Bellbird Baked Goods is an artisan bakery based in Christchurch, New Zealand, specialising in sourdough bread and authentic French viennoiserie. The business was started in 2010 by owner and baker Jeremy MacCormack, who returned to his hometown with a conviction that Christchurch deserved better bread and pastry than it had. He began baking sourdough in a homemade oven in his backyard, bartering loaves with neighbours, then moved to French viennoiserie — croissants, Danishes — and took his goods to the Deans Bush and Opawa farmers' markets on weekends. Demand grew quickly, and what began in a backyard has become one of Christchurch's most respected artisan food businesses.
In 2012, Bellbird moved into the restored Tannery complex in Woolston, where it has remained a fixture ever since. A second retail space opened at Riverside Market in the city centre in 2021, and in 2025 a third location followed on Holmwood Road in Merivale — the newest shop, where sandwiches and barista-made coffee join the full bread and pastry range. Bellbird also appears at two weekend farmers' markets in Christchurch and supplies cafés, restaurants and retailers around town through a wholesale operation.
All bread is made with certified NZ Grown Grains sourced within the Canterbury region, using traditional techniques and long fermentation. Croissants are baked fresh every morning for properly flaky, layered pastry. The chocolate used in the pain au chocolat and Boozy Salted Caramel Brownies is sourced from Weave Cacao, a supplier working directly with cacao farmers in Papua New Guinea under fair and transparent terms. Fruit loaves are made with spray-free Pioneer flour and organic rye. Seasonal items — the galette des rois in January and hot cross buns at Easter — are available in-store and to order online.
The bakery operates with a clear set of values. Local and organic sourcing is prioritised wherever possible. Packaging use is minimised and waste is composted or recycled. Unsold bread is distributed to the community rather than discarded. The team is treated as a genuine asset, and the business actively encourages active transport, particularly cycling, among staff. Online ordering is available through the website, with pickup at The Tannery or Riverside Market. Newsletter subscribers receive 10% off their first online order.
Bellbird Baked Goods is an artisan bakery based in Christchurch, New Zealand, specialising in sourdough bread and French pastries. Founded in 2010 by baker Jeremy MacCormack, it began in the most modest possible way — a homemade oven in a backyard and a willingness to barter fresh loaves with neighbours. What grew from that experiment is now one of Christchurch's most celebrated bakeries, with three retail locations, a presence at weekend farmers' markets, and a wholesale supply operation reaching cafés, restaurants and retailers across the city.
Jeremy's background included time in bakeries in New Zealand and abroad, and he returned to Christchurch with a clear sense of what the city was missing: the quality of bread and pastry that was common in France and parts of Europe but rarely found at home. Starting with sourdough, he added viennoiserie — croissants, Danishes and the like — and took his goods to the Deans Bush farmers' market (now Christchurch Farmers' Market) and Opawa farmers' market (now South Christchurch Farmers' Market) on weekends.
Demand grew quickly. In 2012 Bellbird moved into the restored Tannery complex in Woolston, where it became part of a bakery and café called Tanner Street Bakery. After six years it had outgrown that space and relocated to a new spot further along the Tannery boardwalk. In 2021 a second retail space opened at Riverside Market in the heart of the city. In 2025 a third location — on Holmwood Road in Merivale — brought sandwiches and barista-made coffee alongside the bread and pastry range.
Bellbird produces sourdough breads, ciabattas and French-style baguettes using certified NZ Grown Grains sourced within the Canterbury region. Traditional techniques and long fermentation are the method — unhurried processes that develop flavour and texture in ways that faster commercial baking cannot replicate. Bread is baked fresh each morning: Waitaha Loaves head straight onto the shelves while still warm, and baguettes arrive with the crisp crust and soft centre that made them famous.
The French viennoiserie is what generates the most enthusiasm. Croissants are baked fresh every morning — flaky, buttery, and properly layered — and available across all locations. The almond croissant is a standing favourite. The Cheese & Jalapeño Croissant is a savoury option: flaky pastry filled with creamy béchamel, melted cheese and a gentle kick of jalapeño. Pain au chocolat is made using Weave Cacao chocolate, sourced from a supplier working directly with cacao farmers in Papua New Guinea under fair and sustainable terms. The same chocolate goes into the Boozy Salted Caramel Brownies.
Seasonal baking is a Bellbird strength. Every January, the galette des rois appears — the French tradition of housemade puff pastry and rich almond frangipane, available by the slice in-store or as a whole galette to order online. At Easter, hot cross buns return: gently spiced, generously filled with fruit, available in packs of six to order online. Christmas brings a range of festive baked goods available for pre-order.
The sourcing philosophy at Bellbird starts with local and organic wherever possible. Bread uses certified NZ Grown Grains from Canterbury. The fruit loaf — soft, lightly glazed, filled with dates, apricots and blackcurrants — is made with spray-free Pioneer flour and organic rye. Suppliers are chosen carefully, and the website lists them for customers who want to trace the ingredients in their bread.
Sustainability shapes the operation: reduced packaging, composting, recycling, and distributing unsold bread to the community rather than wasting it. The team is treated as a genuine asset, and the bakery actively encourages active transport, particularly cycling, among staff.
Online ordering is available through the website, with pickup at The Tannery or Riverside Market. Gift vouchers are also available. Signing up to the newsletter earns 10% off your first online order.