Originally made dough starting from wheat grind

To make everyone involved live in good condition

Along the highway, surrounded by peaceful scenery, lies Boulangerie Lafi. Its landmark is the red triangular roof that gives you a somewhat nostalgic feel. The owner, Mr. Deai has an unusual background: having trained at a major bakery in Sapporo, he then participated in overseas volunteer work in Burkina Faso, West Africa. While teaching baseball to children in Burkina Faso, he came up with a will that he wanted to create something from nothing, deciding to open a bakery. After returning to Japan, he and his wife opened Boulangerie Lafi in Furano-shi, the land where he was born and raised.

The store's name, “Lafi” comes from a Burkina Faso word meaning “good condition” or “fine”. It was named so with the hope that those who eat or are involved with his bread would stay healthy and happy

“It's not always easy, but I love the creative process of bread-making. I want my staff to have fun working with us too, toward the goal of making delicious bread.

Mr. Deai values freedom, not being limited to just running a shop, such as going to Paris in 2022 to learn baking techniques. That must be the “good condition” for him. There are five staff members who come from outside Furano-shi because they admire Mr. Deai.

How the wheat is ground changes the taste of bread

Boulangerie Lafi uses a long fermentation process to slowly bring out the sweetness from its homemade levain yeast.

The flour used is from Hokkaido, but that's not because the store is located in Hokkaido. “While I tried a variety of domestic and international flours, I found that Hokkaido wheat was the one that was able to recreate the bread I wanted to make. I made my decision by looking at specific aspects such as the balance of the grinding method and the amount of protein in the flour. The deciding factor was that it was a reliable flour milling company.” It was quite a surprise to know that the way the wheat is ground and the heat of the machine can also affect the quality of the bread.

Popular breads are the baguettes made with specially selected ingredients, cinnamon rolls which have been made in the same way for 10 years, and croissants. Boulangerie Lafi's breads are also sold at hotels and department stores in Hokkaido, and are constantly asked to open limited shops at events throughout Japan, including Tokyo.

“I personally recommend the pistachio and white chocolate hard bread that is sold only at events. If you see it, please give it a try. The dough is infused with raspberry puree, and it's even more delicious than it looks.” You should definitely try this special secret menu one day.

Special days with “1-day limited bread”

Customers come to Boulangerie Lafi not only from nearby areas, but also from far away. It is like a tourist spot in Furano-shi. If you are lucky, you can sometimes meet its “surprise day”.

“It is a day where we only display bread that we don't normally make. For example, sandwiches using vegetables and fresh beef that we picked in nearby fields on that day. Isn’t it nice to have the special feeling of “I may never be able to eat this bread again”? On this special day, Mr. Desi and his staff can challenge special menus that are unusual from ordinary displays. This humor is probably the reason why the store has been loved for over 10 years.

“I started the shop in a corner of my house, in a very small space at first. Now it has grown three to four times as large. In the future, I would like to create an eat-in space where customers can enjoy our bread. Actually, I am now planning to try making butter for bread too.” We are sure Mr. Deai will continue to create a “good condition = Lafi” in his future.