FAQs

What is a Bread Box Subscription? 

• Our Bread Box Subscription allows you to select the frequency and contents of your shipment, to be fulfilled automatically at your desired frequency. Once created, your elected payment method will be charged each time your order is automatically placed. You can edit, pause, or cancel your subscription any time by logging into your account on our website, or by contacting us directly.

Can I place a gift order? And how can I add a note to my order? 

• Yes. When placing an order, enter the address of the gift recipient (not your own, and not a P.O. Box). The option to add a gift note to your order can be found at the bottom of the page when viewing your cart, before selecting check out
  

Where can I purchase a gift card? Where can I redeem my gift card? 

• Digital gift cards can be purchased online through our website and physical gift cards can be purchased at any of our retail locations. Please note that physical gift cards can only be redeemed in our retail locations, and digital gift cards can only be redeemed online. 

Can I request my order be scheduled to ship at a later date? 

• No, unfortunately we cannot schedule orders for future shipping dates. All orders will be routinely processed along the timeline listed below, based on when they were placed. If you have a specific timeframe you need your order to arrive within, please contact us directly so we can assist you in determining the correct time to place your order.

What if I want to cancel my order?

• Please see our full refund policy for our guidelines on order cancelations, refunds, and replacements.

Do you charge for shipping? 

• No, we do not charge a shipping fee. Rather than add a shipping charge to each order, we have factored the price of shipping into the cost of our products online. Note that all orders placed have a two-item minimum quantity. 

How long will it take for my bread to get to me? 

• We use FedEx 2-day shipping for our orders, but we ask that you allow up to three days from the date of shipment to receive your order. Usually, orders shipping to Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire arrive one day after shipment. 

How does your shipping work? 

An online order can be placed at any time, but orders are only shipped out between Monday and Thursday. Your bread is always freshly baked on the same day that it is shipped. Our schedule for processing and shipping mail orders is as follows:

• Orders placed before 8 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday will be baked and shipped the following day. Orders placed after 8 am will be processed the following day for
  baking and shipping the day after that. 
• Orders placed on Wednesday after 8am, or any time Thursday and Friday will be baked and shipped on Monday. 
• Orders placed over the weekend will be baked and shipped on Tuesday. 
• *This schedule may differ throughout the holidays. For mail order scheduling around any holidays, please reach out to us directly at orders@sendbread.com .

Can I pick up my online order at one of your retail stores? 

• No, orders placed online cannot be picked up at any of our retail stores. If you’d like to place a pre-order for bread to be picked up in-store, or have bread set aside for you in the store please reach out to your preferred retail store location directly. 

Where can I find the ingredients of your bread? 

• The ingredients and nutritional label for each flavor can be viewed on that bread's product page of our website.

Do you make gluten-free bread? 

• No, we do not currently make any gluten-free bread. 

Is your bread organic? 

• Our bread is not certified organic. 

Do you make any vegan bread? 

• Yes! Many of our breads contain only vegan/plant-based ingredients! However, please be aware that we also process breads with eggs in our facility, so there is potential for cross-contamination on shared equipment. For a complete list of all ingredients in each of our breads, please visit the page for the specific bread you are interested in. The ingredients can be found within the photos for each bread. 

Is your bread sliced? 

• Yes! Bread ordered on our website always comes sliced. 

How long do you ferment your breads? 

• From beginning to end, our fermentation process is about 18-20 hrs. 

Does your bread use real, authentic sourdough starter? 

• Yes, our sourdough breads all contain our authentic, active sourdough starter which we have been cultivating for over 30 years! 

What are your current seasonal flavors? 

• For a list of our current seasonal breads, you can visit the “Seasonal Breads” page under our “Shop” menu. 

Where can I find your bread near me? 

• Visit the “Store Locator” page on our website for a searchable map of any grocery stores that carry our bread in your area. 

Where are your retail stores? 

• We currently have three When Pigs Fly company stores located in Somerville, MA; Lexington, MA; and Kittery, ME. Information such as store hours, addresses, and contact information for those stores can be found by clicking “Our Retail Stores” under the About Us tab. 

What is sourdough bread?

• Sourdough is bread made using a natural fermentation process instead of commercial yeast. It relies on a starter—a mixture of flour and water that captures wild yeast and bacteria—to make the dough rise and develop flavor.

What is a sourdough starter?

• A starter is a living culture of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria. You feed it regularly with flour and water, and it becomes the natural leavening agent for your bread.

How do I make a sourdough starter from scratch?

• In a mason jar, mix equal parts flour and water and let it sit at room temperature. Feed it daily with flour and water. After about 5–7 days, it should become bubbly, slightly sour-smelling, and active enough to bake with.

Why isn’t my starter rising or bubbling?

Common reasons include:

• It’s too cold (starters prefer ~70–75°F / 21–24°C)
• Infrequent feeding
• Chlorinated water (can inhibit microbes)
• It’s still young—many starters take over a week to mature

How often should I feed my starter?

• If kept at room temperature: once or twice daily.
• If refrigerated: about once a week.
• Always feed it before baking to ensure it’s active.

Why is my sourdough bread dense or not rising well?

Likely causes include:

• Weak or inactive starter
• Underproofing (not enough rise time)
• Overproofing (structure collapses)
• Not enough gluten development (insufficient kneading or folding)

What does “proofing” mean?

• Proofing is the final rise of shaped dough before baking. It allows the dough to expand and develop flavor. Timing depends on temperature and dough strength.

Why is my bread too sour (or not sour enough)?

Flavor is influenced by fermentation:

• More sour: longer fermentation, cooler temps
• Less sour: shorter fermentation, warmer temps, more frequent feedings

Do I need special equipment to make sourdough?

Not strictly, but helpful tools include:

• A kitchen scale (for accuracy)
• A Dutch oven or baking vessel (for steam and crust)
• A bench scraper and proofing basket (optional but useful)

How do I store sourdough bread?

• Keep at room temperature in a paper bag or wrapped in cloth for 1–2 days
• For longer storage, slice and freeze
• Avoid refrigerating—it tends to dry out the bread faster