On Saturday August 9, Lutz Richter and Rebecca Foley will lift the lid on Sprout Artisan Bakery’s brand-new production facility and retail space at Craft’d Grounds in Albion.

It’s been a long time coming for the cherished carb maker, which was born in 2014 at change-making Salisbury-based culinary incubator Food Connect. Since those days, Sprout has evolved into one of the most consistent (and consistently praised) players on the bakery scene, preferring to grow in small, calculated increments.

Housed within the converted old timber mill on Collingwood Street, the cutting-edge headquarters is Lutz and Rebecca’s biggest and most ambitious manouevre yet – but, for the couple, this new chapter also feels a bit reminiscent of Sprout’s nascent days in Salisbury.

“Robert [Pekin] and Emma-Kate [Rose] from Food Connect were the ones that actually gave us our first start,” recalls Rebecca. “It was this old warehouse and it had a similar factory vibe [to Craft’d Grounds]. I feel like it’s a little bit of a full-circle moment – it feels very homey here, too and everyone’s just genuinely nice.”

Sprout’s Albion HQ – envisioned and built by Clui Design and Lowry Group, respectively – meshes seamlessly into Craft’d Grounds’ industrial-inspired timber, metal and glass facade. The retail space is equipped with a brick and terrazzo pastry counter backed by stainless steel shelving laden with loaves.

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Though the retail portion is geared towards grab-and-go trade, customers will find plenty of excuses to linger, with external and internal windows offering behind-the-scenes views into Sprout’s production facility. A number of vantage points provide glimpses at the pastry creation process, with the team visible mixing, kneading, laminating, cutting and baking from midnight.

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“People walk their dogs late at night and there’s a dude loading the oven. They’re just watching – it’s voyeurism at its best,” says Rebecca, with a laugh.

Where Sprout previously shielded its production process from view, Rebecca tells us that a driving factor behind giving the public a greater level of access was to celebrate Sprout’s well-oiled baking team – a collection of pros who Rebecca and Lutz believe deserve credit for their tireless efforts.

“It just feels like the right timing – it’s the next phase, just allowing people in a little bit more,” says Rebecca. “We’re incredibly proud of the stage that we are at with the team and how much we’ve invested and developed. They are at a place where they should all be really proud of the output and effort – now is the time for them to shine.”

Though Sprout had already collected all of the gear it needed to produce pastries at a high volume, Rebecca tells us that the new digs will allow Lutz and his team to streamline their processes and free up resources.

“​​It’s much more efficient – a more efficient use of the space,” says Rebecca. “It’s obviously been designed to cater for actual production, whereas in the last kitchen we operated with the space that was there. It’s easier to separate the baking areas and have a little bit more control over the temperature in the lamination space.”

When it comes to the evolution of Sprout’s product range over the years, Rebecca and Lutz have opted to stick close to the classics – its buttery croissants, sweet and savoury danishes, creamy egg-custard tarts, cinnamon buns and sourdough loaves (made using a 72-hour process) are firmly etched into Brisbane’s baked goods hall of fame. While the temptation to experiment is ever-present, the team has found its ability to nail the staples time and time again has become its signature calling card.

“I think what we’ve always done well is maintain consistency and that’s what is important to me,” says Lutz. “We do little changes here and there – we play around with things. It just has to taste good and it’s also got to look good, as well. We’re still a little bit on the rustic side, but also clean.”

That said, the team is excited to broaden its offering moving forward, opening up its ideation process and, potentially, debuting some fun new items (we hear pies, sausage rolls and breakfast items might be on the cards).

“I think now that we’re settled, it’s time for us to start to give the team a little bit more of a platform,” says Rebecca. “We’ve experimented a little recently with some of the sourdoughs and I think [Lutz] has got some of those recipes up his sleeve. But we want to sit down together as a team and do some brainstorming sessions and see what else we can bring out of everyone.”

When Sprout Albion opens in August, it will serve its core range of pastries alongside current seasonal specials and sourdough breads. While Sprout Albion won’t be selling coffee (pop next door to Collingwood Black for your caffeine fix), it will be dispensing a clutch of specialty beverages, including house-made lemonade, sparkling apple juice, iced tea and a berry spritzer.

For now, Lutz and Rebecca are keen to settle into their new home, make friends with the local community and find a comfortable groove before tackling their next project.

“It feels like we have been embraced and the locals and our landlords are just so beyond ecstatic to have us here,” says Rebecca. “It’s going to give us a solid base for the other plans that we have on the horizon.”

Sprout Artisan Bakery Albion will open to the public on Saturday August 9. Stay tuned for news of its opening-day festivities – in the meantime, head to The Directory for more info.