Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 44
OPERATIONS SLOW DOUGH BREAD CO.
The makeup
room houses
two production
lines and the
bakery's mixers.
Sanchez knows that frozen is how the company will
grow. He estimates direct-to-restaurant business is
70% of the company's business while 25% goes to
distributors and 5% is foodservice.
" The majority of our revenue is still from our
direct-store-delivery (DSD) business, but that is flat, "
Sanchez explained. " There's not as much growth
because there are only so many restaurants in South
Texas interested in the high-end product that we
offer. Frozen is where the majority of the growth is. "
Through the frozen business, Slow Dough has
expanded into the Southeast and East Coast. The
company is slowly moving to the Midwest with customers
in Nashville, Chicago and even Denver.
Investing in equipment has always been tricky because
of the commitment to slow fermentation and the
delicate cell structure that develops. Sanchez described
their approach to equipment purchases as " mindful. "
" Ciabatta can't go through a piston divider, or
you will destroy everything you built into the dough, "
he said. " It's an interesting balance because we can
stray from slow dough if we abuse the bread with
the wrong divider or even the wrong oven. We're
mindful of it, but we're not shying away from it. "
He noted that equipment supplier companies
have become more mindful of how product interacts
with their machines.
" Thirty years ago, it was all speed and efficiency, "
he said. " But as the macro trends are moving toward
natural and quality, OEMs are recognizing that too. "
Quick and nimble baking
Slow Dough Bread Co. is a semi-automated process
with many manual transfers and some hand-shaping
with equipment enabling volume. Flour is still delivered
in sacks with two to three deliveries a week. It
amounts to 120,000 lbs of flour a week, and Sanchez
realizes the time for a silo is now.
" We're past ready for a silo and a tunnel oven, " he said.
The Houston weather and cost has held him back.
44 Baking & Snack | february 2025 | bakingbusiness.com
In Houston, the humidity requires silos to be housed
indoors or outdoors with a dehumidifier, which drives
up the cost, but it's on the horizon.
Ingredients are hand-scaled, and starter is added
to every product. Starters are made the night before
and stored in a cooler overnight to ferment. The
Teamwork makes the dream work
With the rest of the baking industry
having difficulty finding workers, one would
assume Slow Dough Bread Co. with its
semi-automated process would also be
struggling. Andrew Sanchez, vice president
of operations and sales, said that's not the
case.
" People are happy to work here, so we
find a lot of our new hires through word of
mouth, " he said.
The bakery is well-lit and has airconditioning,
a must-have for Houston's
climate, Sanchez pointed out. Employees
receive extensive training, and management
shows their appreciation by buying lunch
for the staff often, usually from a restaurant
customer. Sanchez estimated that key
management personnel have all been at
Slow Dough for 5 to 7 years - half of the
company's lifespan.
Slow Dough is a young, small company
with 110 employees, so everyone must wear
multiple hats and jump in when needed,
even Sanchez. That, however, has created
a culture that's close-knit, supportive and
attracts those with a strong work ethic. The
team works hard with all employees willing
to go the extra mile to ensure a customer's
order is fulfilled and the bread is made
right.
" Everyone knows each other, and they
collaborate with each other, " Sanchez said.
" People who don't fit get weeded out. "
http://www.bakingbusiness.com
Baking & Snack - February 2025
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baking & Snack - February 2025
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - Intro
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 1
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 2
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 3
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 4
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 5
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 6
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 7
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 8
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 9
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Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 11
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 12
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 13
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 14
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Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 18
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 19
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 20
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 21
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Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 24
Baking & Snack - February 2025 - 25
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https://digitalbs.bakingbusiness.com/sosland/bs/2004_04_01
https://digitalbs.bakingbusiness.com/sosland/bs/2004_03_01
https://digitalbs.bakingbusiness.com/sosland/bs/2004_02_01
https://digitalbs.bakingbusiness.com/sosland/bs/2003_12_01
https://digitalbs.bakingbusiness.com/sosland/bs/2003_11_01
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