Customer Story: Leipomo Salonen Took the Flavor Profile of Shandong Bread to a New Level with Fermented Garlic

When Leipomo Salonen set out to develop a bold new product for its “Flavors of the World” range, inspiration came from Chinese street food culture and the cuisine of Shandong. This led to the idea of a loaf bread in which onion plays the leading role in the dough, bringing bold umami and richness to the product. Fermented garlic ultimately became the key ingredient in achieving the desired flavor profile. 

Ville Korpi, who is responsible for product development baking at Leipomo Salonen, and Production Manager Ville Äijö were closely involved in the journey of the Shandong bread from concept to finished product. The product originated from an initial experimental idea that the team decided to test with confidence. 

Korpi, who previously worked as a chef in the restaurant industry, has been with Salonen since 2022, and the idea for the Shandong bread was his. Äijö, who has worked in various roles at Leipomo Salonen for 18 years, was closely involved in supporting the development process. 

Fermented Garlic Deepened the Flavor Profile 

The product development process lasted a couple of years in total. Initially, the bread was made using atSauce’s garlic flavor paste, on which the recipe was largely built. During development, atSauce announced that it was renewing its product range. Production of the garlic flavor paste was discontinued and replaced with fermented garlic from the Fermented by atSauce product family. 

“It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. While the original flavor paste was smooth and rich, the fermented garlic is on an entirely different level. The garlic became almost creamy, and the flavor gained even more depth”, Korpi explains. 

Garlic often presents challenges in baking due to its natural properties. However, atSauce’s fermented garlic proved to be so well-suited for the application that the team never seriously considered alternatives such as raw garlic during product development. 

Ease of Use in Large-Scale Production 

In the food industry, the usability of ingredients and their ability to integrate into existing production processes are essential. At Leipomo Salonen, atSauce’s fermented garlic fit seamlessly into production and the loaf bread production line. 

“We generally work with softer doughs, so the product fits extremely well. Using it in baking feels completely natural”, Äijö says. 

The wet seasoning from atSauce also brought significant efficiency to large-scale production and dosing. 

“Finding the right dosage for large-scale baking was remarkably quick, and we didn’t have to spend much time testing different amounts. The advantage of the product is the multidimensional, deep, and rich flavor it brings”, Äijö and Korpi explain.

Local Collaboration at the Core 

The collaboration with atSauce began when Leipomo Salonen recognized the potential of a local supplier and decided to reach out. A visit to atSauce’s facilities and the sample jars they received immediately sparked an idea: they simply had to find a way to use the garlic product. Since it did not fit directly into any of their existing breads, they decided to create an entirely new product around it. 

“In hindsight, the fact that the development of the Shandong bread took longer was a good thing. During that time, atSauce introduced this new fermented garlic, and we were able to incorporate it into the recipe right away. The word fermented does not appear on the packaging, though, because the packaging had already been finalized before the fermented product was added to the recipe”, Korpi reveals. 

“It has been extremely easy to communicate with atSauce, and they quickly found packaging solutions that worked for our production needs. You can clearly see their genuine willingness to work with us, and that kind of chemistry is important to us. Locality and proximity are definite advantages as well”, Korpi and Äijö emphasize. 

Looking Ahead with Flavor First 

At Leipomo Salonen, fermented products are seen as having significant potential for future product development as well. When products are developed with flavor as the priority, high-quality ingredients that stand out from the crowd play a crucial role. 

“atSauce has excellent, high-quality ingredients that differ from others on the market. We will most likely continue using their products in future product development projects, whenever we are looking to achieve a specific direction or flavor profile for our products”, Korpi concludes. 

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