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July 1 began much like any other day at Your Local Bakery in Pukekohe – another batch of Sourdough 29 was completed.
However, this loaf wasn’t destined to be served across the business’ counter. Instead, it was delivered to Wellington where it dazzled judges in the 2026 Baking NZ Artisan Bread Competition.
Weighed, measured and not found wanting, when a total of 40 bakeries from throughout the country attempted to prove the worth of their daily bread, Ria Lingad’s sourdough served up the sweet taste of success.
“We thought that if we could make the top ten it would be something we could tell our customers about,” Lingad told the Times. “So, when we found out that we had actually placed third, we were so incredibly blown away!”
While Your Local Bakery has been in business for less than a year, its sourdough has been decades in the making – it required 28 attempts and 20 years for Lingad to perfect her recipe, known as Sourdough 29.
“We’re really happy, very proud of what we’ve come up with and everyone seems to rave about our bread,” she says. “The best part about [the competition result] is feeling validated – it’s not just us and our customers who are saying that it’s a great loaf of bread, the experts agree.”
A key ingredient is specialisation.
“We do croissants, Danishes, focaccia, sandwiches, cookies and, of course, sourdough, but that’s about it,” Lingad says. “Because we have a more limited range, we can focus on these and make them all as best as we can.”
For approximately 20 years, Lingad has been inspired by breadmaking. She has travelled the world exploring a wide range of techniques and recipes. However, despite drawing on such vast experience, good taste can always be refined.
“[Placing third] means we may still have some room for improvement,” Lingad adds. “So, we’ll try again next year and hopefully we will place again or even win next time.”
In the meantime, the team at this Glasgow Road bakery will continue to serve Sourdough 29 across their counters knowing that the proof of their baking is well established.
