Country bakery Juurilla: A passion for sourdough bread

Traditional bread made with sourdough

Johanna Koskela runs a bakery in Pinsiö, Pirkanmaa. She says she is a nurse by profession, but became hooked on baking with sourdough during her maternity leave. "I got hooked on baking and started baking more sourdough bread. I baked so much that I had to think about where to put all the bread," Johanna laughs.

She says she got to know REKO and wanted to see how the bread would sell. "I sold bread at REKO and got a lot of feedback. People liked my bread and wanted to buy more," the entrepreneur recalls. Johanna says she started her bakery in 2020. "The feedback I got at REKO made me feel that I should try my hand at baking," she says.

She says she only bakes sourdough bread and does not produce other baked goods, such as sweet breads. "Industrial bread sold in stores all tastes the same. I love bread, but industrial bread often causes bloating," she says.

She says she discovered sourdough and learned how to bake bread using traditional methods. “Sourdough bread tastes different and has different nutritional values compared to industrial bread. In sourdough bread, the grain is also in a more digestible form, as it has been fermented. This means that the bread does not cause bloating or stomach cramps," Johanna sums up.

The entrepreneur says she started baking in her kitchen at home, but has since renovated her garage into a bakery. "There wasn't enough space in my kitchen at home, as I also had to cook meals for my family in the same space. The garage was being used as an office at the time, so I sought funding and completely renovated it. The bakery now has about 30 square meters of space," Johanna explains.

The entrepreneur plans to continue baking at home for the time being, but she does not rule out the possibility of expanding her business and hiring employees in the future. "At the moment, it's good to work as an entrepreneur here at home," Johanna says.

The entrepreneur says she still sells some of her bread at REKO, but only a few times a year. She says that her bread is widely available in stores in the Pirkanmaa region. "The bread is sold in almost all K-Citymarkets in Pirkanmaa, Tampere Market Hall, Juustoportti in Ylöjärvi, Herkkujuustola in Sastamala, and some S-Group stores. In the summer, the bread is also sold in summer cafés," the entrepreneur sums up.

Johanna talks about the much-requested smaller loaf size currently under development: “I have been asked for a smaller loaf size that would be suitable for smaller households. I have started designing the product, and the smaller loaf will go on sale in the fall." The delivery destinations and delivery dates for Maalaisleipomo Juuri can be found on the bakery's website.

Johanna talks about the much-requested smaller loaf size that is currently being developed: “I have been asked for a smaller loaf size that would suit smaller households. I have started designing the product, and a smaller loaf will be available for sale in the fall." The delivery locations and delivery dates for Maalaisleipomo Juuri bread can be found on the bakery's website.