As the world evolves, food items are also evolving to cater to the taste and convenience of consumers. Bread is no exception to this trend. It is one of the most commonly consumed foods in Kenya.
Supa Loaf is one brand that has evolved to enjoy an impressive market share in the country, neck, and shoulders with brands like Kenblest, Elliots, and United. It can be found in many supermarket shelves and shops across Kenya.
This is the journey of Supa Loaf as told by WoK:
History
Supa Loaf is baked by Mini Bakeries Limited, a family-owned business that was started in 1970 by Nurzakhanu Akberali Manji alias ‘Mama Kubwa’ together with her husband Akberali Habib Manji.
Initially, ‘Mama Kubwa’ started baking at home but expanded operations over the years. Later, her three young sons joined the business and together they transformed it from a household bakery to a multi-billion conglomerate.
The majority of the current recipes are still the original ones, although the bakery has evolved to come up with new products.
Supa Loaf has made history in countless ways. It was the first brand of bread to be branded on company vehicles and appear on billboards. It was also the first brand of bread in Kenya to run a commercial advert on radio and television.
As the demand for bread increased, Supa Loaf became the first bakery to set up manufacturing units across Kenya and for years remained the only bread brand with a market share of three East African countries.
In 2001, the bakery revolutionized the baking industry by being the first bakery to market its wares with a combo pack known as ‘Supa Bandika’, in a partnership with Unilever.
In 2011, Supa Loaf partnered with Nescafe to run one of the most successful marketing campaigns in Kenya.
The brand’s popular tagline ‘Never say bread, say Supa loaf’ which was aired in a popular commercial some years ago is still etched in consumer’s minds.
The brand is known for its unique taste, freshness, and long shelf life. It is one of the few breads that can be consumed without any accompaniment, making it a favorite of many.
For the more health-conscious, the Supa Loaf brown bread is available.
Through the decades, Supa Loaf has dominated the market and found a huge customer base in schools and other institutions.
The company offers educational tours, where school children get a glimpse of how the baked goods are made. These tours have proved to be very successful in etching the brand in the hearts of consumers.
Supa Loaf promotes its brand in all manner of ways, including billboards, giveaways of branded merchandise, partnerships with supermarkets for offers, and a fleet of branded vehicles that deliver the bread to all parts of Kenya.
With over 40 factories across East Africa, Supa Loaf offers direct employment to 2,500 employees and indirect employment to over 2,000 others.
Its bakeries produce over 2 billion slices of bread every year. The brand can be found in over 20,000 shops and kiosks countrywide.
Apart from Supa Loaf, owners of the Mini bakeries also own the Mini group of companies, which encompass Butali Sugar Mills, Island Paradise Inn, and Akiyda Bakeries.
Mini Bakeries became the first Kenyan bakery to set up an in-house test bakery and offer training to bakers.