Cuba returns to the wood-fired oven to produce bread in 2026

In the midst of 2026, bakeries in several Cuban provinces have had to revert to wood-fired ovens to ensure bread production, due to the ongoing energy crisis that leaves the country under prolonged blackouts and fuel supply restrictions.

In Holguín, workers at the Food Production Company have resumed traditional methods to sustain the production of bread, sweets, and cookies.

According to official publications on social media, when electric ovens cannot operate due to a power outage, wood-fired artisan ovens are ignited.

The same alternative has been implemented in Guantánamo, where recent reports indicate the production of bread using firewood due to the fuel shortage and power outages, an image that for many reflects the depth of the economic crisis the country is facing.

In the municipality of Jovellanos, in Matanzas, local authorities reported that wood-fired ovens have been implemented to ensure the distribution of bread in several People's Councils, while delegates from the Municipal Assembly supervise the process and the quality of the product.

Also in Havana, the Ministry of Food Industry released images of Minister Alberto López Díaz visiting bakeries that use artisanal ovens fueled by wood waste. Authorities have presented these practices as part of a "circular economy" strategy in response to energy challenges.

The return to traditional methods occurs in a context marked by reduced fuel imports, the instability of the National Electric System, and the partial shutdown of productive sectors.

Although the official discourse attributes the difficulties to Washington's pressures on Havana, the everyday reality for the population is one of long queues, shortages of basic products, and intermittent services.

The image of bread baked with wood — amid blackouts and technological limitations — has become a symbol of an economy that is regressing towards emergency solutions to sustain essential services.

For thousands of families, the pressing issue is not the cooking method, but rather that the bread reaches the table amidst an unrelenting crisis.