Born in Somalia, Mahomud Ali, immigrated to Boston with his family of origin as a teenager, soon to be an adult. Excited to discover this new state, he found work at a car repair shop and immediately built a solid reputation for being able to repair any car or truck.
Fixing people's automobiles and living in America is a life to love. He learned the American system of laws, taxes, and organization. Being punctual with a strong work ethic fit Mahomud's way of working. His ambitious nature to learn and grow and apply everything he learns still suits him.
After a few years, Mahomud realized he could make a living fixing cars but not create the kind of life he envisioned with his wife, Saido Jama, and their burgeoning family.
This prompted a search for a new place to live. An adventure exploring options that led to Minnesota.
Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, a great state to raise a family with a plethora of opportunities to provide for his family. It is also home to the largest concentration of Somali-born people in the United States. A built-in support system.
Mahomud’s entrepreneurial passion to create his own businesses emerged. Saido knew Mahomud could provide a great life for them and their five children. She could also see herself raising their children in Minnesota. They would have the help and support of each other, their Somali community, and the greater community of other Minnesotans to create a life that is turning out well beyond their wildest dreams.
With toolbox in hand, Mahomud rented space at a Northeast Minneapolis warehouse and started repairing cars. Saido and the children joined him a few months later as Mahomud quickly built another solid reputation as someone who provides excellent car and truck repairs, while Saido settled into making a nurturing home life and raising their children.
Their story is a reminder that with perseverance, inspiration, perspiration, and the right partner, it is possible to build something beyond what we can dream. But, as you know, their inspiring story doesn’t end here.
In 2005, Mahomud founded Midwest Auto Repair Inc. and five years later, they took a bold step to purchase a building where Midwest Auto Repair, Inc. now stands in St. Anthony.
Their bold move to buy a building in 2010 opened new opportunities to employ others and use part of the building to house another venture with others. A bakery? This is where their wildest dreams and your imagination comes in.
After remodeling, purchasing bakery equipment, renting out part of the building, and facing numerous challenges, his renters couldn’t make a go of the bakery. Mahomud found himself in a quandary.
He had never imagined himself as a baker, he could barely make tea! On the other hand, he couldn’t let the investment he made in this space go to waste. He knew that there was a need for Halal bread, and thus began his experimentation and journey to become Mahomud, the auto mechanic and bread-baker.
By the end of 2017, Mahomud was ready to test his creations, under Midwest Bakery and Café which eventually becomes Midwest Bakery Inc. His skill sets expanded, and his new identity emerged as a multi-venture entrepreneur. Immigrant-owned businesses started consuming more and more of his Halal bread. “I’m a bread-baker,” he says with a chuckle.
In 2022, a chance meeting with an entrepreneurship mentor at an annual event at MEDA (Metropolitan Economic Development Association) changed the trajectory of his bakery business. Mahomud realized with the right kind of help he could get his Halal bread into larger grocers. He found the right mentor who committed to work with Mahomud to help him get Midwest Bakery Halal breads into larger grocers. His dream to feed more people was coming into fruition. You can now find Midwest Bakery Halal bread items in Cub Foods stores, Kowalski’s Market, and other grocery stores, large and small. New stores are being added each month.
Experimentation with new bread creations will always be a part of Midwest Bakery. Mahomud listens to consumers and enjoys baking with his team to feed more and more people his Halal bread creations.
Who knew that such a passion for baking would be ignited by something that wasn’t working? It’s amazing how one decision can lead to unexpected opportunities, growth, and discovering a new passion like Mahomud did in feeding people a staple in their daily diet.
Despite facing challenges and unexpected turns, Mahomud and Saido persevered following Mahomud’s entrepreneurial spirit to build two successful businesses and provide for their family. His children are now old enough to help. They are willing to try new things and adapt to changing circumstances, which ultimately leads to discovering a new passion for baking bread and expanding Mahomud’s business even further building a future for the next generation of auto mechanics and breadmakers.
Their story–which is far from over–is a great reminder of the power of hard work, determination, and creativity in achieving success.
You can help us expand into new stores and feed more people our all-natural Halal breads. Please talk to your local grocer if you want our Halal bread in your local grocery store. As a consumer, you have a lot of influence. Why not spread the love?
