Flint woman’s home-baked sourdough is winning hearts in her community

FLINT, MI – In a cozy Flint kitchen, the smell of freshly baked sourdough fills the air as Alea Orr pulls another golden loaf from her oven.

Orr was first introduced to sourdough through a Facebook ad, and her curiosity sparked a new passion. What began as a casual hobby quickly blossomed into a rising local sensation, with her hand-crafted sourdough breads gaining popularity throughout the community.

Now, Orr's made-from-scratch loaves are in high demand, with orders pouring in faster than she can bake.

"I came across it just bored, scrolling on Facebook, and something popped up in my feed about sourdough starters and how they're these living cultures of flour and water," she said. "I began researching it and made my own starter. It's sciency and nerdy."

That sourdough starter would be the start of Flint Sourdough Co.

With each loaf, Orr weaves tradition and patience into her process.

"It was a struggle at first," she said. "I probably spent $1,500 on flour alone the first couple months. Once I made decent loaves, I gave them away to friends."

Orr has an extensive background in the restaurant industry as a waitress, bartender and cook. Now, as she operates a small business from her house, she wears all hats from purchasing to baking to marketing.

"I have learned I do a lot less baking than I do everything else," she said.

It takes Orr 24 hours to make a loaf of bread. She begins in the morning by adding the salt, water and flour. Then, she goes into a process of "stretch and folds," kneading the dough throughout the day.

The dough has to refrigerate overnight and goes through a cold fermentation process, which breaks down the gluten and phytic acid that are usually tough to digest.

After refrigeration, Orr "shapes" the dough into a boule (round) or a batard (oval) shape. Then the dough bakes for an hour at 425 degrees before it's cooled for about three hours and placed into bags.

Her most popular item is the original, plain artesian sourdough loaf. Another item on Orr's menu, a sandwich sourdough, "gives you that Renaissance vibe that's old, crusty and you would see at a castle type scene," she said. Her mini loafs come in over 20 flavors, including cranberry walnut, raisin cinnamon, olive tapenade, and garlic Italian.

Photos on Orr's Instagram page showcase her talents, and a recent post shows her attempting to make sourdough Nutella braided babka loaf for the first time.

Orr accepts online orders at www.hotplate.com/flintsourdoughco . She has a contactless bread stand outside her house where customers can pick up their orders.

Customers can also pick up bread at Court Street United Methodist Church every Sunday.

Orr said people often ask her what she'll do next—whether she'll start a food truck or open a brick-and-mortar bakery to keep up with the growing demand. But for now, she's content with the uncertainty.

"Since I started, I haven't had a chance to think about what the future holds," she said. "I just focus on making high quality bread with few ingredients and see where it goes from there."

Orr couldn't be happier with how her sourdough journey has unfolded.

From connecting with loyal customers to collaborating with her church, Orr has found more than just a business—she's discovered a community. As her sourdough venture continues to rise, she's grateful for every opportunity it's brought her, proving that sometimes the best things in life come from following your passion.

"The best thing about my bread business is that it's opened doors I never would have thought to walk through or noticed was there," Orr said.