been in business for a total of eight years. For more information, please visit saturdaysangriabakeryandcafe.com.