Buxton Foods is targeting the foodservice market with fresh gluten-free organic bread with no preservatives, improvers or artificial flavourings.
The company, best known for its Stamp Collection organic, wheat-free loaves and Peter Rabbit children's foods, was approached by Boots last December to see if it were possible to produce fresh, gluten-free bread on an industrial scale for a new range of 'free-from' sandwiches, says Buxton Foods' marketing manager Katie Towers.
"Gluten gives bread elasticity. Take it out and you can get a crumbly, scone-like texture. However, we have used a careful blend of different grains including buckwheat, soya flour and maize flour, plus a small amount of xanthan gum, to get the right consistency. But the method is a closely guarded secret."
The bread, which Starbucks is also using in new gluten-free sandwiches, has been developed for coeliacs (who have an intolerance to gluten), but will also appeal to consumers avoiding wheat, says Towers.
"While there are only about 250,000 people diagnosed with coeliac disease in the UK, millions of people believe they have an intolerance to wheat, making our potential market far larger."
Coeliac UK marketing manager Charlotte Hoare adds: "This gives people with coeliac disease a wider option when eating out and demonstrates the growing demand for gluten-free food."