Woolies workers respond to baguette-making TikTok video

The supermarket has lifted the lid on how it makes one of its most popular items – only to get a surprising response from its employees.

It’s easily one of the most popular items in Woolworths’ bakery.

So it’s no surprise a TikTok video showing how the supermarket makes its baguettes has racked up more than 700,000 views on the social media app.

But it’s also triggered a surprising response from Woolies employees themselves, who claim the method shown in the video is different to how it’s done in their stores.

Woolworths told news.com.au the video had omitted “additional steps” in order to keep to TikTok’s short format.

The video is narrated by ex-store worker turned Woolworths TikTok content co-ordinator Liam Kirley.

The video begins by showing a machine kneading the fresh dough. Picture: TikTok/Woolworths.

“Did you know we make our baguettes fresh at Woolworths?” he said.

The video show how the process begins by having “dough going into the diva machine”, which divides it up into baguette-sized portions.

The next step is the “conveyor belt machine which rolls the dough up into the baguette shape”, Mr Kirley explains.

“Then we put it on our tray and then it’s ready to go into the oven,” he said.

The video got more than 700 comments, some of which were from people claiming to be Woolies workers who did the process from frozen, not fresh dough.

“I work at the bakery at Woolworths and have for over six months now, and I can say that my store uses frozen baguettes. Maybe your store uses fresh,” one commented.

After it’s portioned, the dough gets rolled into baguette logs. Picture: TikTok/Woolworths.

It’s baked in the oven fresh in store. Picture: TikTok/Woolworths.

“The large stores make them fresh, the smaller stores are all parbake (partially baked), frozen breads,” another claimed.

“From someone who has worked in different Woolies bakeries, this is only if they have a big bakery,” one person wrote.

“If it’s a tiny one, 90 per cent of things are frozen.”

“I work in the bakery at Woolies, we don’t do this,” one commented of the baguette-making process.

“You’re telling me your baguettes slide off the tray?” another asked. “I have to pick them all up one by one at my store.”

Woolworths has more than 1100 qualified bakers and 660 full-production bakeries across its stores nationally.

A spokesperson for the supermarket told news.com.au: “The piece on our baguettes captures the major steps taken by our bakers to create these freshly baked rolls.

“To keep the content short and sharp, there are some additional steps such as hand finishing, hand cutting, scoring, resting, and proving all done by our bakers, not shown in the video.

“From French style baguettes to hot cross buns, we’re proud of our dedicated in-store bakery teams who provide freshly baked goods for customers to enjoy year round.”