UFM Bakery: A Tale of Tea Bread and Thai Baking History
Walking into UFM Bakery Thaniya one day, I was instantly hit with a wave of nostalgia. My mind went back to my last job, to the “tea bread” I used to grab from resellers at my office building. It was a small tradition started by a colleague who was obsessed with the Thai tea version. Since the quantity was limited and often sold out before she arrived, I would make sure to grab two sets for us. It became a simple, comforting treat that I would often eat without a second thought, but that day, I realized UFM is much more than just a bakery. It’s an institution—a story that, for some reason, was not known to us foreigners.
You’ve likely come across the UFM brand before, perhaps from the bags of flour sold in every supermarket. What’s fascinating to me is that the bakery’s existence is a direct extension of their origin. Founded in 1964 as the first wheat flour producer in Thailand, United Flour Mill (UFM) created a foundation for the entire nation’s baking industry. They quickly realized that their passion for flour could be shared directly with the public, leading to the establishment of the UFM Baking & Cooking School and the UFM Bakery House in 1984.
This unique business model—from flour mill, to baking school, to bakery—makes perfect sense. It’s a closed-loop system that ensures the quality of their products, from the raw materials they produce to the final baked goods they sell. And while they are part of the same parent company, it’s worth noting that UFM Bakery House is a separate entity from the UFM Fuji Supermarkets.
The small shop’s shelves are filled with the usual breads, buns, pastries, and cakes, but the star of the show for me will always be the “tea bread.” Both the Thai tea and pandan versions are beloved classics, a perfect combination of simple flavors and a comforting texture. On that first visit back, I grabbed a set of Thai tea bread (35 baht) for old time’s sake and also decided to try their mini pineapple pie (32 baht) and nutty boat (28 baht). These were simple but good flavors, nothing fancy. Beyond the buns, they also offer other interesting products like frozen dough, making it even easier for home bakers to create their own magic.
UFM’s legacy is a testament to its commitment to quality. For over 60 years, they have not only supplied flour to large-scale industrial plants and small bakeries but have also brought their passion for baking directly to the public. The next time you walk into a UFM Bakery, you’ll know you’re not just looking at a shop; you’re looking at a piece of Thailand’s culinary history.
UFM Bakery Thaniya
- Location: 62/1-4 Si Lom Rd., Suriyawong, Bang Rak, Bangkok, 10500
- Telephone: 02 235 1571
- Nearest Train Station: MRT Silom / BTS Sala Daeng
- Operating Hours:
- Monday-Friday: 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM
- Saturday-Sunday: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
