Regenerative food and farming company Wildfarmed is looking to shake up the bread aisles with the launch of a five-strong bread range.
Hitting the shelves in Waitrose from 1 May, the ‘Wildfarmed Life Changing’ range comprises a sliced white loaf (rsp: £2.80), sliced seeded loaf (rsp: £2.80), white rolls (rsp: £2.50), sourdough (rsp: £4), and seeded sourdough (rsp: £4). A baguette (rsp: £3) as well as plain and bread flour (rsp: £2.50) will be rolling out in June. All products are free from palm oil or fat, artificial preservatives or emulsifiers.
The packaging has been designed for stand-out on shelf and is described by co-founder Edd Lees as “bright green, full of life, and the only bread with a disco ball on it”.
Wildfarmed, which was founded by Lees alongside Andy Cato and George Lamb, has been gaining traction on the UK bakery scene over the past year, having worked with a myriad of artisan bakers before M&S joined the mission. The firms partnered to create the M&S X Wildfarmed range of loaves – securing a Baking Industry Award in 2023 for Sustainability Initiative of the Year for their work – before the regenerative flour was extended to the retailer’s in-store bakery range as well. Since then, suppliers including Higgidy, The Bread Factory, and Simply Lunch have added its flour to their products.
The latest launch represents the first time Wildfarmed has appeared as a consumer-facing brand as it looks to ‘disrupt the traditional bread aisle’. The firm claims the aisle ‘sits at the centre of an environmental storm’ stating that ‘decades of intensive chemical farming have led to a 69% decline in wildlife, degraded soil and a public health crisis’.
As such, it is aiming to take its regenerative produce to the masses and, in turn, bring biodiversity back to landscapes while driving systematic change in the food industry. Wildfarmed works with over 100 UK and French growers to produce wheat in line with the third-party audited Wildfarmed Regenerative Standards. This involves growing crops alongside companion plants, integrating grazing livestock, and using observation and nutrition instead of pesticides to manage crops.
“Wildfarmed began as a field to plate collaboration, uniting farmers and food buyers to create a new food system. One where Wildfarmed growers combine nature and food in fields full of life, and where Wildfarmed customers support these farmers in their vital work,” said Lees.
“Our flour has been championed by some of the best independent UK bakeries and restaurants,” he added. “Working with Waitrose, we’re incredibly excited that our products are now available to everybody nationwide.”
Waitrose brand innovation manager, Oliver Chadwyck-Healey, added: “We know our customers care about where their food comes from, and have a real appetite for delicious products, which is why working with Wildfarmed is the perfect recipe. Their commitment to challenging and reforming the food system is inspiring, and aligns with our plan for nature.”
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