Essential—a new Certified Organic bake-at-home artisanal bread that’s restoring the ancient way of bread making with a 140-year-old sourdough starter—is launching at Natural Products Expo West 2024. Hall E booth 5599A. Reportedly both simplifying and romanticizing the bread-making process, Essential is intended to deliver unmatched, wholesome, and real flavor thanks to a simple, minimal-ingredient recipe featuring a sourdough starter that dates back to the Gold Rush era.

According to the company, Essential serves as a beacon of true innovation within the bread category. With an artisanal bread that is rooted in tradition, it’s intended to bring shoppers a completely new consumption experience as they savor bread’s rich history in the comfort and convenience of their own homes.

Essential also features Fresh Seal packaging that locks in the bread’s flavor and freshness for months (instead of days) without any freezing required and no chemicals or preservatives ever. The company reports it enables consumers to enjoy the luxury of having fresh, artisanal bread at their fingertips without worrying about it going bad before they’ve had a chance to eat it. Once consumers are ready to enjoy the bread, all they have to do is take it out of its packaging, pop it into an oven, bake for 12-15 minutes, and enjoy.

“Essential allows you to embark on a journey through time and taste, where the artistry of ancient bread making meets the modern craving for simplicity,” says Kevin Brouillette, president of Essential. “By introducing Essential to the $64 billion bread category, we’re excited to bring genuine innovation to the industry and make it easier than ever for shoppers to enjoy fresh baked bread whenever they’d like. We can’t wait for everyone at the show to get a taste and encourage everyone to stop by our booth.”

At the show, attendees will be able to see and taste Essential’s show-stopping loaves in Sourdough and Parmesan varieties. Essential’s full product lineup includes French Demi, French, Garlic, Italian, and Rosemary flavors. Select SKUs will be available on store shelves beginning in Q2 of this year at Costco and Whole Foods with additional retailers to follow. The MSRP is $6.99 per loaf. 

Related: Expo West 2024: Unveiling the future of natural products