The market for veggie breads is set to widen as licensed bread brand Cranks is being expanded into the sector. 

Salisbury-based speciality bakery Nicholas & Harris – part of Finsbury Food Group – will launch three flavoured loaves into selected Waitrose stores from 20 October and plans to roll out across other retailers next year, according to The Grocer.

The range comprises Carry on Carrot, which contains pumpkin seeds, carrot and coriander; Hippity Homity, which contains Cheddar, potato, leek, onion and parsley and is based on Cranks restaurants’ Homity pie recipe; and Breaditerranean with green peppers, olives, red onion and sun-dried tomatoes. Expected retail prices are around £1.69.

Richard Ford, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel, said he believed there was a future in fruit and vegetable breads as consumers demand healthier products alongside innovation. “There may be scope to include these ingredients,” he told British Baker. “Taste is still king in NPD and though consumers demand healthier products, they need to be both tasty and convenient.

“There is a lot of interest in bread or baked goods with fruit and vegetable content. As well as helping to address the demand for variety and excitement, it suggests there may be scope to include ingredients into bread that is seen as good for health to elevate its health image.”

Breads with added vegetables are a growing market outside the UK with Canadian baker Canada Bread last year launching loaves under its Dempster’s and Pom brands that include ingredients such as carrot and pumpkin.