WATCH: Mario The Bread Guy serves healthy bread
While in the world of engineering he built a pizza oven and then found his niche in his newly acquired hobby.
He basically fell in love with baking, and soon baking bread was his newfound passion. Mario de Matos (58) from Linmeyer is an engineer by profession who worked in the industry for close to 30 years.
As an engineer, Mario was always technically minded and likes finding patterns, streamlining things and making things efficient.
The Bread Guy
With his newfound hobby, his family made sure that as a birthday gift he went on a course to learn to bake bread.
“For many years I was no longer enjoying the corporate world and with the tools of the trade to bake sourdough bread, I decided to resign.
“My passion was my driving force and I knew I could get into the market. I saw a niche in the bread market and I made sure I chose a top brand flower to start making my bread. “I wanted to make healthy European bread which people will enjoy, and so The Bread Guy was established,” explained De Matos.
Before he started the business, he studied a couple of books and learnt just how important it was for every ingredient to be just right to bake a perfect bread.
“I use unbleached organic flour. Almost all our bread are sourdough breads, which means we ferment the bread for at least 12 hours and the whole process takes 24 hours. The sourdough is what packs our bread with a distinctive flavour.
“Our bread is healthy, especially for people who suffer from gluten intolerance.”
Setting up shop
Mario soon started to develop other recipes and experiment with a new taste to the breads he back. When his family loved it he new he had the go-ahead. He knew he was ready to offer the south of Johannesburg top quality, healthy bread.
“My daughter, Savana, and my wife, Delilah, assisted me with the business, from registering it and starting building. “We have a back cottage and we decided we could use that for business purposes.” This was revamped into a little bakery.
They started selling bread at organic markets and selected stores.
But this is not where it ended for Mario. He now supplies Meat World Comaro Crossing and also The Italian Cheese Distributor on Hythe in Glenvista. “We are grateful for the tremendous growth we are showing and the recognition we are gaining. I did not expect it.”
Locked down
Yet, like so many other businesses they were also hit by lockdown and panic set in because their biggest income was from the markets.
“Hearing that everything is shutting down was nerve-wracking but again, we were fortunate enough to be classified as an essential service and we were granted permission to carry on with the business.”
They had to change the business model because of the lockdown and adapted their selling days at markets to order and delivery system where they would go out and deliver the bread.
“I would say Covid-19 helped us to be where we are today. I even managed to hire one employee to come and bake with us. And we advertise through word of mouth and via social media,” said de Matos.
They hope they will keep the south of Johannesburg and South Africa healthy and well-fed.
“I also want to thank everyone who has been supporting us. Without them we wouldn’t be where we are today,” he said.
You can follow them on Facebook: The Bread Guy JHB and Instagram: @thebreadguylinmeyer or call on 067 133 7445.
