Wildfarmed launches into retail

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.

A recent Wildfarmed survey found nearly two-thirds of consumers feel pesticide free ingredients and sustainability credentials are important, revealing a growing appetite for regenerative food. From its sliced white and seeded bread to slow-fermented, hand-crafted sourdoughs, Wildfarmed is helping to transform lunches and landscapes one slice at a time.

For the 2024 harvest, the company is working with over 100 UK and French growers to produce wheat in line with the Wildfarmed Regenerative Standards, which are third-party audited. This involves growing crops alongside companion plants, integrating grazing livestock, and using observation and nutrition instead of pesticides to manage crops. Turning fields that were silent, dead zones into fields buzzing with bees, birds and biodiversity.

Wildfarmed believes healthier soils produce better ingredients and that ultimately, the best flavors come from food grown the right way – as shown by its community of Michelin star chefs, restaurants and artisan bakeries.

“Wildfarmed began as a field to plate collaboration, uniting farmers and food buyers to create a new food system,” said cofounder Edd Lees.

“One where Wildfarmed growers combine nature and food in fields full of life, and where Wildfarmed customers support these farmers in their vital work.

“How we grow food is our single greatest point of agency to address the health, biodiversity and climate challenges we are facing. Our flour has been championed by some of the best independent UK bakeries and restaurants. Working with Waitrose, we’re incredibly excited that our products are now available to everybody nationwide. “

The Wildfarmed life-changing range has an RRP of between £2.80 and £4.00 in Waitrose, and are all free from palm oil or fat, artificial preservatives or emulsifiers.

The Brakes angle

UK foodservice supplier Brakes has also launched a range made from Wildfarmed flour.

The result of a collaboration between Brakes, The Bread Factory, Speciality Breads and Wildfarmed, the range includes La Boulangerie burger buns, doughballs and bread rolls, as well as Wildfarmed branded artisan sourdough loaves, rolls, and burger buns. It also includes a complementary range of Wildfarmed flour.

“Regenerative agriculture will be key for foodservice operators to cut the emissions of the food they serve, so we’re pleased to be leading the way with this fantastic range,” said Paul Nieuszynski, CEO of Sysco GB, parent company of Brakes.

“Our partnership introduces an exclusive range of artisanal bread products, combining The Bread Factory’s baking expertise with Wildfarmed’s responsibly grown flours, and bringing it within the reach of thousands of chefs through the Brakes’ network.”