We started in 2019 as a group of friends wanting to learn about making sourdough bread. We all have a background in the world of food and a shared philosophy that nutritious food should be available to all.
In the beginning we baked loaves for each other, then we started selling to friends, then more friends. Word got out and we were offered weekly use of a commercial bakery. We quickly upped our bread production and started our pay-what-you-can bread subscription. The vision to make nutritious bread available for all kept growing and we linked up with community projects in Bristol, starting with St Pauls Adventure Playground.
The batches team continued to grow with more volunteers getting involved, and more loaves donated across the city. Then in 2021 we were offered to take on the lease of the bakery and we knew it was an offer we couldn't refuse. A few years and much fundraising later and here we are today. Still baking. Still donating bread and still fighting for food equality in our city.
At Batches Bakery we love nutritious, quality bread. Bread that usually comes with a price tag that for many people is unaffordable. We know there are many complex reasons why good quality food is expensive, but accessibility to nutritious food creates stark divisions in our society.
Around 200,000 households in Bristol currently experience food insecurity (2023/2024 survey). Which means they do not have consistent access to reliable and nutritious food. Experiencing food insecurity has a big impact on many other aspects of life.
At Batches we want to address this inequality by offering affordable bread to all. We use a pay-as-you feel model, removing the economic barrier for low income consumers to access nutritious food. We also donate loaves to other projects in the city that are already working to tackle inequalities around food.
Our bread subscription runs on a weekly basis, on a Monday. The bread is baked and delivered to collection points around the city, fresh out the oven. We currently have collection points in Bedminster, Easton, Fishponds and St George. The bread is made with a carefully selected mix of white and wholegrain flours and fermented using traditional sourdough techniques which maximises nutrition, digestibility and flavour.
Our loaves start their life as grains produced with nature friendly farming practises. We are committed to working with independent mills, including Stoates at Cann Mills in Dorset and Field Bakery and Mill in Bridgewater. We are always striving to learn more about the complexities of working with local and heritage grains. There is much wisdom to be gained from these grains and what they can offer us in terms of flavour, nutrition and diversity.
