The Canola Oil Conundrum
Alrighty - so we actually get A LOT of feedback from people about our use of the Non GMO Project Verified Expeller pressed Canola Oil in some of our products so we thought, hey, let's talk about it!
Firstly, we use the Non GMO Project Verified Canola Oil in 1 of our 11 sliced breads and definitely in some of our other baked goods. We are going to be super candid with you on our reasoning so congratulations, you are getting a special sneak peek behind the curtain!
LEGACY FAVORITES
The first real answer to why we use it is simply because it is in a bunch of our legacy products - items we have been baking for 15+ years. To change it would be tough but not impossible. However we do have customers who LOVE the products that contain canola oil and making a change is a little dicey as there would be a pretty dramatic change in both taste and texture.
THE SEARCH CONTINUES
The next answer is that we have tried A TON of other oils with these products and NONE of them work as well as the Non GMO Project Verified Canola oil. For real, if we could find an alternative oil that kept taste and texture the same AND was not 4x as expensive as what we're currently using, we would switch in a heartbeat! Seriously, the cost of some of these oils would need to make the items well over $20 each for it to financially make sense. That price point is something that would make literally not be possible for most of our customers.
POPULAR OPINION
And finally, when it comes to oils - it is a minefield and everyone has their own, violent opinion on which oils are optimal. We have people who would RAGE at us for using olive oil or coconut oil or avocado oil and so and so forth. New research comes out every week and BAM suddenly we're in the wrong AGAIN.
So all of that to say, the answer isn't simple but thankfully we are a bread bakery first and with 10 or our 11 breads not having Canola oil, there are plenty of options for everyone.
One final note, you have been heard! If we get to a point where we are able to launch new items, we will take all of the comments or criticisms into consideration when we formulate new recipes. Those are days I am hopeful to be seeing very soon, so stay tuned!
Thank you again for clicking on this link and giving us an opportunity to share our hearts and our reasoning behind our ingredients! I sure hope this helps give you a better idea of our big picture and the many things in which we have to balance all the time in order to survive!
Take care!
Nicole & Nick
The 3rd Generation of Berlin Natural Bakery
the little bakery that could! 🙂