- Title: Back to basics: wood-fired oven shields French baker from soaring energy costs
- Date: 5th January 2023
- Summary: CHALLANS, FRANCE (JANUARY 5, 2023) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BAKERY EMPLOYEE AND DAUGHTER OF BAKER PUTTING BREAD ON DISPLAY EXTERIOR OF BAKERY SIGN READING (French): “The Authentic wood-fired oven†VARIOUS OF BAKER, FRANCK BURGAUD, PREPARING OVEN FOR BREAD-MAKING BURGAUD TAKING FIREWOOD IN YARD FIREWOOD VARIOUS OF BURGAUD PUTTING FIREWOOD IN OVEN FIREBOX WOOD BURNING AND DOOR CLOSING VARIOUS OF BURGAUD TAKING COOKED BREAD OUT OF OVEN (SOUNDBITE) (French) BAKER WHO USES WOOD-FIRED OVEN, FRANCK BURGAUD, SAYING: “The cost of a day’s worth of bread (using wood as an energy source) is between 20 and 25 euros (21-26$ USD), so it remains less than with electricity. Wood (prices) have risen by 3 to a maximum 5% over the last year. This is not even remotely close to the electricity prices and, in case of power outage, a wood-fired oven will always work.†BURGAUD CLOSING FIREBOX FLAMES SEEN THROUGH HOLES IN DOOR BURGAUD OPENING OVEN BURGAUD PREPARING FIRE FOR COOKING ENGRAVING ON OVEN SHOWING BAKERS AT WORK (SOUNDBITE) (French) BAKER WHO USES WOOD-FIRED OVEN, FRANCK BURGAUD, SAYING: “We chose this way of cooking bread for its authenticity. It really is another way of making bread than traditional electric cooking. It’s about going back to the roots and work on the bread as best as possible.†BAKERY THERMOMETRE SHOWING OVEN TEMPERATURE IN DEGREES CELSIUS WOOD BURNING BURGAUD STOKING FIRE (SOUNDBITE) (French) BAKER WHO USES WOOD-FIRED OVEN, FRANCK BURGAUD, SAYING: “(Prices for) everything have risen up to 100%. Eggs cost almost twice as much, butter is up by 50%, flour has risen a lot as well. Flour now costs 15 to 20% more than before. The problem at the moment is that all the raw materials have seen their price significantly increase, in addition to energy costs. It is unbearable. On the long term, we’re in the dark. It is truly worrying.†VARIOUS OF BURGAUD TAKING BREAD OUT OF OVEN TAG FOR BREAD READING (French): “Rustic bread†BURGAUD'S DAUGHTER SERVING CUSTOMER BURGAUD'S DAUGHTER PUTTING EPIPHANY CAKE ON DISPLAY
- Embargoed: 19th January 2023 15:00
- Keywords: Ukraine baguette bread electricity energy firewood natural gas war
- Location: CHALLANS, FRANCE
- City: CHALLANS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Commodities Markets,Europe,Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA001056505012023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Traditional wood-fired bread-making is helping shield one French baker from sky-rocketing energy costs.
Franck Burgaud, who owns the only such bakery in the town of Challans, in western France, had not anticipated the current state of things when he opened 23 years ago.
"We chose this way of cooking bread for its authenticity," he said. "It's about going back to the roots and work on the bread as best as possible."
Thanks to his preference for wood, the baker, who works with his wife and daughter, has been saving big on energy bills.
While many of his colleagues are teetering on the brink of financial collapse, Burgaud says the cost of firewood has only risen by 3 to 5% over the past year.
"This is not even remotely close to the electricity prices and, in case of power outage, a wood-fired oven will always work," he told Reuters.
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on Tuesday (January 3) urged power suppliers to do more to help the country's small and medium-sized businesses cope with rising power costs.
He also also said the state would write to France's 33,000 bakers to detail the existing and future help they can expect, while announcing bakery power contracts could now be reviewed on a "case by case" basis depending on each bakers' situation.
But even as his energy source has shielded him from significant costs, Franck Burgaud still feels the impact the war in Ukraine has on his business.
"(Prices for) everything have risen up to 100%. Eggs cost almost twice as much, butters are up by 50%, flour has risen a lot as well," he said.
"On the long term, we're in the dark. It is truly worrisome."
(Production: Stephane Mahe, Manuel Ausloos) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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