King Arthur Baking unveils Sourdough Sidekick for easier starter feeding

King Arthur Baking put a countertop starter feeder into the sourdough aisle on June 23, giving home bakers a machine that adds flour and water for them instead of asking them to remember yet another feeding window. The Sourdough Sidekick sells for $179.95 in King Arthur’s shop, while GE Appliances listed the MSRP at $179.99.

The pitch is simple enough for anyone who has ever stared at a neglected jar on the counter and wondered whether one missed feeding has already turned into a rescue project. King Arthur said the Sidekick was co-created with FirstBuild, GE Appliances’ cocreation innovation hub, and built around a setup that looks part appliance, part countertop helper, with flour added on top and a water reservoir in the back. FirstBuild says users tell the machine how much starter they need and when, then let it handle the rest.

That promise lands because sourdough has become a real business, not just a badge of patience. GE said King Arthur’s Fresh Sourdough Starter sales were up 40% year over year, and that the brand’s Sourdough for Beginners class was its best-selling on-demand offering. Google Trends searches for sourdough also hit a new high in early 2026, underscoring how far the category has moved beyond the pandemic boom. GE said the Sidekick concept launched on Indiegogo in March 2025, hit its funding goal in 12 minutes, and shipped to thousands of backers before going on sale nationwide on May 1, 2026.

The use-and-care guide makes clear this is not just a timer with a hopper. The Sidekick offers Auto Mode, Ratio Mode and Custom Mode, connects to SmartHQ, and uses a microfeeding approach that can keep starter going with no interaction or discarding for up to a week. That is the part that makes sense for travelers, busy households and beginners who freeze up when a starter wants attention every day. It is also the part that could blunt one of sourdough’s best lessons, because the ritual of feeding teaches you how a starter smells, bubbles and changes when it is healthy.

King Arthur’s own blog post put the pain point plainly, noting that even someone working from home can still struggle to feed starter regularly. That is exactly where the Sourdough Sidekick fits, as a convenience tool first and a baking tutor second, turning the most repetitive part of sourdough into an appliance for people who want the loaf without the calendar stress.