"Our bread contains no stabilisers, improvers, pre-mixes or preservatives. In fact our dough proves without any chemical assistance resulting in the development of a unique flavour and texture." Phillippa Grogan

Our mission statement:

Phillippa’s is guided primarily by clean flavours and uses fresh, seasonal ingredients, as well as traditional methods of production. Success depends on the supply of distinctively delicious provisions to discerning customers with informed attentive service.

'Our bread contains no stablisers, improvers, pre-mixes or preservatives. In fact our dough proves without any chemical assistance, resulting in the development of a unique flavour and texture.' Phillippa Grogan.

In our Richmond Bakery, our primary aim is to make great bread. That is, bread that has character. Character in bread is determined by its texture and flavour, which results from a combination of the ingredients used, the production methods employed and the skill of the baker.

With the move towards highly processed foods during the past 100 years and an emphasis on efficient, cost effective production, the flavoursome food has become rare. Complex flavours have gone. Instead, salt and sugar are used in an attempt to compensate for the resulting one dimensional flavours.

At our bakery we have therefore looked to traditional production methods in the manufacture of breads in an effort to regain those complex flavours.

Firstly, by using old-fashioned natural ingredients rather than modern ingredients such as improvers, pre-mixes and stabilisers, we are able to produce breads with more fully developed flavours.

By using our own recipes we control the quality of the raw ingredients, using only triple A grade quality ingredients.

Secondly, techniques such as using 'time-dough's, i.e. slowly proving the dough, enable us to develop more complex flavours and to produce a loaf with a delightfully chewy texture and better keeping qualities.

The instant burst of heat obtained by baking directly on the ceramic floor of the oven, (rather than on modern trays) has a significant effect on the texture of the crust and the crumb of each loaf.

Best results from a long maturing process are evident with complex flavours that have had time to develop.

Breads made with a naturally long maturing stage may vary with the change in the seasons and can be less uniformly consistent but will inevitably possess a more interesting texture and flavour.

This seasonality and variation is to be welcomed in place of a predictably uniform loaf but may require an amount of re-education if staff and customers are to appreciate that the price you pay for character may be consistency.

Highly 'processed' foods have sacrificed flavour in the pursuit of consistency and convenience. We support the individual character of our products.