This Grocery Store Bakery Makes Its French Bread From Scratch

Publix isn't available in many states, but for those lucky to have one nearby, it's an enormously popular grocery chain. Customers are especially partial to the in-store bakery, whose cakes and sweet treats are historically crowd pleasers. But don't let that cast a shadow on Publix's in-house bread offerings, including the French Bread that's freshly baked every day.

According to Publix's website, each store's French Bread is baked from scratch every morning, directly in the store. It's significantly fresher than any packaged and more processed breads available from larger companies. But that may not necessarily translate into popularity with customers.

On Reddit, one Publix shopper who bought a loaf early in the morning complained that "the interior was dry and crumbly instead of soft and stretchy. It also tasted pretty poor and was hard as a rock by [the following] morning." Another unsatisfied customer concurred, lamenting on Reddit that "across the board their bread is not nearly as good as it used to be."

Some customers' disappointment with this French Bread raises the question of how French it actually is. And there are many different types of French bread, of which baguettes are only one, but perhaps the most serious. Years ago, UNESCO added the classic French baguette to a list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This classification internationally immortalized this staple food, along with its strict requirements: an authentic baguette is made with only flour, water, yeast, and salt. Nothing else.

Publix's French Bread contains more ingredients and preservatives, notably including sugar and soybean oil, so it would not make the cut at a Parisian bakery. Publix likely named this loaf because of its visual resemblance to baguettes, the most famous French bread — but notably avoided using the word "baguette," because technically it is not one. Nor is it as good as one. 

In a ranking of the 10 best grocery store bakeries, Publix placed in 6th. Its cakes and other sweets are generally well-regarded, as are some bread types like challah and sourdough. Notably missing from the fanfare? French Bread. For the glutinous adventurers among us, it may be worth a try — perhaps on a Pub Sub — but don't expect to be transported to the banks of the Seine.