diff --git a/karapace/schema_reader.py b/karapace/schema_reader.py
index 70aaa3a77..93e37f711 100644
--- a/karapace/schema_reader.py
+++ b/karapace/schema_reader.py
@@ -121,6 +121,10 @@ def __init__(
         Thread.__init__(self, name="schema-reader")
         self.master_coordinator = master_coordinator
         self.timeout_s = 0.2
+        # Consumer default is 1 message for each consume call
+        # For good startup performance the consumption of multiple
+        # records for each consume round is essential.
+        self.max_messages_to_process = 1000
         self.config = config
 
         self.database = database
@@ -146,6 +150,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.offset = OFFSET_UNINITIALIZED
         self._highest_offset = OFFSET_UNINITIALIZED
         self.ready = False
+        self.prev_processed_offset = 0
 
         # This event controls when the Reader should stop running, it will be
         # set by another thread (e.g. `KarapaceSchemaRegistry`)
@@ -157,6 +162,8 @@ def __init__(
         self.processed_canonical_keys_total = 0
         self.processed_deprecated_karapace_keys_total = 0
         self.last_check = time.monotonic()
+        self.start_time = time.monotonic()
+        self.startup_previous_processed_offset = 0
 
     def close(self) -> None:
         LOG.info("Closing schema_reader")
@@ -282,15 +289,21 @@ def _is_ready(self) -> bool:
         cur_time = time.monotonic()
         time_from_last_check = cur_time - self.last_check
         progress_pct = 0 if not self._highest_offset else round((self.offset / self._highest_offset) * 100, 2)
+        startup_processed_message_per_second = (self.offset - self.startup_previous_processed_offset) / time_from_last_check
         LOG.info(
-            "Replay progress (%s): %s/%s (%s %%)",
+            "Replay progress (%s): %s/%s (%s %%) (recs/s %s)",
             round(time_from_last_check, 2),
             self.offset,
             self._highest_offset,
             progress_pct,
+            startup_processed_message_per_second,
         )
         self.last_check = cur_time
-        return self.offset >= self._highest_offset
+        self.startup_previous_processed_offset = self.offset
+        ready = self.offset >= self._highest_offset
+        if ready:
+            LOG.info("Ready in %s seconds", time.monotonic() - self.start_time)
+        return ready
 
     def highest_offset(self) -> int:
         return max(self._highest_offset, self._offset_watcher.greatest_offset())
@@ -307,7 +320,7 @@ def _parse_message_value(raw_value: str | bytes) -> JsonObject | None:
     def handle_messages(self) -> None:
         assert self.consumer is not None, "Thread must be started"
 
-        msgs: list[Message] = self.consumer.consume(timeout=self.timeout_s)
+        msgs: list[Message] = self.consumer.consume(timeout=self.timeout_s, num_messages=self.max_messages_to_process)
         if self.ready is False:
             self.ready = self._is_ready()