Bread, Exactly

​​“Bread, Exactly.” The motto stamped on every loaf at 460 Bread speaks to the bakery’s philosophy: a blend of tradition and precision.

Inside its 15,000-square-foot facility just north of Driggs, Idaho, a small staff of skilled bakers use time-honored techniques like long fermentation, hand-shaping and stone-hearth baking — paired with sophisticated equipment that keeps oven temperatures exact and portions dough to the gram. Running nearly around the clock, each day the bakery produces around 40 different products from 11 different doughs. It's artisan baking, scaled up without compromise.

460 Bread began as a small operation in 2010, and over the years, founders Jerod Pfeffer and Ty Mack built a loyal following for their artisan loaves. In 2020, with the bakery poised for growth, Jackson Hole locals Ben and Shannon Ellis purchased the business from their friends, eager to carry the operation forward into a new chapter.

The bakery was relocated to a larger facility and Ben and Shannon made significant investments into high-tech equipment, boosting efficiency and allowing 460 Bread to increase production without compromising on quality.

“While we still make bread by hand, we now pair traditional methods with modern equipment, which allows our professional bakers to reach higher standards of quality and produce more bread each day,” Ben said from his loft office within the bakery. “This balance has helped us grow into a business that serves grocery stores, restaurant and wholesale customers across Teton Valley, Jackson Hole and eastern Idaho.”

High-Quality Ingredients, Local Team

The process at 460 Bread begins with traditional sourdough starters, like levain and sponge, and a long fermentation process that develops rich flavor and aroma. Recipes rely on simple, high-quality ingredients, including local products like low-protein winter wheat flour from Idaho and Montana and other organic ingredients. Specialty additions like kalamata olives, ancient grains and premium oils are carefully sourced to uphold the bakery’s artisanal standards.

“This commitment to sourcing helps our breads reflect the Teton region’s character,” Ben said.

 The products are baked in a masonry hearth oven — about the size of the old Jackson Hole tram — engineered for stability and precision. Some of the local favorites include baguettes, sourdough, ciabatta, olive-thyme, cinnamon-raisin bread and brioche burger buns.

While unusual for an operation of this scale, the business keeps “local” at the core of everything it does. Most of its ingredients come from farmers within the region, and it maintains a staff of about 25 local employees while offering quality training and competitive wages.

"It's really nice to invest in a small business — be very locally focused, be close to the staff that we have and invest in staff that have the challenges of living here: housing, daycare support, transportation and winter conditions. Being able to really understand and have that kind of deep connection with folks is a pleasure,” Ben said.

The business also remains steadfast in its commitment to making sure its 150 local clients receive fresh bread daily, no matter the weather or Teton Pass closures.

"It's very unusual to have a business like this that's making fresh bread for a small local market,” Ben says. “You find bakeries like ours in the heart of DC or New York City, Chicago, L.A., Houston. Very few of our scale, with the kind of investments that we've made, would you find in a small, rural place like Teton Valley, Idaho and Jackson, Wyoming. So it's been great to partner with so many restaurants that are committed to the kind of quality that we're committed to.”

460 Bread products can be found on the tables of places like Orsetto and Genevieve, Osteria and Roadhouse, Basecamp, Figgies, 3 Creeks, Sweet Cheek Meats, Trio, Local, Gather, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Grand Targhee and many others.

For locals and visitors who want to pick up the bread directly, it can be found at Whole Foods, Albertsons, Pearl Street Market, Smith’s in Jackson, Aspens Market, Base Camp in Wilson, Victor Valley Market, Barrels & Bins, Hungry Jacks and Broulim’s in Teton Valley.

Beyond its presence in restaurants and grocery stores, 460 Bread has become a beloved part of the local food scene, celebrated for the quality and craftsmanship behind each loaf.

“We think people have embraced our bakery because we’re offering something with depth and substance,” Ben said. “Our loaves are handcrafted with care, using real fermentation and ingredients chosen for flavor rather than shortcuts. And because our breads are widely available in local stores, markets and restaurants, they’ve become a staple for families across the region. Plus, it is delicious.”