Modern Baker has secured nationwide listings for its gut-healthy bread brand Superloaf in Morrisons and Sainsbury’s following the end of its exclusivity deal with M&S.
The sliced loaf, known as Superloaf 5.0, is manufactured and distributed by Hovis under a three-year brand licensing agreement. It launched in M&S last spring and is still listed by the retailer, as well as Ocado, but is now set to reach a broader audience.
The first Superloaf was introduced to the market in 2021 and described by the business as the ‘healthiest loaf ever made’. However, co-founder Leo Campbell said at the time that Modern Baker was working with industrial partners to scale it up to help more consumers make healthier choices.
Superloaf 5.0 is the culmination of several years of cutting-edge nutrition and development research funded by Innovate UK as part of Modern Baker’s mission to ‘transform a staple of the British diet into a nutrient dense product’. Made via the Chorleywood bread process, the loaf features optimised fibres and fermented seeds designed to boost gut health and offer immune support. As such, it has been dubbed a ‘healthy ultra-processed food’ (UPF).
The new listings come at a time when the debate about UPF and its impact on consumer health is rife. Wrapped bread – particularly of the white variety – is among the products which have been thrust into the spotlight as part of the debate.
“Superloaf commands a unique position within the UPF conversation and it’s great these two cornerstones of UK grocery have joined M&S and Ocado in listing it,” said Modern Baker co-founder Melissa Sharp. “Consumers are starting to demand more from their food and Superloaf’s nutrient-dense recipe heralds a completely new way forward.”
Leanne Jarrett, a senior buyer for Morrisons, described Superloaf as a “pioneering brand at the forefront of nutrition science, and perfectly complements Morrisons’ dedication to keeping our shelves alive with innovative products in the nutrition space”.
Notably, the brand has been named among the finalists in the Bakery Brand of the Year category at the 2024 Baking Industry Awards for its achievements despite only having one SKU. Sales of Superloaf are double what was originally forecast and was proving particularly popular with families.
It is also among the bread brands shaking up the market, along with the likes of Wildfarmed and Jason’s Sourdough, which are looking to give the industry stalwarts a run for their money.
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