By Jamie Salter
Good bread, good coffee and good service – that’s the business model for Berwick’s Blanc Bakery which is proving to be wildly popular among locals.
Residents can now get their hands on artisan bread thanks to couple Rachel Goldstein and James McMurray who decided to open up their very own business.
The local pair said it all started when they couldn’t find a good loaf of bread in Berwick.
“That’s when we decided to open a bakery and now I get to bake the bread that I like to eat – sourdough, croissants, bagels,” James said.
“During Covid-19 lockdowns, a lot of people got really interested in the artisan style of baking and are now sharing in that passion.”
The duo have made it their mission to educate people about what goes into quality bread.
“People have a bad perception of it because they eat processed bread full of sugar but when you eat real bread it’s a lot better for you,” James said.
Blanc Bakery champions local ingredients including organic flour from Monbulk, eggs from Officer, and coffee beans from Mornington, but the secret ingredient is butter imported from France.
“Once you have French butter, you can’t go back, the product just isn’t the same,” Rachel said.
Happening upon the Adams Lane venue, the business opened within two months on December 21.
“James ripped off ceiling by himself, we had the floors polished, widened the door to squeeze the ovens in and then did the painting – we never want to pick up a paintbrush again,” Rachel said.
“It was a lot of hard work but a pretty seamless process.”
The business has taken off since it opened its doors with customers lining up along the street to get a taste the buttery, flaky croissants.
The baked goods have been flying off the shelves and the store often often closes early after selling out of its products.
“People are coming back saying it’s the best loaf of bread or croissants they’ve had and that makes it worth it,” James said.
James arrives at Blanc Bakery at 4am to prepare the food, bringing with him 17 years of industry experience.
He started baking at the young age of 15 at a local bakery before completing his apprenticeship at Bakers Delight.
More recently, he was head baker at Burnham Beeches at Sherbrooke for six years.
Rachel and James have been learning as they go while also caring for their 14 month old daughter Penelope.
“It’s a juggle but our family are backing us all the way and we’re forever grateful to them,” Rachel said.
Inspiration for the name of the business came from James’ grandparents surname White, meaning Blanc in French.
“James’ grandparents have always been in our corner backing us every step of the way,” Rachel said.
She said she planned for the business to be a long-standing part of the Berwick community.
“We want to be part of the community and we love seeing people who come in.”
Blanc Bakery is open seven days a week at 14 Adams Lane, Berwick.
