Alvari’s bakery

The Company

Alvari’s bakery has been baking traditional bread on a stone hearth since 1979. Armas Alvari returned to his hometown to revive local baking traditions and reopened Alvari’s Bakery in spring 2024, after it had been empty for a few years. The bakery’s specialties, all made by hand, include Karvia’s own ”kakko”, oat bread and sourdough rye bread – with only one machine used, for mixing dough. For Armas, baking is about preserving cultural heritage, and he hopes to keep Karvia’s rich bread traditions alive.

The products

For Armas, the smell of freshly baked bread is a cherished childhood memory, as it was his mother who founded Alvari’s Bakery. ”Our traditional bread culture must be carefully preserved. The recipe for our double-fermented rye bread has remained almost unchanged for decades”, Armas says. After reopening the bakery, Armas modified the recipe based on the preferences of the people of Karvia, blending the traditions of parents and grandparents for the delicious and traditional rye bread. ”The unique flavor of our rye bread is also influenced by the heat of the stone oven and the locally grown rye used in the dough.” The geological features of the Geopark’s soil, such as the barren and acidic granite bedrock that has been ground into fine moraine by the continental glacier, create excellent conditions for rye cultivation. Fine mineral material releases nutrients for plant use, ensuring rye’s strong and full-bodied flavor. The region’s climate is more humid due to the highlands of Suomenselkä, making it ideal for rye. Each slice of rye bread reflects the nutrient-rich base provided by the area’s minerals and the resilience of its rocky terrain. The taste of the rye bread captures the unique nature and traditions of the Geopark, offering a flavorful connection to the land and its heritage.