Puratos UK targets bakery diversification with regeneratively-farmed sourdough solution

31 Jan 2024 --- Puratos UK is rising to the challenge of making sourdough more sustainable with the launch of the market’s first ready-to-use regeneratively-farmed solution. 

The latest innovation in its Sapore range of living and inactive sourdoughs, Sapore Sally, is a living sourdough made with regeneratively farmed flour from UK-based Wildfarmed. It has been designed to help large bakeries diversify their portfolios with locally produced, sustainably sourced sourdough products. 

Sapore Sally has a creamy, slightly tangy taste and can be used to enhance the flavor of a standard bread naturally or, when combined with a sourdough starter, adapts the flavor of a sourdough bread. 

“Sourdough is no longer seen as a niche bakery product — it is now a much-loved feature of many shopping baskets and a tasty ingredient addition in many baked goods,” Philippa Knight, marketing director at Puratos UK, tells Food Ingredients First. 

Rising interest in fermented ingredients 
Growing awareness of the potential gut health benefits of fermented ingredients is a big part of this rise in interest, remarks Knight, adding that “48% of consumers in the UK believe sourdough bread is healthier than other types of bread.”

“People are understanding that indulging in baked goods doesn’t have to mean sacrificing their health and well-being goals, with many turning to sourdough bread because it is reported to be more ‘natural’ and easier to digest,” she adds. 

Sourdough is also a great way to naturally add flavour to baked goods. This has certainly boosted the market in recent years; there were an impressive 38% more sourdough-related product launches in 2023 than in 2018, according to data from Innova Market Insights. 

“With signs of demand showing no indication of slowing down, we were keen to take sourdough development one step further — helping manufacturers achieve delicious baked goods with more sustainable and locally sourced ingredients,” Knight notes. 

British bakers
Puratos’s launch of Sapore Sally signals its first step in bringing locally-produced ingredients, made with regeneratively farmed flour, to UK bakers. 

It comes in the context of Britons becoming increasingly conscious about their food choices: 71% think that food made with local ingredients positively impacts the environment, according to Taste Tomorrow research.

“Sourdough and natural fermentation are passions at Puratos and continue to grow in popularity among consumers. As part of our commitment to continuous innovation and responsible sourcing, we’re developing our successful Sapore range to cater to the evolving needs and values of conscious consumers — sustainability, naturalness and health,” Knight elaborates.

“Our proprietary Taste Tomorrow research found that 68% of UK consumers now seek out food that has been produced sustainably, and nearly three in five (58%) want to be informed about where their food comes from.”

“With Sapore Sally, we deliver on this hunger for knowledge and thirst for transparency, offering natural, locally- and sustainably-produced ingredients. We are delighted to collaborate with Wildfarmed on creating this truly transformative solution, bringing nature to the forefront of the baking industry and making sourdough manufactured with regeneratively farmed flour far more accessible.”

Regenerative approaches
Wildfarmed works with over 100 farmers across the UK and France who embrace regenerative approaches to improve farm biodiversity and soil conditions. 

All Wildfarmed crops are grown without the use of pesticides, and growers, who are all independently audited, must adhere to a robust set of the Wildfarmed Regenerative Standards. 

This sustainable farming method means that ecosystems are restored and protected, and soil is revitalized and renourished. 

This ensures that its ability to produce food in the future is not diminished. In addition, research has suggested that regenerative farming could reduce UK agricultural emissions by up to 38%.

Sapore Sally is a living sourdough made with regeneratively farmed flour from UK-based Wildfarmed.Rachel Stonehouse, Wildfarmed’s NPD manager, explains: “The launch of Sapore Sally with Puratos provides bakers with a further way to incorporate Wildfarmed regenerative flour into their recipes, contributing toward our mission of ensuring landscapes across the UK become full of life once again. Plus, by adding Wildfarmed flour to a product as part of this alive, slow-fermented sourdough, it allows the complex and unique flavors and aromas of Wildfarmed flour to really shine through — resulting in products that taste better and are better for you and the planet.”

In addition to working with Wildfarmed in the UK, Puratos is also developing products made with regeneratively farmed flour in Belgium, Italy, and Australia. 

“At Puratos, we believe that the future of bread lies in the past,” adds Knight. “Consumer demand for traditional ingredients like sourdough shows no sign of slowing down, and the craving for natural, healthy bread is palpable. But we also need to look to the future and how we can lessen the impact that food production has on the environment.”

“Sapore Sally is one such solution, acting as a springboard for more responsibly manufactured bakery products and offering customers and consumers ‘seed to sourdough’ transparency,” she concludes. 

Edited by Elizabeth Green