· Jonathan Peregrino has brought savory and sweet Filipino baked goods to Detroit’s New Center neighborhood
· JP Makes and Bakes, the 176th Motor City Match business to open, is the first bakery in Detroit focused on Filipino flavors
· A $60,000 MCM grant helped Peregrino purchase kitchen equipment
· Motor City Match has awarded $19.1 million in cash grants; 85% of overall winners are minority-owned businesses, 70% are women-owned and 67% are owned by Detroit residents
NOVEMBER 7, 2024 (DETROIT)—Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) today celebrated the grand opening of JP Makes and Bakes, Detroit’s only Filipino food establishment. The New Center bakery marks the 176th Motor City Match business to open a brick-and-mortar location.
Jonathan Peregrino, a first-generation Filipino American pastry chef, launched JP Makes and Bakes to share traditional Filipino flavors through accessible desserts. The California native studied pastry-making in the Philippines before moving to Detroit in 2019. His menu features Filipino-inspired treats like ube cookies and pandesal, a traditional Filipino bread.
“I’m thrilled to be able to bring flavors I love and miss to Detroit, a city that’s so passionate about food,” Peregrino said. “This bakery is about joy, community and sharing a piece of my heritage.”
Peregrino brings national visibility and local experience to his venture. He competed in Food Network’s “Holiday Baking Championship” in 2020 and has worked at Detroit establishments, including Warda Patisserie, Tapped Coffee, Oak & Reel and Le Supreme. After years in others’ kitchens, he’s ready to create his own space in Detroit’s food scene.
“Opening a business has always been my dream. I originally thought I’d start a restaurant, but I realized that baking is my true passion,” said Peregrino. “Detroit is special because of the support from the community and other business owners. There’s a spirit here that’s unique, and I’m excited to be part of it.”
JP Makes and Bakes has already drawn customers from across Michigan and Ontario, with some traveling hours for authentic Filipino flavors. For Michigan’s Filipino American community of 41,435 residents – the state’s fourth-largest Asian American ethnic group – the bakery provides a long-awaited taste of home. Peregrino prepares everything from scratch daily, keeping prices affordable while partnering with local businesses like Motor City Match awardee Craig’s Coffee for espresso drinks and Calder Dairy for milk.
“JP Makes and Bakes represents exactly what we envisioned when we created Motor City Match – helping talented entrepreneurs bring independent businesses to Detroit neighborhoods,” said Duggan. “Jonathan is not just opening Detroit’s only Filipino bakery, he’s adding to the neighborhood’s identity and creating a new gathering spot for the community. This is the kind of small business growth that makes Detroit special.”
JP Makes and Bakes joins a community of Motor City Match businesses in the New Center area. Neighboring businesses include The Kitchen by Cooking with Que, Yum Village, Textures By Nefertiti and Baobab Fare – all a testament to the program’s neighborhood impact.
A $60,000 Motor City Match grant helped JP Makes and Bakes purchase equipment to expand production. The bakery at 6529 Woodward Ave. operates Wednesday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s closed Sunday and Monday to promote work-life balance.
“What Jonathan’s doing here is special – he’s sharing Filipino food in a way Detroit hasn’t seen before,” said Sean Gray, vice president of Small Business Services at the DEGC, which manages the Motor City Match program. “We love seeing Motor City Match business owners bring their culture and creativity to Detroit neighborhoods.”
Through 27 rounds of Motor City Match:
· Total cash grants: $19.1 million (Total leveraged investment: $102.7 million)
· 85 percent are minority-owned businesses
· 70 percent are women-owned businesses
· 67 percent are businesses owned by Detroit residents
About Motor City Match
Motor City Match is a unique partnership between the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Competitive financial assistance is supported by a broad partnership of Southeast Michigan community development financial institutions and corporations including, Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Ford Foundation, Hudson Webber Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, New Economy Initiative, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Motor City Match applications are available quarterly. More information is available at www.MotorCityMatch.com.
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