Keys to production

Production begins at 7 a.m. with preparation of poolish and levain starters, feeding sourdough starters and scaling raw ingredients, such as dried fruit, nuts, whole grains, eggs, vegetable oil and honey, for the next day's production. “We feed the starters at the same time every day and use the same water temperature,” Yankellow says. “This is where good bread flavor begins.”

Mixer operators draw water from the bakery's water treatment system. Initial bread tests revealed that Phoenix water has high pH, or alkaline, levels, which yield sourdoughs lacking needed acidity. “More frustrating, the levels change, becoming more acidic after heavy rains during the monsoon season in August and September,” Yankellow adds. High mineral content also would clog water lines in the proofers and ovens.

The treatment system first removes chlorine. One line goes to a softener and then to a water heater; another line carries water to a reverse osmosis unit to eliminate minerals. That water goes to proofers and the deck oven.

A water meter portions volume and adjusts temperature to accommodate the desert's seasons. To achieve a targeted 75°F dough temperature, bakers add 55°F water during summer and 75°F water during winter. Mixed doughs ferment in tubs for two to three hours in the climate-controlled conditions.

Investment in equipment

Bakers divide bread doughs with pneumatic dividers, which minimize abuse of the dough. Divided pieces rest 20 minutes before the bakers shape them by hand. “Both methods help to maintain the desired interior texture of the finished product,” Yankellow observes.

The bakery installed a four-pocket roll divider after sales of challah twists took off. “We can run doughs with tight crumb, like challah and hamburger buns, and this divider won't abuse the dough,” he says. “It paid for itself within three or four months.”

Yankellow selected two one-belt baguette moulders that roll pieces along a stationary plate. They simulate rolling dough pieces by hand on a bench, he says, and thus are gentle to the dough.

Bakers place shaped floured loaves into wood bannetons, or bentwood willow baskets, for proofing. Wood baskets impart superior crust patterns because the dough surface dries sufficiently to allow flour to uniformly adhere to the loaf, Yankellow notes.

Nine out of 10 different loaves pass through a retarder/proofer, proofing at 62°F and 85 percent to 90 percent humidity. Much trial and error went into identifying the proper settings, he says. Sourdough items proof from five to eight hours; yeasted loaves proof from one to three hours.

Bakers also use the retarder/proofer to help control production. Baking capacity is limited to a four-deck, eight-door oven for crusty products and two double-rack ovens for pan breads, challah, hamburger buns, focaccia and other products. When the ovens become backed up, bakers hold proofing product as needed.

Lack of sufficient oven capacity largely precipitated the current remodeling project, which will add nearly 8,000 sq. ft. This will increase the mixing room, add proofing and retarding capacity, accommodate a second deck oven and third rack oven, and relocate the shipping dock. In addition, a detached refrigerated storage facility, constructed in 2006, will be expanded. The project is scheduled for completion no later than September.

The expansion will allow the bakery to keep up with demand, Back says, as he and Yankellow pursue their plan to construct the 100,000-sq.-ft. facility by June 2009.

The facility will produce frozen par-baked products and expand Simply Bread's reach, Back says. Target markets will continue to be upscale resorts and hotels located within a six-hour distribution radius of Phoenix. “That will put us within reach of Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Diego and Flagstaff,” he explains. “Destination properties there attract educated, affluent, sophisticated clientele who appreciate what we offer.”

The existing facility will continue to operate, producing shorter-run fully baked items, such as custom items and special products for special needs, Back adds. “Time will be our biggest challenge — to expand quickly without disrupting production,” Back says. “We've developed a very delicate ballet of a schedule to ensure this.”

Observers have told Back that building such a large plant will take away from the high quality that Simply Bread has established. To that he responds, “We have a simple mission: to produce great bread. And, we will do this most effective way we can.”