The business, which started last December, operates with a system that avoids extreme hours and adjusts production to real demand, thus reducing surplus. This business trend is gaining ground in large cities and now reaches the Pla d'Urgell.

The bakery opens only two afternoons and one morning a week: Thursdays and Fridays from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM, and Saturdays from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM. This measure has been positively received by residents, who appreciate being able to buy bread after work or when children leave school. "The afternoon hours were daring, the response has been very good," explains the owner, Èrika Garcia.

This initiative arises in a context where the Pla d'Urgell has seen 12 bakeries close in recent years, leaving 18 operational. The Consell Comarcal (County Council) launched a baker's course to promote generational succession and adapt the sector to new consumption and work-life balance models. Garcia's business is a successful example of this training program.

Currently, the bakery uses a single-phase micro-oven in a small space, but due to the positive reception, an expansion project is underway to handle a larger volume of orders.

Forn Santa Maria specializes in sourdough breads with long fermentation times (16-24 hours) and uses local ingredients. Its offerings include eight varieties of classic breads, a special bread of the month (black bread in June), as well as desserts, cakes, and pizzas. The flour comes from mills in Urgell and Noguera, the olive oil from Garrigues and Noguera, and the salt from the salt flats of Vilanova de la Sal.

Garcia highlights customers' interest in "zero-kilometer" products, stating that "people want to consume a good product" in contrast to the rapid, preservative-laden production of other establishments.