Jackson’s Bakery is claiming a first for a British bread brand by removing palm oil from its entire Champion Bread range.

Palm oil is used as an emulsifier by major bread brands, and Jackson’s said it had removed the ingredient from its Champion products without affecting quality and taste.

Champion bloomers and rolls are launching in Waitrose stores across the country this week in new packaging highlighting the palm oil-free recipe.

“While we’ve only ever used sustainable palm oil in our products, the people who buy our bread have demanded more,” said David Balmer, managing director at Jackson’s Yorkshire’s Champion Bread.

“Our mission was to remove palm oil from all of our products, without compromising the delicious taste and freshness of our much-loved bloomers and rolls. We’re thrilled that we’ve achieved what we set out to.”

Pressure has been growing on businesses to reduce their use of palm oil, with retailer Iceland pledging to remove it from all its own-label products.

Launched in 2012, Jackson’s Champion Bread is part of William Jackson Food Group, which last year opened a new £40m bakery that can produce 10,000 loaves of sandwich bread an hour.

The Corby factory has been designed specifically to make bread for sandwich manufacturers and food service customers and will support Jackson’s main bakery in Hull that produces around two million loaves a week, including its Yorkshire’s Champion brand.