Why our bagels come from Spain.
Many people assume bagels have to be made in New York. Ours come from a specialised bakery in Spain. That sounds odd — until you hear why.
In our kitchen — why Spain.
Let's start with what didn't work.
We started with a plan to bake bagels in Latvia. We tested several local bakeries. The result: bagels came out either too soft (like brioche), or too dense (like rye), or required so many labour hours that a single bagel would cost €15. None worked.
So we looked across Europe.
We visited bakeries in Germany, Poland, Italy and Spain. The Spanish bakery was the only one producing bagels with the right texture — crisp crust outside, soft but dry inside. No preservatives. Right shape and right hole diameter.
Why this specific bakery?
It's specialised in bagels. Has been working with European brands for 20+ years. Their process includes 48-hour fermentation, boiling in honey water, and baking on stone. The same technology used by New York's best bagel bakeries — in an exportable version.
How fresh does the bagel reach you?
We import bagels in vacuum packs, unfrozen, twice a week. At Bulduri and Piņķi we warm them before serving — 90 seconds at 220°C. That restores the crust and keeps the inside soft. From bakery to you — no more than 5 days.
Why can't this happen in Latvia?
It could. But not at a price that works for everyday breakfast. To set up a specialised bagel bakery here, we'd need an order volume 10× larger than what we use. Working with a specialised European bakery is far more efficient and lets us keep the price below €8 for a premium bagel.
Is this a compromise?
Yes and no. The bagel isn't 100% local. But the fillings are — salmon from a Latvian supplier, chicken smoked locally, pineapple from fresh imports, vegetables seasonal. We pick compromises with our eyes open — and the bagel base stays what it is.