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Source: Wildfarmed Warburtons, Hovis, and Kingsmill are the stalwarts of the UK bread scene, accounting for nearly £1bn of supermarket sales, but there’s a host of well-funded brands eager to grab a slice. From the sustainability-focused start-up founded by a musician and a TV presenter to a fourth generation-led family bakery, we take a closer look at the brands looking to prove they’re the best thing since sliced bread. Wildfarmed Wildfarmed had been making a name for itself in the bakery world thanks to its regeneratively-grown wheat used by a host of players including M&S, Higgidy,  and Greggs . Wildfarmed’s plan was to build brand awareness and get consumers excited about regenerative farming before staking its claim on the bread aisles with a brand of its own. In April this year it did just that. The business rolled out the Wildfarmed Life Changing range in Waitrose comprising a sliced white loaf, sliced seeded loaf, white rolls, sourdough, and seeded sourdough, followed ...

Amidst soaring prices and shrinking supplies, discover how your company can embrace innovative cocoa taste solutions. KerryDigest Fast Facts: The world faces an 11% shortfall in cocoa supplies by 2024, driving price increases of approximately 300% in the past year, according to the International Cocoa Organization’s (ICCO) February 2024 report. Swollen shoot virus, soil degradation and illegal gold mining are among major concerns for the resilience of cocoa supplies. Learn how working with Kerry and adopting innovative solutions can help your company to mitigate the impacts of the cocoa supply crisis. KerryDigest Full Scoop: The world is facing a significant challenge in cocoa production, with predictions indicating a substantial shortfall of 374,000 tonnes (11%) by 2024 per the ICCO. This impending supply crunch is primed to reshape the landscape of cocoa sourcing for the global food and beverage industry, particularly impacting key player countries like Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, which...

Take-home sales at the grocers increased by 2.2% over the four weeks to 7 July 2024, according to our latest data. Running up to the quarter-final round of the Men’s UEFA European Football Championship, the latest figures show impact the tournament has made on the sector.  England’s hopes might have been dashed on Sunday, but there was still some cause for celebration in the grocery industry. Football fans drove beer sales up by an average of 13% on the days that the England men’s team played, compared with the same day during the previous week.* Sales of crisps and snacks also got a boost, up by 5% compared with the month before. With many matches played on “school nights”, though, some Britons chose moderation. Spending on no and low-alcohol beer soared by 38% on matchdays.  Temperatures fail to rise but inflation falls While the calendar of summer events is now well underway, shoppers are continuing to reach for items more typically associated with cooler weather. We’re sti...

The sun is finally shining, and it’s brought with it loads of bright and beautiful baked goods. There’s fruit laden pastries to spicy sausage rolls, football-themed fare and so much more as bakers and retailers look to cater for summer picnics, barbecues, sporting celebrations, and even lunch al desko. So, what are the top flavours and formats heating up bakery this summer? Fresh and fruity flavours Fruit takes centre stage in the warmer months thanks to the bounty of seasonal produce and zingy flavours available (and  rising cocoa prices  which are encouraging bakers to look beyond chocolate). “Fruity flavours never go out of style in summer,” says Kluman & Balter MD Lawrence Watson. “Berries will always remain popular, as well as classic flavours like tangy lemon and tropical mango.” This can be seen in the likes of Tesco’s Passion Fruit, Mango & Lime Cake, Waitrose’s Lemon & Lime Daisy Cheesecakes, and  Caffe Nero’s Italian Blueberry Mousse Cake , to name a...

  How will the new UK government affect F&B? GettyImages/Elena Zolotova It’s official. After 14 years of Conservative rule, the United Kingdom has a new government. The Labour win, officially announced by the BBC at 4:59am BST on the 5 th ​ of July, sees a political shift from the right-wing, over to the left. So, what does the new Labour government, and its leader, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, mean for the food and beverage industry in the UK, and how will it affect international trade? How will the new Labour government impact the food and beverage industry? ​ The Labour campaign has focussed on ‘kickstarting economic growth’, a pledge that will certainly come as welcome news for all areas of industry, following struggles resulting from economic and political instability over the past decade. Now that it's been elected, the new government must deliver on this promise. What are the main ways the new government is planning to kickstart economic growth? The UK has a new governme...

Wildfarmed is rolling out its first consumer launch in Waitrose. The ‘life-changing’ range – five different breads, including sliced white to sourdough and rolls (from May 1) and a baguette and flour (in June) – is made from regenerative flour, which helps boost  biodiversity and flavor by farming in collaboration with nature, rather than against it. ​ ​ Wildfarmed has built a solid reputation for itself since founding in 2019\ supplying flour to over 500 brands, including ASK Italian, Bread Factory, Wahaca, plus major football stadiums, restaurants and bakeries across the UK. This is the consumer’s first opportunity to buy a 100% Wildfarmed products and marks the start of a major disruption in the bread aisle. According to Wildfarmed, bread sits at the centre of an environmental storm: decades of intensive chemical farming have led to a 69% decline in wildlife, degraded soil and a public health crisis, with half of UK bread containing two or more pesticides linked to health issues...

  P ret is ditching its free drinks perk and food discount for subscribers as it replaces its subscription scheme with a “new and simpler offer”. The  food to go chain  revealed its Club Pret benefits are set to wrap up in September as it looks to provide “better value for everyone”. Under the changes, subscribers will no longer receive five free barista made drinks per day. Instead, they will be able to redeem 50% off on up to five barista made drinks a day for a reduced monthly fee of £10, which will be just £5 for existing and new subscribers until 31 March 2025. The changes also mean  the 20% discount on food  will be removed and dual pricing will be scrapped across its food products. Additionally, from today, all Pret customers will be able to purchase its signature 100% organic Arabica filter coffee for 99p – a price it previously held for over a decade. Its all butter croissant will also drop to £1.99, following price reductions made to some of its other ...