“As a woman, I really didn’t face a lot of roadblocks early in my career,” says Phillippa Clark, who grew up in London surrounded by great food. “My mom was a baker and a great cook, we had greengrocers in the family, and my father was a butcher.”
A “cringey” first job serving American burgers in the University of Leicester cafeteria eventually led to years working at Fresh & Wild, a famous specialty grocer in England.
“Anna Ghee [at Fresh & Wild] was very inspirational. She brought people together who had the same work ethic,” Clark says. “We loved that we were doing some good in the world.”
After working at Boulder’s iconic Alfalfa’s Market, she helped her husband, James Beard-nominated baker Andy Clark, launch Moxie Bread Co. in Louisville.
Moxie has become nationally known for sourdough loaves and pastries crafted using house-milled flour from local heirloom grains. Additional Moxie locations have opened in North Boulder and Lyons.
The Boulder County community was shocked when Andy Clark unexpectedly died in 2022, leaving behind Phillippa and their three young sons.
“It was a terrible time in our lives, but I wanted Andy’s work to go on,” Clark says. She stepped forward into the challenges as owner of the now 10-year-old Moxie Bread Co., intent on building her husband’s inspiration by supporting local sustainable farmers.
Clark says her advice to women entrepreneurs in any field is direct.
“Don’t be oversensitive. Don’t be precious. Get in there and keep learning how to do everything,” she says. “Always upgrade your skills. Always lead with kindness.”
This is part of a larger story, "Portraits in great taste," profiling women who are shaping the way we eat, drink and buy food in Boulder. Read other profiles in the series here.