Northern Irish Yellow Door Bakery looks to ancient grains for bread

Yellow Door, Northern Ireland's leading artisan bakery, has signed up for the Real Bread campaign and is researching ancient grains for baking healthy bread.

The bakery, which has won a series of accolades, including UK Great Taste Awards, for its hand crafted breads and other products, is headed by Simon Dougan, one of Northern Ireland's most respected chefs, who was also awarded an MBE in the Queen's New Year Honours for his contribution to the local food industry.

Mr Dougan, founder and managing director of the family-owned bakery and deli business, says the company, which is based in Portadown, county Armagh, has been baking real bread since 1997. It had decided to join the Real Bread campaign formally because of the growing interest in bread baked without additives and preservatives among its customer base and particularly around the great Dublin area of the Republic of Ireland.

"Great bread doesn't need a host of ingredients. It just takes four basic ingredients -flour, water, yeast and a little bit of salt. We've been researching ancient grains for use in new breads we are planning in addition to our existing sourdoughs and rye, the latter becoming increasingly important.

We've noticed a significant market move towards grain loaves and other breads which are regarded as healthier than some sliced white breads.

"We don't use any additives or preservatives and haven't done for a great many years. Consumers won't find flour improvers, dough conditioners, preservatives, chemical leavening (baking powder, Bi-carbonate of soda), any other artificial additive or the use of pre-mixed ingredients in our breads. Our flour is not treated with bleach.

"We intend to step up production of these grain breads for all our markets including the extensive catering services we provide," he adds.

Real Bread Ireland is a support network of real bread bakers and others whose aim is to support Ireland's real bread bakers and to make it easier for consumers to find
Yellow Door has experienced significant growth in the Republic of Ireland over the past five years.

The artisan bakery, which launched a major sales drive in the Republic in 2009, has seen its sourdough and rye breads in particular secure substantial business in foodservice especially from high-end hotels, such as The Merrion in Dublin city centre, and leading restaurants and cafes in the greater Dublin area.

Formed in 1993 by top chef Simon Dougan, the Yellow Door Bakery is an award winning bakery that is now seeking to build on its success in Ireland by following up inquiries from potential customers in Great Britain from its success in winning a string of golds in the UK Guild of Fine Food's Great Taste Awards and its participation at events such as the Speciality and Fine Food shows.

"All our breads, both traditional Irish and international, patisserie products and savouries are handmade in our bakery from only the finest locally sourced ingredients including fruit and vegetables that we grow ourselves. This means that customers can count on the provenance of all our products."

Pic Caption: Simon and Gary Dougan of the Yellow Door Bakery.