More bakeries sign pledge to cut out loaf surplus

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Almost 20 small bakeries across the country have signed up to the Real Bread Campaign’s No Loaf Lost pledge to reduce surplus loaves.

No Loaf Lost launched in January, with a guide that detailed how bakeries could cut the number of excess loaves and reuse leftovers by redirecting to people or charities or repurposing as animal feed, fertiliser or for energy.

So far, 220 copies of the plan have been downloaded and 16 SME bakeries have signed up to the commitment, which, among other things, requires bakeries to measure the weight and retail value of loaf surplus and waste and report into the Real Bread Campaign every six months.

One Bristol-based pledger, Hobbs House Bakery, managed to cut surplus loaves with a sales value of £1,233 by 395.7kg between mid-April and the end of September.

“We currently aim, and have processes in place, to redistribute or repurpose 100% of our surplus bread,” managing director George Herbert said. “Any leftover is taken by staff, frozen for reuse at local events or by charities, or collected for animal feed.

“For some catering customers, we deliver the bread boxed and frozen, which allows them to hold stock until they need it. We also know lots of our catering customers freeze bread themselves to reduce wastage.”

Three bake-to-order microbakeries had also achieved surplus to zero results, a Real Bread Campaign spokesman said.

Simon Cobb, of Stoneham Bakehouse in Hove, added: “We’ve been working towards not having waste, and tailoring production to sell out, rather than hoping to sell more and having surplus.”

The 16 bakeries that have signed up to the pledge are: