Now you don’t have to run down to the bakery for your daily bread. Answering your prayers quite
literally in this case, is the Old Madras Baking Company’s (OMBC) new subscription-based bread box. Rolling out 11 options from the humble country loaf to the Parisian croissant, this month-old service promises a loaf that is no more than a few hours old, with delivery hours beginning as early as 6 am. Baking begins at 2 am across the seven OMBC outlets spread across the city, which we are told serve as the various bases for the operation — depending on which location the delivery is catered to.
Surprisingly, owner Sandesh Reddy reveals that this idea came before the physical outlets did, and has been in the making for over six years now. “If you can have a fresh milk delivery service, why not freshly baked bread?” he queries. The entrepreneur, who is also the man behind Sandy’s Chocolate Laboratory, decided to wait, he says, because back then, when subscription-based meals were unheard of in the city, the business model might have been a tad too nascent.
With options that can be selected or edited any time before 4 pm the day before, the loaves on offer include a milk bread, whole wheat, brioche and sourdough. For a healthier slice, Sweta Garapati who handles business operations suggests the gluten-free bread or cereal loaf, which packs in a solid 11 grains such as flax seed, sesame, barley, oats and kodo millets.
Also popular are the themed bread boxes like the American breakfast (two bagels), the Parisian (two croissants) and the Continental (a croissant, a custard Danish and a Nutella brioche). In addition, we hear that there is a new line of rusks that should be available soon. Preservative-free and natural, each loaf believe it or not is ‘24 hours’ in the making. “In fact, our sourdough (with culture from as far as San Francisco) takes 48 hours to ferment and then four to six hours to proof, before we can pop it into the oven,” Sandesh says. Yep, long hours maketh a breadwinner.
Price: Rs 60 to Rs 190. Deliveries once, twice or thrice a week between 6am and 9am. Orders to be placed by 4 pm the day before. Details: ombc.in
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