Coles changes recipes for store made bread to make it softer, last longer with less salt

Coles has quietly changed its store-made recipes on one of its popular staples bought everyday across Australia.

Exclusive: Coles has quietly changed its store-made recipes for bread to make it softer, fluffier and last longer with less salt.

The supermarket chain has cut more than 76 tonnes of salt — the size of two semi-trailer loads — from 46 items baked daily.

The new recipes were created over a two-year period with Australian family-owned business Manildra Group.

Popular items like Coles’ in-store baked white sandwich, toast and block loaves, now contain as little as 274mg of sodium per 100 grams, compared to 2019 when they had 375mg per 100 grams in the recipe.

Coles’ Bakery General Manager Andy Mossop said the recipe was of a “higher quality”, and its reduced salt content has not sacrificed its taste.

“Having less salt won’t impact the taste, as we don’t have to add as much salt in with the higher, cleaner grade of ingredients,” he said.

“You will get an extra couple of days out of the bread you buy.

“Our prices will still remain the same as we are committed to providing that value.”

Mr Mossop said the new recipe had been slowly rolled out in stores nationally since February, and customers had barely noticed the change.

“Bread is a household staple and we sell more than 400 million Coles bakery loaves and rolls from the in-store bakery each year,” he said.

Coles baker Mauricio Luna is pictured at Coles Moonee Ponds, in Victoria. Picture: Mark Stewart

Manildra Group Director John Honan said their high quality white bread mix uses 100 per cent Australian wheat and is lower in salt.

“This product has been specially created using the highest quality ingredients to manufacture bread products that arguably provide market leading crumb softness, texture and eating qualities in the Coles super soft, crusty and savoury range,” he said.

The Heart Foundation’s General Manager for Heart Health, Bill Stavreski, said salt is a significant issue for Australians as it increases blood pressure and leads to heart disease.

“Australians are eating double the amount of salt they should be eating and there are more than six million people living with high blood pressure,” he said.

“We are one of the highest consumers of salt around the world.”

Mr Stavreski said the Heart Foundation has been working in partnership with Coles to help make the food it sells more “heart healthy” over time.

“Food reformulation is not an easy process … but the Foundation has also been talking to industry about how to reduce salt in many foods,” he said.

“Bread and grain is part of a staple diet and we recommend wholegrain because of the benefits it brings.

“While we promote and tell people to make sure their diet is high in fruit and vegetables and contains wholegrains and dairy, we know people are going to eat a range of food.

“But they need to know what healthy foods are and how to prepare them — we need to support people in their knowledge and cooking.”

Originally published as Coles changes recipes for store made bread to make it softer, last longer with less salt