Sourdough is now one of the fastest-growing bread varieties in the UK, according to the country's largest grocer, Tesco, which has seen consumer demand grow by nearly 40% in the last year.
The supermarket giant now sells around 100,000 sourdough loaves a week, and it just launched its first-ever sourdough baguette.
Tesco says that it has almost quadrupled its sourdough range over the last five years to meet increasing demand for specialty loaves and artisanal breads.
“Interest in this wonderfully tangy and chewy bread has grown spectacularly in the last few years, and for those that still have not tried it, there is nothing quite like hot, toasted sourdough and butter,” said Alice McConnell, Tesco's bakery buyer.
“Instead of seeing bread as just something to toast or make a sandwich with, more people are beginning to appreciate it as a food to savour, and one that can have many different flavours and complex tastes,” McConnell added.
Tesco now offers a range of sourdough options, including a loaf, bloomer, pavé (so named because it's shaped/textured like a paving stone), baguette, roll, and pitta bread.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
