UK baker sells bread to French

The French often buy a fresh loaf of bread every day

France may be famed for its fabulous bread but a British baker has secured a surprising contract - to ship thousands of loaves across the channel.

It is not the first request from France for the baking firm, based in the South Yorkshire town of Barnsley.

"I nearly fell off my chair laughing," said director John Foster. "Asking a Brit to make French sticks?"

They will ship some 7,000 soft white loaves for use in toasted sandwiches to France every few months.

Mr Foster, of Foster's Bakery, said he thought that French bakers' strict adherence to tradition was why suppliers seeking a different kind of bread had to turn further afield.

Question of culture

"Perhaps the French bakers weren't willing to be flexible, whereas the good old Brits, we want to please our customers," Mr Foster said.

He explained that he got his very first order from a French firm complaining that locally made baguettes went stale too quickly.

"We are selling a square brioche product for making croque-monsieur," Mr Foster said.

The square-shaped loaves of bread, purchased by caterers and restaurants, will be used to make croque-monsieurs, a hot ham and cheese sandwich snack.

Sandrine Huguot, head of press for the traditional French baking chain, Paul, said there was no reason why British bakers could not make bread to the same enviable standard as their French counterparts.

"We have nothing against our English friends, if they respect the ingredients, use them in the same way, with the same culture, then why not?" she said.

"But for us French consumers, bread that lasts two months simply does not exist," she added.