Les Moulins La Fayette - Ghummaz, Veda, Aditya
Les Moulins La Fayette
lesmoulinslafayette.com
1000 Wellington St W, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2X9
(613) 680-5653
Photography: Marianne Rothbauer, Rothbauer Studio
Interview: Michael Irwin
What inspired you to open Les Moulins La Fayette?
Being intrinsically motivated, the trio wanted more than the traditional roles and pathways. After a decade in the Canadian Armed Forces as Medics, Veda and Ghummaz wanted to channel their entrepreneurial spirit towards openings an integrative collaborative medical clinic. Bootstrapping this project for 4 years of unrelenting effort, energy, personal money, the team came very close to opening Frontline Healthcare Clinic in 2017, however due to set backs beyond their control, the team had to shift the model from “implementation” to “in development”. Around this time Aditya approached the duo with a proposal that was to bring a European style experience to Ottawa. Having spent 4 years developing the clinic model sitting in coffee shops in Ontario, Quebec and overseas, the team knew the right ingredients to create a successful fusion cafe. The answer was simple, porting the established brand Les Moulins Lafayette from Quebec and introducing them to a new anglophone market in Ottawa. As a joint venture with Les Moulins Lafayette, this strategic alliance would allow for a partnership with flexibility, stability and economy of scale, without the restrictive nature that would come with a franchise. Furthermore, the team would be able to provide the experience to their clients with the quality and attention to detail that seemed to be missing in other cafes.
When and where did the 3 of you meet, and how did you know you wanted to go into business together?
Veda and Ghummaz met in the military and spent 11 years as Medics in the Canadian Armed Forces. Aditya was a mutual friend that they knew from their time at University of Ottawa, a scholar in the Engineering trade. They set out to collaborate in a youth empowerment group called “Transcend Above Potential” (TAP), a Not For Profit organization geared at developing programs for youths aged 14-21 years. Their efforts in TAP led to various collaborations with “Big Brothers and Big Sisters Ottawa” and “Youth Ottawa” from 2013-2015.
With years of collaborations together in the Non Profit sector, the team developed a common desire to do good and generate socially relevant initiatives to have a direct impact in the communities they serve. Naturally, this lead to mutual trust and a long lasting relationship that transcended simple friendship, to a partnership of brotherhood.
When you first go started were there any Ottawa businesses that lent a helping hand?
The team has been fortunate to seek out and benefit from the advice of Anish Mehra from East India Company, Nizar Ayoub from Habib and Associates LLP, Tracy Clarke from Bridgehead. Their insights and perspectives were absolutely eye opening which led to many improvements. Additionally, the ongoing partnership with Rob Brunetti and team from Ottawa Commercial Interiors has allowed the customers to experience the café with a polished look that it deserves.
What is the all-time favourite baked good at Les Moulins La Fayette and does it sell out regularly?
The Choco Caramel Cake, the Almond Croissant and our Brownies are our all-time favourites. We try to have extra stock at all times, but on a busy day, especially our almond croissant, sell out fast. The secret is to call us ahead of time to put an order aside.
We know you do a great cup of coffee and your baked goods are out of this world but did we hear you do catering?
Why keep our delicious baked goods and coffee to these four walls? We are happy to work with our clients to create a customized menu for their needs. Our sandwiches, pastry, individual desserts and baked goods have been served at weddings, official business launches and regular work lunches.
The bakery requires some long hours. When guys aren't working do you have any personal passions?
Aditya is an avid cricket and football player; he is a die hard Arsenal Football Club fan. In his spare time, he runs, meditates and continues to develop himself into a better version of himself.
Veda is a relentless reader, always looking for ways to improve himself and the business. Growing up as a Torontonian, he is a die hard Maple Leafs fan, sorry Ottawa. Now retired from the Canadian Armed Forces, he spends his spare time developing himself as a Yoga instructor, meditating and building his body for full marathons, of which he has successfully done 2 in 2019.
Ghummaz has a center around family and community. In his spare time, he practices self reflection, self mastery, enjoys HIIT workouts and power lifting.
Will Ottawa ever get another Les Moulins La Fayette? What neighbourhood?
We are definitely looking for other locations, and hopefully will be opening another soon! Where? Well you will have to keep an eye out on our social media. We do drop hints here and there sometimes…Best way to keep up is through our Instagram and Facebook which is monitored and updated frequently. What matters most to us is not quantity, but rather the high quality and consistency in products and service we wish to provide. We are actively seeking interested individuals whom wish to invest and become their own Owner Operator of their future Lafayette location.
How does your staff make this bakery special?
The staff is the heart and soul of our café. Without them, there is no Les Moulins Lafayette. Each person contributes to their very best because they care, they are part of the family, they are part of this community.
In 2018 when Ottawa had the power outage due to the tornado, we lost close to 10k in products in a matter of 2 days due to the loss of refrigeration. When the power came back, the entire team rallied behind us and got the production back to par levels in a record time. We were able to service the community and clients immediately without much delay. It was their love, their team collective effort that brought us out of the depths of ruin. We are extremely grateful to have such great people in our lives that we can call our LMLF family.
The Hintonburg community loves local. How has this played out with you guys?
Two of the 3 partners live in Hintonburg because they have fallen in LOVE with the community. Our philosophy is very simple, having a positive impact, in the community that we serve, will leave a legacy that is greater then the size of our foot print. As a result, we sit on the Wellington West Business Improvement Area (BIA) Board and contribute to the local business advocacy initiatives. We often collaborate with various local businesses and community organizations such as Parkdale Food Centre, Families Matter, Maker House, Aurelius Oil and many more. We value the relationships we cultivate, whether it be with the community, local businesses, or the clients that come to us.
We are not merely selling products, we have become a home for so many families that come and stay because they enjoy the experience, the staff and the food.
Since opening day do you have one memorable moment where everything came together and you thought "we did it"?
Our first eureka moment was the Christmas holiday 2018, our first December in Hintonburg, we had a non-stop influx of clients coming for everything from baked goods, to sandwiches and coffee to desserts, and at one point we looked at each other and realized, we had no more products left in our inventory.
Everyday is a blessing, to be able to develop relationships with so many members from the community; to hear their stories and have them see our place as their “go to” for any of our products is an awe-inspiring moment.
Daily, we are caught off guard by how much loyalty the neighborhood has demonstrated towards us and are willing to forgive our mistakes to allow us to continue to grow on our journey.
