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Green Apple Pie

Jessie Lord Bakery owners, Stephen and Tracy, displaying some of their pies at a trade show.

At Self-Help, we see no contradiction between smart financial choices and green energy. Being energy efficient, such as with gasoline for your car or utility use for your appliances, saves money in the long run and can create economic growth. As we push for a more climate-aware society, these ideas often come to life in our work and are sometimes found in unexpected places -- like pie.    

Jessie Lord Bakery (JLB), owned by Stephen and Tracy L., is one of the largest pie manufacturers in the U.S. The company has been in business for over 38 years and has grown to make 25 million pies annually at its 140,000 square-foot facility in Torrance, CA. JLB’s leadership came to Self-Help in search of financing to replace existing and environmentally unfriendly refrigeration and boiler systems. The project substantially reduced the company’s natural gas and electricity usage, thereby reducing their operating costs with the added benefit of reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 6,800 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, which is roughly the same as emissions from nearly 1500 cars for a year.

We’re honored to work with companies like Jessie Lord Bakery, which provides quality employment to as many as 300 people during the peak season. About 67% of Jessie Lord’s workforce is women. The financing allowed the bakery to continue operations while the equipment was replaced in phases.  

By increasing energy efficiency, the financing also saved the company money – further testament to the notion that climate-positive initiatives are often the smart economic choice. The savings will enable the company to expand production and hire at least 45 more people. It’s a win-win-win: for the company, for the staff and for the environment.  

Pie and more pie from Jessie Lord Bakery

Our Approach:

Self-Help's commercial lending team goes beyond standard credit analysis to understand each borrower's full story, often stretching lending criteria for businesses that align with our mission. We help underserved business owners build generational wealth through business ownership and commercial real estate. Federal programs like New Markets Tax Credits multiply our impact by supporting job creation and clean energy upgrades.