Our vision is to create an authentic Sourdough bakery in Bundaberg QLD, educate and invite others to understand the benefits and difference of a slow fermented bread without the need for any commercial yeast. Authentic ancient Bread that is "Perfect Enough" with just Flour, Water and Salt. To achieve this, we will transform the old timber building opposite Riverfeast on the corner of Scotland and Quay St in Bundaberg East, with a view to take a small step back in time and create bread and pastries that our great grand parents enjoyed. Rick will create specialised hand-crafted authentic sourdough bread and true sourdough pastries that you can savour with a view to change the mindset that sourdough doesn't actually have to be sour in taste, but instead full of flavour and a better choice for you than normal commercial yeasted bakery goods. 

The team at The Pocket Storehouse will provide a welcoming and friendly environment where you can enjoy all things Sourdough.

My name is Rick Nelson and I have a passion for all things fermented with Sourdough being top of my list. When I go on a holiday I search first for any true sourdough bakeries and make sure I'm there in time to pick up loaf that's how much I love real sourdough. About 5 years ago I decided to create my own sourdough bread when getting a true fresh sourdough proved impossible in Bundaberg. I started making sourdough for my family and my love of sourdough spread to close friends and then the next thing I knew I was looking to turn my passion into a business after getting the encouragement and support of Amanda and Larry at Indulge Bundaberg.

Amanda and Larry convinced me that I was creating something unique and provided the opportunity for me to trial bake and test the response with their loyal followers and the true bread lovers came out of hiding. A fantastic cultural shift has occurred in Bundaberg to buy local quality produce and to appreciate there is a difference and there is a growing following of anything artisan.

We know you will love our slow fermented bread as it takes more than 24 hours of care, patience and passion to create. We think it's "Perfect Enough" bread, something that should have never messed around with when commercial yeast was introduced.

Do you want a friendly place for a quick catch up with friends and family or maybe that less committed first date over a Macadamia sourdough croissant, a place to take a bike ride or walk to get your Saturday morning Sourdough, blueberry danish, coffee fix..........or yes there's nothing wrong with a lazy drive with the family also for a moment of escaping over an organic cranberry & raisin cinnamon caramel scroll made of course with sourdough, no commercial yeast used ever in our products.

So what ingredients do we need to make True Authentic Sourdough?

Just Flour, Water, Salt and a very large helping of the below:1) Passion
The passion is already in great supply - Rick's passion for sourdough is crazy just ask him and he will tell you; the ever supportive wife Susan is amazing and her cakes and handmade puff pastry are incredible, and our chief taste testers the kids Frazer and Poppy all wanting to ensure we create memories for you of how bread and pastries should be.

2) Pride
Whilst Self taught the Technique developed is inspired by Rick's european baker ancestory and passed down stories in the family of an incredible bread that was long lost so we believed. We are very proud of the years of patience put in to develop our own unique fermented dough the base to all our products and it's a 100% Bundaberg Origin Sourdough Starter. We've learnt to fail a lot before getting it just right realising that you need to have a local sourdough starter that thrives in our unique environment to make it truly work. By capturing the gases in the loaves, by hand shaping, by embracing the local envirnoment we have developed a fluffy soft loaf inside that has a chewy full flavoured crust that will rival even the famous San Francisco Sourdough, in our opinion.

3) Quality Flour
Discussions have taken place with organic wheat and rye growers and stone millers in QLD and NSW as we know the importance of sourcing quality flour.

4) Local Ingredients
Our region is truly amazing and we need celebrate this and use as many local ingredients as possible and these wonderful ingredients are, Rum , Ginger Beer, Sugar, Honey, Macadamias, Tomatoes , Figs, Milk from Baffle Creek, Blueberries, Ham from Tender Sprouted Meats, Ginger, Strawberries, Potatoes, Herbs, and "Pockets" of local producers showing the world how unique Bundaberg is, these local ingredients will feature in the The Pocket Storehouse range of breads and pastries.

5) YOUR SUPPORT!

The most important ingredient is YOUR SUPPORT!

We need your support - so, HOW can you be a part of this exciting project?

We are using Crowdfunding, hosted by Pozible, to enable all of our community to assist in any way they can afford?

We understand that every bit of support helps, no matter how large or small. Crowdfunding lets you help us realise our dream in return for some exclusive rewards.

Sourdough Bread lovers support and interest has been overwhelming via our facebook page, inspiring us to develop a passionate business which will become a part of our region and provide a few extra jobs as this business grows. Everyone who pledges their support will become a free member of the The Pocket Storehouse Sourdough Club, keeping you up to date with progress, news, plans and special offers. We want you to be a part of our project and for you to feel proud and excited to welcome your friends and family to The Pocket Storehouse, which you also helped establish.

www.thepocket.com.au

To get a Classic van for The Pocket Storehouse we need your help to raise $22,000.  

Won't it be nice to come and visit and see the van you helped purchase being used to deliver and promote our world class Sourdough to the regional cafe's,  speciality stores and farmers markets....and beyond?

Up to $7,000 to purchase a van similar to the one in the photo, please see the video of a local van available for sale opposite the public hospital in Bundaberg, this one is for sale for $6,000 and on my search for an old Austin, Morris or even a bedford they will all cost over $20,000 to turn into a vehicle that I can use for safe food transport.

$15,000 mechanical and body work repairs to be roadworthy and approval with the council for use in food delivery, including any sign writing for promotion and those businesses who support this project.

If we do raise more than the $22,000 any surplus will go towards further repairs to the building as it's been through a few floods.

We have already overcome many challenges, it takes a big leap of faith to work towards giving up your regular pay packet for a dream, we know that we are prepared for any challenges the future may (and will) bring. Despite this we have planned, researched and prepared to ensure the success of The Pocket Storehouse.

We have developed a detailed Business Plan in consultation with like minded businesses and industry professionals and are developing a succession plan to prepare us for difficulties that may arise in the future as we don't want the dream to end with us for Bundaberg.