Countdown launches new crusty bread range

Countdown launches new crusty bread range

29 April 2013: In a first for New Zealand supermarkets, Countdown has today announced it has removed artificial colours, flavours or preservatives from its in-store fresh baked ‘crusty’ bread range.

The change follows increasing consumer demand for more natural food products and includes 70 per cent of Countdown’s crusty bread range products, with plans to extend it to more of the range soon.

“There are few things better in life than freshly baked bread, and at Countdown we’re making our fresh bread even better,” says Countdown Bakery Merchandise Manager, Robin Pinner.

“Our customers have told us that they want to feel good about the food they eat, and particularly about the food they feed to their children. Removing commonly used artificial colours, flavours or preservatives from our crusty bread range gives customers freshly baked, great tasting bread they can feel good about eating.”

Countdown bakes 180,000 fresh crusty bread products in store every week. With this roll-out, approximately 70 per cent – 126,000 products – are now free from artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.

Vegetable emulsifier 472e, acidity regulator 297 and antioxidant 306 have been removed from Countdown’s crusty bread range, all of which are commonly used across the baking industry. These ingredients have been replaced with naturally occurring enzymes that are the latest global technology in bread-making.

“Enzyme technology has come a long way in recent years and that’s why we have now been able to substitute artificial emulsifiers with enzymes which are natural rather than artificial,” says Robin.

“There’s all the great taste you love, with none of the things you don’t.”

The new range follows other moves by Countdown to offer greater choice through its ‘own brand’ labels for customers wanting more natural alternatives. The Select range has long had no artificial colours or flavours in its products – it removes preservatives where possible and also includes products that are sourced using sustainable practice methods. Countdown’s new Macro Wholefoods Market range has options for gluten free, organic and free range customers, and keeps salt, sugar, and saturated fat to a minimum, without compromising on taste and quality.

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