Bread flour sales soar to six tonnes in the four months of lockdown for Northampton wholesaler

A local business that specialises in wholesale ingredients as well as environmentally friendly products has reported a huge rise in baking products sales during lockdown.

Daily Bread Co-operative, which has a shop in Bedford Road, saw a huge increase in products such as yeast, bread flour and baking flour from March to June.

Bread flour sales more than doubled and the company produced almost six tonnes in four months.

General online and telephone sales also increased to more than double, so much so that Daily Bread had to turn to Heygates Flour and Animal Feed to make sure the supply could meet demand.

John Clarke, the longest serving member, said: “It is funny to think that we have never sold a Daily Bread ready-made loaf in our entire forty year history, so I’m really glad to think that, when our customers found their usual supply was limited, and they turned to baking their own, we were able to help when they needed us.

“Indeed, at one point the entire county must have smelled of freshly baked bread because our yeast sales also increased tenfold and, again, when we were unable to source pre-packed supplies, we bought in bulk and dispensed into smaller quantities.

“Overall we have seen our online and phone sales for both delivery and collection more than double and so we’re incredibly grateful to Heygates and to our other local producers and suppliers for keeping us in stock.

“Now that we’re getting back towards our pre-outbreak opening times, we look forward to safely welcoming back those customers who wish to return to the shop, who will thankfully see our shelves packed with all of their favourite goodies.”

As lockdown restrictions ease, Daily Bread’s shop in Bedford Road has now extended its hours to 9am-1pm and 2pm-5pm, Monday to Saturday.

The company was also supposed to be celebrating its fortieth year of trading this year, but those celebrations have been postponed due to the pandemic.

Instead plans for a ‘40+1’ party in 2021 are already underway.

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