Zeit für Brot, London’s first 100-percent organic German bakery opens in Islington to trade and walk-in customers
Zeit für Brot – which translates as ‘Time for Bread’ – is an all-organic neighborhood bakery founded in Frankfurt in 2009, which actually produces all products on site.
The bakery has been baking right at Oeder Weg in Frankfurt since then and expanded across Germany and now to the UK. From the very beginning, Zeit für Brot has been focused on traditional artisan craftsmanship and sustainability, using only the finest, 100 percent organic ingredients. Today, Zeit für Brot operates 18 locations globally, which includes a newly opened production and retail site in the historic Angel Building in Islington in central London.
While venturing into a new market, the business maintains a very traditional approach to further its dedication to producing high-quality and all organic bakery products, and stay true to its roots.
Its bakeries embrace the essence of traditional (German) bakery craft. Every single product is handmade on site. Through large glass-fronted baking areas, visitors can watch the entire journey of a loaf, from the opening of the sack of flour to its finish in the oven. It is not uncommon to see children, glued to the glass, watching bakers at work.
Indeed, employees welcome the engagement, and are always happy to chat regarding the sourdough process, fostering a genuine connection between the bakery and the community.
“Zeit für Brot was founded by a German master baker with the aim to bring historical German baking back to the city center,” begins Ian Zilberkweit, UK Managing Director. “The company opened its first full-cycle bakery in Frankfurt, serving walk-in and B2B customers, and since then, we have expanded into several other German cities and now London. We bake fresh, by hand, right in the heart of town, bringing real scratch baking back to the high street every day, just like traditional bakers have for generations, and we let you see what we do.”
The name Zeit für Brot captures the ethos of the brand. “It literally means Time for Bread, and this expression genuinely reflects how we work – we give the bread the time, rest and care needed to develop, and that means customers get a beautifully crafted product that they can take time to enjoy,” he continues. “We invest a lot of time, diligence, and craftsmanship into our breads and pastries, and beyond that everything you will find in our bakeries is organically sourced and certified, from the coffee you drink to the sandwiches you eat and the bread you take home.
“So, in a way the name tells our story – too bad it’s so difficult to pronounce for our English speakers!” he laughs.
Prioritizing tradition and quality has led to a range of products that includes many familiar favorites like the ‘Farmer’s Rye’, which is made from rustic rye and spelt flour, lightened by the addition of Zeit für Brot’s in-house sourdough. Baked on stone and refined with a touch of fennel, it is a classic, but there are also exciting options which some people will be less familiar with, such as Kartoffel-Spelt, which combines the sweetness of spelt with the richness of potatoes.
As well as an extensive range of delectable mainly northern European style bread and rolls, the bakery offers classic sweet treats such as banana bread, brownies, croissants, and the wonderful Mandelhorn cookies filled with marzipan.
True to its German heritage, pretzels, and items derived from them are highly visible product lines. Indeed, the pretzel croissant has been an incredibly popular new addition to the London market!
It also offers freshly made sandwiches which celebrate the best in local produce. For example, in the London branch, the sandwich fillings showcase the finest British organic beef, poultry and cheeses.
“We start with seven types of dough each day and hope to end up with products that will satisfy the taste and nutritional needs of our customers or maybe introduce them to a new taste altogether,” Ian explains. “In Germany, we’re famous for our Schnecken which are buns rolled and baked throughout the day with different fillings – cinnamon, dark chocolate, raspberry white chocolate, and plant based varieties. In Islington, they have become a real hit, as they go beyond the usual factory produced and baked off cinnamon buns in many competitors. Ours you can literally see being kneaded, rolled up, baked and then served straight from the baking trays. It does not get fresher than this. However, in London, by far and away our largest selling category is the traditional breads and rolls and there is a real traditional evening peak at around 6:30pm; just as one would hope for a traditional bakery. It makes us very proud to see our loaves make their way to people’s homes and then to see the same customer return a week later.”
Sustainable growth
The company has been expanding steadily in Germany and has taken its first steps into another European country. A member of the Slow Food movement, Zeit für Brot champions protecting traditional and sustainable quality foods, defending the biodiversity of cultivated and wild varieties, as well as methods of cultivation and production that are disappearing due to the prevalence of processed food and industrial agribusiness. 
“We set the bar really high in our commitment to genuine, organic food production,” Zilberkweit affirms, “we use only natural ingredients, and our open bakeries mean that customers can oversee the entire baking process with their own eyes, from mixing the ingredients to shaping the breads and watching them come out of the oven.”
The company’s recent growth (Munich, Duesseldorf, London and soon in Freiburg) reflects an increasing demand for this type of high-quality, refined product using traditional production methods. By fusing a deep tradition with innovative approaches, Zeit für Brot seems well positioned to capitalize on the opportunities presented in an underserved though fast-growing niche.
Zeit für Brot appears to be a cautious company and committed to sustainability also in its growth plans. Investments in developing the skills and experience of its employees are a high priority and major management focus.
“A big milestone is just ahead of us – in our London bakery, we are just about to launch early-morning deliveries to our first retail chain customer which is really exciting,” Ian comments without revealing the name of the customer. “But fundamentally we have to take time to perfect our quality and be certain we understand how we do things best for our London customers before opening any further bakeries in the UK. So that’s a year of work ahead.
“We simply produce straightforward good products; our goal is to maintain a passion for high quality, artisanal and slow baking. That’s the essence of what we do every day. Together this makes the difference you can taste. And we must develop ourselves constantly to permanently achieve this goal. Resting is not an option!” Ian affirms, optimistic for the future ahead. “Over the next three to five years, we hope to be able to provide our products to customers in other regions across the UK. It’s hard to adequately do justice to our bakery in words – please come by, watch our bakers, and try our bread.”
Through a committed focus on what its customers care about – the finest traditional baked goods, and by extension the people that make and serve them – the business has positioned itself to take advantage of a niche that has emerged as people across the globe pay closer attention to what they consume and where it comes from.