Bellbird Baked Goods is an artisan bakery based in Christchurch, New Zealand, specialising in sourdough bread and authentic French pastries. Founded in 2010 by baker Jeremy MacCormack, the business began with sourdough loaves baked in a backyard oven and croissants sold at local farmers' markets, before growing into one of Christchurch's most respected artisan bakeries.
Bellbird's bread is made with certified NZ Grown Grains sourced from within the Canterbury region, using traditional techniques and long fermentation. The range includes sourdoughs, ciabattas, French baguettes (baked fresh each morning), and the Waitaha Loaf — which goes straight from oven to shelf each morning still warm. A seasonal fruit loaf uses spray-free Pioneer flour and organic rye, filled with dates, apricots, and blackcurrants.
On the pastry side, croissants are laminated and baked fresh every morning. Pain au chocolat is made with Weave Cacao chocolate — sourced from Papua New Guinea through a fair and transparent supply chain. Savoury options include the Cheese & Jalapeño Croissant (flaky pastry, béchamel, melted cheese, jalapeño) and the Cheese & Chilli Scroll. The almond croissant is a customer favourite. Seasonal highlights have included Galette des Rois (January), hot cross buns (Easter), and Christmas pre-orders.
Bellbird now operates three permanent retail locations: The Tannery in Woolston (the original home, operating since 2012), Riverside Market in the city centre (opened 2021), and a newest shop on Holmwood Road in Merivale (opened 2025, with barista-made coffee and sandwiches). The bakery also appears at two weekend farmers' markets and supplies local cafes, restaurants, and retailers. Wholesale is available to trade customers. Unsold bread is distributed to the community rather than discarded.
There's a particular kind of satisfaction that comes from biting into a croissant that's been made properly — the shattering layers, the butteriness, the honest effort behind something that looks simple but isn't. That's what Bellbird Baked Goods has been offering Christchurch since 2010, and why customers drive across town to find them.
The story starts with Jeremy MacCormack, a baker who'd worked in bakeries in New Zealand and abroad and returned to Christchurch with a conviction: the city deserved better bread and pastries than it had. He started small — sourdough loaves baked in a homemade backyard oven, bartered with neighbours. Then came the croissants and Danishes, and Saturday mornings at the Deans Bush farmers' market with a table full of viennoiserie. The demand told him what he needed to know.
In 2012, Bellbird took up residence in the newly restored Tannery complex in Woolston — first as part of a small bakery-café called Tanner Street Bakery, then eventually expanding to occupy its own dedicated space further along the Tannery boardwalk as the business grew out of its original premises. That Tannery shop remains the bakery's heart: open Tuesday to Sunday from 7:30am, it's where the bread and pastries are made fresh each morning.
In 2021 Bellbird opened at Riverside Market in the city centre, giving central Christchurch access to the full range six days a week. And in 2025, a third shop opened on Holmwood Road in Merivale — the newest location, where breads, pastries, sandwiches, and barista-made coffee are available seven days a week.
Bellbird also turns up at two weekend farmers' markets in Christchurch and supplies a number of local cafes, restaurants, and retailers around the city.
Bellbird's bread is made with certified NZ Grown Grains, all sourced from within the Canterbury region. Traditional techniques and long fermentation are at the core of the process — not a shortcut in sight. The sourdoughs, ciabattas, and French baguettes (baked fresh every morning, crisp-crusted, soft-centred) are the daily staples. The Waitaha Loaves go straight from the oven to the shelves each morning, ready to take home warm. A seasonal fruit loaf made with spray-free Pioneer flour and organic rye brings in dates, apricots, and blackcurrants with a gentle spicing.
The pastry side is where Bellbird has built a particular reputation. The croissants are baked fresh every morning for perfect lamination, the pain au chocolat uses Weave Cacao chocolate sourced from Papua New Guinea (a brand that works directly with cacao farmers on fair, transparent supply chains), and the almond croissant has earned a following of its own. Savoury options include the Cheese & Jalapeño Croissant — flaky pastry with béchamel, melted cheese, and a measured jalapeño kick.
Seasonal highlights have included the Galette des Rois in January (housemade puff pastry, almond frangipane), hot cross buns at Easter (gently spiced, generously fruited), and festive pre-orders at Christmas.
Bellbird's values show in the sourcing: local and organic wherever possible, packaging kept to a minimum, waste recycled and composted. Unsold bread is distributed to the community rather than thrown away. The team is encouraged to use active transport to work. These aren't footnotes — they're the way the business operates day to day.