No More Midnight Baking: How Weber Vacuum Cooling Helps Bakeries Rise—Efficiently
From fatigue to freshness: A revolution is baking in the heart of the Netherlands—and it’s helping traditional bakers leave their night shifts behind. At Bakkerij Oonk in Glanerbrug, bread is no longer just baked at night. Thanks to Weber Vacuum Cooling technology, fresh, crusty baguettes are made during the day with precision, speed, and unmatched energy efficiency.
“We used to start before dawn. Now we’re baking with a smile at 3 p.m.”—says Glenn van der Kuijl, baker at Oonk.
📸 This article is inspired by and includes visual content from a report originally published by Trouw on May 5, 2025.
🥖 Born in France, Built for the Future
The method began at a coastal bakery in Brittany, France, where humidity and sea winds made it hard to bake crusty baguettes. “They collapsed like pudding,” says Oonk. “You’ve never seen a more frustrated Frenchman.”
Looking for a fix, the baker noticed vacuum cooling in flower and fruit farming—used to keep pears and tulips fresh by removing air and moisture. He applied it to bread—and it worked.
“The loaves stayed upright,” Oonk recalls. “Vacuum cooling formed a thin, crisp crust that sealed in freshness. Just like that, he had super-baguettes.”
🌞 Daytime Baking, Happier Teams
The innovation spread quickly. For Dutch bakeries like Oonk’s, dealing with staff shortages and unattractive night hours, vacuum cooling offered a game-changing advantage.
“With this system, we can bake during the day,” Oonk says. “That makes my business—and the profession itself—more appealing to new talent.”
He believed in the technology, invested around €200,000, and now joins a small but growing group of Dutch bakeries using it.
🔥 New Baking Strategy
Previously, loaves were baked for 35 minutes at 250°C, with the oven hatch opened in the last 10 minutes to let steam escape and create the signature crust. Today, Oonk’s team bakes at a higher temperature (260°C) for just 25 minutes, without opening the hatch at all.
The vacuum cooler now handles the moisture removal, enhancing crust quality even more efficiently. Inside the chamber, the air pressure drops from 900 millibar to just 80 millibar, pulling moisture out rapidly.
“The oven stays closed, and the crust is even better than before,” Oonk notes.
⚡ Energy Efficiency and a Greener Future
This change doesn’t just affect work hours or product quality—it’s also better for the planet.
Oonk’s gas-fired oven runs for a shorter time, cutting his gas bill by roughly 20%. With Dutch bakery ovens consuming around 150 million cubic meters of gas annually, this technology could play a major role in national energy transition goals.
“It’s a big investment, but it pays off,” Oonk says. “And combining vacuum cooling with an electric oven would be even more sustainable—if only powerful electric ovens existed.”
🍞 Longer Freshness, Less Waste
The real magic begins after baking. As the bread cools, it continues to cook—resulting in a denser loaf with an ultra-thin crust that retains 30% more moisture and stays fresher longer.
“You can bake in the afternoon for the next day,” says Oonk. “It gives us flexibility and reduces food waste.” While most baking still happens at night, Oonk plans to move toward alternating shifts. “We’ll get there.”
Van der Kuijl smiles as he cracks open a loaf:
“With this technique, you’ll never see a collapsed bread again.” Oonk agrees, handing out slices: “Soft inside, with the thinnest, crispiest crust—just taste it.”
