Tallbearded wrote: "The fact is, they could produce it Australia using Australian labour and ingredients and still make a comfortable profit."

Yes, Coles didn't make the choice to use overseas-made bread products to be able to offer customers a lower cost product. They deceived customers about the bread products origin and it being fresh baked today and sold it a normal or slightly higher price (compared to other stores).

A year or two ago WW had 'fresh' bread products in their bakery (in the cabinets) clearly labeled as product of Germany. That at least gives customers the info to decide whether they want to buy overseas made bread products or not.

Does Bakers Delight use bought in frozen dough? I know someone that works there so will ask them next time I see them.

http://www.bakersdelight.com.au/whatwebake/frequently-asked-questions/

".......Find out all you need to know about our bread, freshly baked from scratch in our bakeries.." Bakers Delight.

My son is a Baker/Pastrychef who used to work in Woolworths but left about 3 1/2 yrs ago some time after they started bringing in frozen cakes, premade biscuits ect from the Eastern States. At that stage they still made the bread in store from premixed ingredient bags. At that time it was Woolies aim to have less qualified staff to maximise profits, they thought nothing of bringing in unqualified people who would pick the brains of the qualified staff and wallah about 4 weeks later they were doing the work of qualified staff. When he started they used to make most of the stuff instore, no longer the case.....He used to tell me how must it cost to make a loaf of bread, there was a lot of profit in it. At one time the home brand loaves came from the bigger bakeries like TipTop, don't know if that is still the case. I would not be buying an 87c loaf of bread.

Roserobin it's the same with their butchers, my son is a butcher, what they do at coles and woollies isn't butchery its just glorified meat packing now!

 Muggsy I know that has happened with the butchers lately, a real shame, it's all about the almighty dollar.

http://www.goodfood.com.au/good-food/food-news/woolies-coles-slash-storebrand-bread-to-85162-in-disc...

I make my own bread. Works out to be about 50c loaf.

 

But then I only make small loaves.  Suits the 2 of us.

Make two, freeze one.

 

French bread does not involve eggs - only flour, water, yeast, salt and sugar

No cost really.

 

'Artisan' breads simply means making it look fancy - flour dusting on top,

fancy shapes etc.  We don't like the seeded bread.

 

Rye is slighly more expensive, because rye flour is more expensive.

But you don't use rye flour on it's own. It's mixed with plain flour.

But I still can make it for about $1 a loaf.  Again make two freeze one

 

Oh, and I'm not that good - I use a bread maker for the hard work of

kneading and proving,   But then I shape it, prove it again and then bake

it in the oven.

 

             

Stawka, I think of "artisan" bread as being "made by hand from scratch".

I just looked for a good definition and I couldn't find one, but I did find this recipe:

http://leitesculinaria.com/93789/recipes-5-minute-artisan-bread.html

I don't know how it works with no sugar???

I posted my own recipe for quick home made bread here a while back ... that is so yum!!! No kneading (really), takes an hour from start to eating.

Artisan' breads simply means making it look fancy 

 

I can't agree with that.

 

An artisan  is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates things by hand.

 

The following is about an Artisan bakery near where I live. They also sell their products at markets and in some small supermarkets.

 

The Berry Sourdough Bakery and Cafe isn't your average bakery. They have an Alan Scott oven, a mixer, a crew of talented bakers on the bench and all loaves are hand crafted with no moulding machinery used.

Doughs are mixed slowly, rested for three hours, shaped and set to rise in willow baskets. When ready they are loaded onto a peel and slashed on their way into the wood fired oven. The range includes whole wheat, rye, multi grain, spelt levain blanc, olive, brioche, baguette and fruit.

There is no comparison between that Artisan bread and bread sold in supermarkets or most bakeries.