A new era in nutrition

With ‘Diabesity’ (diet-related ill-health) joining climate change as one of humanity’s greatest challenges, the arrival of Superloaf opens up a brand new approach to the chronic nutrition problem across the globe – increasingly linked to the explosion of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which now represent over 50% of the UK’s calorie intake.

Superloaf demonstrates that carb-based UPFs can be re-engineered to become a vehicle for positive nutrition – combining the economic and format advantages of being made at scale, while being packed with better nutrition, principally via selected prebiotic plant fibres and bioactive plant compounds.

Superloaf’s unique ingredient formulation is further optimised by targeted fermentation to amplify a host of nutritional benefits including soluble fibre levels, bioavailability, glycaemic impact, shelf-life and bioactive polyphenol levels.

Furthermore, Superloaf has been adapted for mass production, resulting in a nutrient-dense loaf which is accessible in terms of both price and sensory factors – in particular loaf volume and crumb softness – so it resembles the 8m sliced and wrapped loaves bought daily by bread-loving Brits, but with greater depth of flavour.

The Modern Baker Team, image credit: The Modern Baker

Melissa’s epiphany

Co-founder, Melissa Sharp, explains how the idea for Superloaf came about in poignant circumstances, when aged 36 she was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer: “Our vision to take on the western world’s staple food and turn it into what we call an ‘NHS-positive food’ started in a chemo-ward. During one of my chemo sessions, a refreshments trolley was wheeled in. It looked like something out of a 1960s Carry On film, except what was on it wasn’t remotely funny. I was just learning the connection between sugar and cancer, and seeing a trolley stacked with chocolate bars, fizzy drinks and snacks forever changed my world in an instant. I remember looking at Leo, and saying ‘WTF’. Shortly after that we made a commitment to do everything in our powers to change these foods for the better, starting with bread. We then founded Modern Baker, which produces Superloaf, and later, Oxford Food Tech for all our science and IP.

“A big breakthrough was funding from the UK government agency Innovate UK, allowing us to work with leading scientists and academics. Five successive grants and six years of R&D later, Superloaf was born. In the latter stages, the support of M&S was invaluable.”

Alexander Vasis, senior bakery buyer at M&S, says: “We are proud to have been key to the development of Superloaf and to now offer this innovative new product developed specifically to support gut health. We are sure our customers are going to love it.”

Food as medicine

Co-founder, Leo Campbell, explains: “Good nutrition is medicine, and with the help of many leading scientists, significantly funded by the government, Superloaf has been specifically designed to be the first processed staple food with this as its core purpose. We want Superfloaf to take a lead in food systems becoming the solution, rather than the problem.

“The demand for nutrition innovation among the major food retailers has been pretty much universal, much greater than we expected, and given that a rapidly growing number of UK

consumers actively want nutrition in bread to improve, Superloaf offers a solution.

“At the end of 2022 Silicon Valley started to break down the Food Tech investment asset class into its component parts. ‘Food-as-med’ was one of them, recognising the commercial potency in science and tech based solutions aimed at solving the chronic metabolic health crisis facing society.”