The Village Bakery launches the first compostable bread bags

Trust the Village Bakery to be the first bakery to pack its breads in completely biodegradable and compostable bags! Now not only are their breads organic, made without additives and baked using renewable energy but the packaging naturally decomposes!

The clever little bags are made from Mater-bi film that will break down to carbon dioxide, water and organic humus with no toxic residue. The Mater-bi film contains raw materials from both renewable and sustainable sources and contains non-genetically modified starch.

And even more good news! The Village Bakery is launching two new breads in the compostable bags - scrumptious Honey and Sunflower Bread and a delicious Spelt Bread. Spelt has been around for years (about 5000 if you believe the history buffs) and is often found to be a whole lot easier to digest by the wheat intolerant. The Village Bakery Organic Spelt bread has an irresistible full-flavoured nuttiness made simply with flour, water, yeast, sea salt and just a spoon full of molasses for sweetness and a drop of olive oil for moistness. The Village Bakery Honey & Sunflower loaf is as near to a slice of sunshine as you can get. The dough is infused with olive oil, sweetened with honey and smothered with whole sunflower seeds resulting in a moreishly moist loaf that brings breakfast to life and takes the chill off the British weather.

The Village Bakery believes that in breadmaking time equals flavour, so it lets its doughs rise slowly. This lets them develop a rounded background taste. Most of the breads are based on a slow fermentation using flour and water to form a sourdough. This is then used to leaven the bread and enhance its flavour and digestibility.

You won�t see any mention of �improvers�, emulsifiers or preservatives in Village Bakery breads. The Village Bakery believe that bread should be made with ingredients that contribute to positive health � which is why it also rejects the use of enzyme based crumb softeners and shelf life extenders. Real bread doesn�t stay soft forever; its character matures with age and can be refreshed by warming through.

All Village Bakery breads are baked in ovens fired with renewable fuel. Plant fuels produce as much oxygen while they are growing as the carbon dioxide they emit when we burn them. Less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere means a reduced threat of damaging climate change.

Initially, five breads in the Village Bakery range will be packaged in the compostable bags with the rest of the range following shortly. The two new breads, along with Organic Rye, Organic Rye with Coriander and Organic Country bread, will be packed in the compostable bags. The Village Bakery breads are available in selected retailers, good health food stores, mail order 01768898437 and on-line www.village-bakery.com.

So get composting with the Village Bakery!

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Note to editors: The Village Bakery breads are baked to Soil Association standards for organic food and farming. Organic agriculture is a legally controlled system which aims to deliver healthy food by working with nature and restricting the use of synthetic fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides. Produce is traceable from field to table and should be minimally processed to maximise integrity.

Artisan baking celebrates the role of the individual not industrial values of scale. The Village Bakery bakers use their senses to produce our bread: a healthy nose to test the fermentation; a skilful touch to knead mould and shape; and an experienced eye to tell that the bread is ready for baking and just right when it comes out of the oven. The best things take thought and care; engage your senses and enjoy.

For further information: Sian Bevan/Tanya Schreuder Richmond Towers Communications Ltd Telephone: 020 7388 7421 Email: sian@rt-com.com