Hobbs House Bakery is on a mission to source 100% of its grain from healthier soils by 2032.
What’s more, the sixth-generation family-run business is aiming for all ingredients to be sourced from within 50 miles of its production bakery in Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire.
At present, around 60% of its suppliers are based within 30 miles. While local sourcing is a priority, the UK’s climate is not always ideal for wheat growing, particularly organic varieties, meaning the above goal is no easy feat.
Not only does this limit the suppliers available to the B Corp-certified bakery, which specialises in sourdough and traditional loaves with sweet treats also on the menu, but it can also present challenges in the production of baked goods. Even more so if the crop doesn’t perform well.
“As a bigger artisan bakery there were concerns about maintaining product quality, and consistency within production,” explains Anna Herbert, Hobbs House Bakery marketing director. “We have admired the dedication of bakeries and farmers who have invested in their own mills, and their invaluable role in championing local grain systems. However, having operated a mill in the 1980s, we realised that milling our own flour wasn’t a sustainable option for us.”
Instead, the bakery decided to collaborate with local millers who can deliver the “consistency and high quality” flour the bakers rely on. Herbert describes the approach so far as “successful”, resulting in improvements in both flavour and baking performance.
But suppling the millers are farmers – a group Hobbs House Bakery was keen to know better. While it has worked closely with Shipton Mill for decades, the business was eager to connect directly with those growing its grain. A search led them to local farmer John Prior, sparking the start of a journey toward ‘healthier soils and more thoughtful farming practices’.
A rye crop planted for the bakery’s sourdough starter sadly didn’t thrive due to challenging weather conditions. But a successful harvest of heritage wheat Maris Widgeon offered a way forward.
This resulted in the creation of the Organic Wild White Sourdough – a loaf crafted with the wheat grown less than 10 miles from the Chipping Sodbury bakery. Now in its second run, the loaf is risen with the bakery’s 69-year-old starter and rested for 12 hours to develop a ‘deep, rounded flavour’ which is further enriched by the character of Maris Widgeon used.
The loaf represents a key milestone in the bakery’s healthier soil journey. Having set the goal in 2022, it has already transitioned more than a quarter of its grain to those grown from healthier soils. This is driven by NPD with a plan in the works to convert existing products to meet this standard. Bread has been at the forefront meaning a strategy is also needed for confectionery items, such as brownies, Hikers Fruit Bars, and millionaire’s shortbread, as well.
Organic vs regenerative
Besides the production and availability issues already discussed, crops grown with healthier soils also have cost implications. “Sourcing regenerative and organic flours does come at a higher cost, posing challenges to margins and pricing for customers,” Herbert explains.
Regenerative has become something of a buzz word in bakery of late. Just last week Eurostar Commodities rolled out a line of regenerative flours with the aim of redefining ‘how the food industry thinks about sustainable production of British flour’. ADM, meanwhile, unveiled Nature’s Gold Regeneratively Sourced Baker’s Bread Flour last year. Wildfarmed, which won 2023 Sustainability Initiative of the Year, has its regeneratively sourced flour used by several major players including M&S, Greggs, and The Bread Factory. It has also taken its proposition direct to consumers with the launch of a Wildfarmed branded bread range in Waitrose in April 2024.
Regenerative has also become a focus for Hobbs House Bakery, but Herbert explains that the business won’t move away from organic flours entirely.
“We have strong ties to the Soil Association and believe organic farming creates healthier soils. However, the organic market has seen limited growth in recent years,” she highlights, noting that an exploration of regenerative farming revealed its significant benefits for soil health and biodiversity.
“Last year we transitioned all our burger buns to regeneratively grown flour, seeing rapid growth in this category. While organic resonates strongly with farm shop customers, regenerative farming appeals to broader audiences and helps diversify their offering,” she adds.
Looking to the future, Hobbs House has a long way to go to meet its goals but is confident the groundwork is being laid to achieve this.
“The goal of ‘knowing our farmer’ remains central, with plans to work closely with local farmers and millers to expand collaborations and ensure farming standards are met,” Herbert adds. “Customers increasingly want to make choices that support the planet, and buying from Hobbs House helps them be part of a journey toward a better future.”
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