“It’s not hard to make a great loaf of bread… the challenge is to make it great day after day”
The European Bakery Queenstown has been making great bread day after day, and for 15 years we have delivered fresh bread to cafes, restaurants, hotels, caterers and retailers in Queenstown, Central Otago and now further south into Invercargill and Dunedin.
The Story
Behind the Bread
European Bakery was founded by Andre and Daniela Schneider, who missed the traditional breads of their European upbringing and saw an opportunity to bring authentic artisan baking to Queenstown.
Their vision was simple: make bread the old-fashioned way. The way that takes time. Time for dough to be mixed, fermented, shaped and baked properly. Time to develop flavour, texture and character. It is a philosophy that remains at the heart of everything we do today.
In 2019, Peter Price and Amanda O’Donoghue took over the European Bakery as long-time admirers of both the product and the values behind it. What began as a passion for great bread quickly became a commitment to preserving and building upon one of Queenstown’s most respected food businesses.
Today, their highly experienced General Manager, Mark Priestley leads the team of dedicated bakers and food lovers who continue to produce the artisan breads, bagels and baked goods that have become a staple in cafés, restaurants, hotels and homes throughout the lower South Island.
At the heart of the bakery is the original sourdough culture developed by Andre more than 20 years ago. Carefully maintained and nurtured every day, it remains the foundation of the sourdough breads European Bakery is known for. It is not only a starter culture — it is part of the bakery’s history and an important link between past and present.
Peter and Amanda’s connection to Queenstown dates back to the late 1980s, when the town was a very different place. Over the years they have built careers, raised a family and remained deeply connected to the community they proudly call home.
Since taking ownership, they have overseen significant investment in the future of the bakery, including the development of a purpose-built production facility and The European Bakehouse — a new retail destination where customers can experience fresh bread, bagels, sandwiches, pastries and coffee directly from the source.
As the bakery behind many of Queenstown’s cafés, restaurants and hotels, European Bakery understands the important role it plays in supporting local hospitality. It is a responsibility the team takes seriously, striving every day to deliver exceptional products, outstanding service and consistency customers can rely on.
While the bakery continues to evolve, the vision remains remarkably simple: make great bread, support great people, and continue creating food worth sharing.
Freshly Baked. Worth Stopping For.
“a satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all”.
our sourdough family
Our fine family of sourdoughs are born out of our 15 year-old 100% naturally cultivated starter, feed and nurtured daily.
classic Italian ciabatta
Our classic Italian ciabatta and the seeded goodness of wholemeal ciabatta are products that deserve their highly regarded place in market.
from turkish to tuscan
No ordinary Turkish bread – our long ferments and double proofs coupled with the best flour makes for a premium light, pillowy, turkish bread.
the french connection
Traditional long fermented French dough made into the classic French Stick and other classic offerings.
grains and
seeds
No matter what your choice in this range you can be assured of a loaf full of flavour and premium ingredients.
traditional
loaves
Nothing says bread like the smell of a traditional loaf of crusty white bread being pulled from the oven.
burgers & buns
We take burger buns seriously, from the traditional flour top to the soft, buttery brioche and a few in between.
bretzels
Made from an original German bretzel recipe, a slightly crisp outer followed by a soft, chewy centre.
bagels
Our bagels are the best, soft but slightly chewy and full of flavour. Although most famously known as the New York Bagel its origins are European.
speciality bread
When the season beacons for something special our bakery is filled with those distinct aromas that trigger the anticipation of the season ahead.
The story behind
our sourdough
Our exceptional family of sourdough bread is made from our inhouse 100% naturally cultivated sourdough starter. The development of the starter, 15 years ago, was the birth of European Bakery Queenstown however the history and genetics are far deeper than this. We are the caretakers of this vital living starter that makes our sourdough one of the best in the country and we take this role seriously.
