The Rise of Sourdough as Bakeries Turn to Advanced Process Lines
Sourdough has evolved from a specialist artisan product into an everyday favourite for many UK consumers. Steve Merritt, Managing Director of European Process Plant Ltd (EPP) and specialist in supplying bakery equipment, explains they are seeing first-hand, how the demand has accelerated rapidly across supermarkets, in-store bakeries, craft bakeries, and food service operators. Driven by shoppers seeking better flavour, natural ingredients, and the perceived health benefits of long fermentation. As demand grows, bakeries are increasingly turning to advanced automated process lines to scale production without compromising on quality.
Advanced Sourdough Processing
EPP specialise in designing and delivering fully integrated sourdough production lines tailored to the specific needs of each bakery. The EPP equipment portfolio covers the entire bread-making process, from mixers, dough forming and sheeting lines, through to continuous proofers, ovens, automated scoring systems, packing and much more for a complete bread processing solution.
The bakery equipment that EPP supplies are engineered to handle the unique requirements of sourdough, including careful dough handling, fermentation control, and consistent shaping and baking. This enables bakeries to achieve reliable quality and throughput, even as production volumes increase.
Sourdough’s Rapid Market Growth
With consumer interest continuing to rise, research shows that 68% of UK consumers now purchase sourdough products. This shift is reflected in retail performance, with sourdough now accounting for approximately one in every 13 bread products sold in the UK[1]. Notably, newer brands such as Jason’s Sourdough are outperforming long-established manufacturers, with Jason’s now ranking third[2] among the UK’s top five bread brands.
Major retailers are reporting particularly strong growth. With Tesco alone, sourdough volumes have increased by more than 40% over the last year, resulting in an additional 14 million sourdough items sold[3]. From EPP’s perspective, this growth is not a short-term trend but a structural shift in consumer expectations around bread quality and provenance.
Scaling Sourdough Production Without Compromise
As sourdough becomes mainstream, bakeries face the challenge to increase output while preserving the characteristics that make sourdough distinctive. Extended fermentation times, delicate dough structures, and the need for consistent handling all place pressure on traditional production methods.
Increasing numbers of bakeries recognise that automation is essential to meeting this challenge. Rather than replacing craftsmanship, the right process lines enable greater control, repeatability, and efficiency, allowing sourdough to be produced at scale while maintaining its artisan qualities.
Steve further explains, “Sourdough is one of the most demanding doughs to work with, particularly when bakeries are trying to scale production. What we’re seeing is a clear shift towards automation that supports long fermentation and gentle dough handling, rather than forcing sourdough into systems that weren’t designed for it.”
Supporting the UK’s Sourdough Evolution
With thousands of machines operating across the UK, EPP works closely with bakeries of all sizes to help modernise operations, expand capacity, and future-proof production. EPP’s experience across both industrial and craft bakery environments means the team understand the balance required between efficiency and product integrity.
“As sourdough continues to grow in popularity, bakeries need equipment that works with the dough, not against it,” adds Steve. “Our role at EPP is to provide solutions that give bakers confidence they can scale their operations while staying true to the quality their customers expect. The team remain committed to supporting the next phase of sourdough’s evolution with efficient, reliable, and high-quality automated bakery solutions.”
To find out more about EPP’s wide range of bakery equipment solutions, please visit www.eppltd.co.uk.
[1] https://uk.qualityfoodawards.com/QFA2025/en/node/newsarticle-tesco-and-qfa-winning-jason-s-sourdough-lead-surge-as-uk-sales-of-sourdough-bread-double?type=NewsArticle
[2] https://bakeryinfo.co.uk/retail/jasons-sourdough-overtakes-kingsmill-to-become-britains-third-biggest-bread-brand/713110.article
[3] https://www.tescoplc.com/the-rise-of-sourdough-to-become-the-uk-s-fastest-growing-bread-variety/