Teffie has rolled out a nationwide launch of its range of nutritious, allergen-free bakery snacks made with ancient African grain teff.
The cookie-shaped snacks are available in flavours of Chocolate Date, Chocolate Orange, and Cinnamon Sultana, and can be ordered via the brand’s website in boxes of 24, 36, or 73 (rsp: from £60).
High in fibre and plant-based, they are free from the top 14 allergens and contain no artificial sweeteners, flavours, colours, refined sugar, or rapeseed oil.
Teffie founder Jessica Rogers first discovered the nutritional benefits of teff whilst travelling and working in Ethiopia five years ago. Naturally gluten-free teff has been a staple of the diet in the Horn of Africa for thousands of years, used in the flatbread ‘injera’ to provide two thirds of the protein requirements for Ethiopians.
It is also high in calcium and B vitamins, as well as essential amino acid lysine, which are often lacking in other grains, Rogers said.
Upon return to the UK, Rogers began making brownies with teff flour for her diabetic father, which led to her establishing The Teff Creations Company start-up.
“My mission was to create something genuinely good for you,” she commented. “But time and again, industry professionals urged me to compromise by adding ultra-processed ingredients, refined sugars, and artificial sweeteners – all to extend shelf life, not enhance taste.”
Rogers said this made no sense to her, noting that you wouldn’t expect a natural product such as an apple to stay fresh for years. “Prioritising longevity over health is a short-sighted approach, and no wonder so many of us are hooked on sugar-laden foods,” she added.
The Teffie range aims to make healthy snacking easy in the workplace, at the gym, for busy mums and for allergen sufferers. Most other snacks, claimed Rogers, are filled with artificial sweeteners, seed oils, soy lecithins and xantham gums. “It’s very difficult to find smart alternatives to ultra-processed snacks that also do not contain gluten, nuts and soy,” she said.
A recent three-month trial at selected outlets such as SoHo House and Planet Organic saw the snacks quickly achieve a following among consumers, despite their plain packaging and unobtrusive branding. This led to the decision to launch them at a national level.
Rogers, who made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list this year, is now said to be in discussion with retailers, airlines, and foodservice channels on new distribution and supply deals.
The healthier sweet bakery snack space has been heating up in recent months, with ‘better-for-you’ doughnut specialist Urban Legend banking investment from Mondelēz International and non-HFSS cookie brand JNCK Bakery joining Tesco’s Accelerator Programme.
The new Labour government has also shown its commitment to tackling childhood obesity through next year’s implementation of restrictions on TV and online advertising of ‘less healthy’ products.
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