Bread winners

With Speciality and ethnic bread taking a 23.6 per cent share of the total bread market - worth £2.8 billion) and growing - Bakehouse has launched eight different speciality and ethnic bake-off bread lines to meet the demand in this sector.

The company plans to roll out two to three additional lines a month for the next six months. The initial launch range comprises: Baguette Levain (250g) - a traditional hand crafted baguette; Pav‚ Polka (400g) - a hand cut loaf from Provence: Hazelnut and Raisin Boule (400g) - made with raisins and hazelnut halves; Rosemary and RaisinNavette (300g) - filled with raisins and chopped rosemary and topped with a whole sprig of rosemary; Walnut Navette (290g), filled with walnut pieces. This can be served with cheese; Fougasse (400g and 250g) - hand crafted and cut to give its attractive shape; Black Olive Fougasse (250g) - the traditional hand cut shape, filled with black olive halves; Organic Sunflower Bread (290g) - a traditional loaf from the Loire region, packed with organic sunflower seeds.

All the breads are supplied 80 per cent baked and frozen. They only require a ten minute flash-bake in the oven. This means breads can be baked off quickly and easily and served throughout the day. The breads are versatile and apart from using in bread baskets or sandwiches, they can be served in many different ways. For example:

Organic Sunflower Bread can be buttered and served with honey. Walnut Navette and Pave Polka can be sliced and toasted for breakfast and served with marmalade. Baguette Levain can be served with bowls of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping, while Black Olive Fougasse can be served with olive paste.

Supplier: Bakehouse