Over the past year, the pandemic has certainly brought people closer to their local suppliers – with many now preferring to get their bread from their neighbourhood bakery rather than a chain supermarket.
With Real Bread Week taking place this year between Saturday February 20 and Sunday February 28, three Suffolk bakers explain what it is about real bread that’s so great – and where you can get your own.
Spending her whole life growing up around freshly-baked bread, Victoria Haddoch now works alongside her brother Steve Willis at Victoria’s Bakery, a family-run business which has been serving the people of Suffolk since 1986.
Since the start of last year’s lockdown, she’s noticed how the local bread trade has been booming, thanks to people looking for fare that’s less mass-produced and baked closer to home.
“Unfortunately, it took something like the pandemic to get people to rethink where they shop – but we’re glad that people have been supporting us throughout Covid. It’s been really nice for people to say how glad they are that we’re open,” she says.
‘Real bread’ - which is defined as bread that is free from additives and preservatives - is something that many Suffolk bakers, including Victoria, pride themselves on.
“We bake our bread every day and there’s a reason for that - there’s no preserves in it. We don’t add anything to it, other than what it takes to make bread – so flour, water and yeast.
“Some places actually add milk to their bread and rolls, but ours is completely dairy-free - we don’t add anything unnecessary to it. We’re finding with more people turning vegan, or having dairy intolerances, it’s helped people realise what’s actually in their bread.”
Sarah Moss, owner of Woodbridge’s The Bakehouse Bakery is also an advocate of local, real bread – and believes the proof is in the proving, after seeing her sales double throughout the first lockdown.
“Freshly-baked bread may take a lot longer to prove, but the supermarkets tend to use a chemical to speed up the proving process, which may save time - but you don’t get that same taste or texture as you do with more naturally-made bread.”
To ensure her bread is as fresh as possible, Sarah sources her flour from neighbouring Essex, meaning key ingredients spend less time in transit. “We use Marriage’s and Carr’s, but a lot of the wheat they use is actually farmed here in Suffolk,” she adds.
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Over the past year, Sarah has also seen a shift in more people experimenting with the breads they buy, thanks to people’s desire to explore new foods while at home during lockdown.
“We’re seeing that people aren’t baking as much bread themselves as they did at the start of the first lockdown, but they are buying more varieties. For instance, we’ve been doing a lot more focaccia bread lately, and there was of course the big sourdough trend last year, too.”
Similarly, head baker at Suffolk Food Hall Lee Goldsmith has also seen the county’s appreciation for real bread steadily rise thanks to lockdown. He says: “In terms of bread, I genuinely think there has been a shift to local bakers.
“We have certainly noticed that a lot of customers are adding bread to their contactless orders, and I think bread has always been popular with those shopping in-store because it’s fresh, baked daily and you can see the bakery team working their magic as you shop. Oh, and the smell of fresh bread being baked is very tempting, too.”
Much like Sarah, Lee has also seen people become more adventurous with their bread choices – noticing a huge shift in sourdough, multigrain and specialist bakes. “Our sourdough loaf is probably among our top-sellers in the bakery, and our team are often experimenting with flavours. Infact, one of our newer speciality loaves, named the ‘Hazel Razel’, is a sourdough with hazelnuts, raisins and currants, and is already one of the customer favourites.”
With bakers providing more variety for customers, and customers spending more money at their local bakers, is Suffolk’s love of real bread here to stay - even once lockdown is over?
“Ultimately, I think so. I think a lot more people will shop locally than they used to as they’ve realised how just how good real bread tastes,” says Sarah.
Where can I order freshly-baked bread in Suffolk?
Victoria’s Bakery, various locations across Suffolk
With a number of locations across the county, Victoria’s Bakery is open from 7am Monday to Saturday, selling a wide range of bread, loaves and rolls that have been baked fresh every morning. To place an order for collection, call 01473 603737.
The Bakehouse Bakery, Woodbridge
Open Monday to Saturday between 8am and 2pm, The Bakehouse Bakery is offering collection from its Woodbridge shop across its loaves, rolls, baps and bloomers. Speciality breads include corn bread, cheese and onion loaves, cheese topped rolls, and pizza topped rolls. To find out more, call 01394 384398.
Suffolk Food Hall, Ipswich
Running seven days a week, Suffolk Food Hall’s bakery is offering a contactless collection service. Open Monday to Saturday between 9am and 4.30pm, and on Sundays between 9.30am and 4pm, customers can purchase a range of freshly-baked speciality and classic rolls and loaves. To find out more, call 01473 786610.
The Runaway Bakery, Gedding
This West Suffolk bakery is currently offering home delivery on its rosemary and garlic focaccia, white loaves, sourdough, wholemeal loaves, and tear-and-share stilton and bacon rolls. Delivery is available on Saturdays for anyone living within five miles of Gedding, including Moreton Hall, Thurston and Woolpit. Orders can be placed by calling 07581 374177 before Thursday evening.
The Friendly Loaf, Nowton
Selling an abundance of freshly-baked loaves, sourdough, French sticks, wholemeal and granary bread is The Friendly Loaf. Located just outside of Bury St Edmunds, orders can be placed for collection 24 hours prior, with collection available Tuesday to Saturday between 8am and 3.30pm. To find out more, call 07502 164894.
Stradbroke Bakery, Stradbroke
Nestled halfway between Norwich and Ipswich is Stradbroke Bakery, a family-run operation that serves freshly baked loaves, baguettes and sourdough. It is open for collection Monday to Friday between 7am and 2.30pm, and on Saturdays between 7am and 12pm. To find out more, call 01379 384226.
Pump Street Bakery, Orford
Open Thursdays to Saturdays between 9am and 1pm, and on Sundays from 10am to 1pm, this Orford-based bakery is offering both collection and delivery across its range of locally-baked breads.
For a minimum order of £30, home delivery is available Friday and Saturday across locations including Iken, Snape, Aldeburgh, Saxmundham, Leiston, Woodbridge, Butley, and Melton. Orders for both collection and delivery should be placed by 11am two days before. To find out more, call 01394 459829.
The Cake Shop Bakery
For anyone looking for fresh bread in the East Suffolk region, The Cake Shop Bakery is currently offering delivery and collection across a range of bread loaves, rolls, baps, bloomers and flours.
Deliveries can be made to a number of areas, including Woodbridge, Hasketon, Grundisburgh, Aldeburgh, Snape, Leiston, Framlingham, Kesgrave, Melton and Martlesham. Orders for collection that are placed before midday can be picked up the next working day, Monday to Saturday between 7.30am and 1pm. To find out more, call 01394 382515.
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