AB Mauri and BAKO Group have agreed a wholesale distribution partnership that will see BAKO list and exclusively distribute two Aromaferm product lines across the UK, adding to its existing bakery ingredients portfolio.

Aromaferm is AB Mauri's global cereal fermentation and sourdough platform, covering liquid, paste and powder formats designed to be incorporated into bread and baked goods recipes. The agreement builds on an established trading relationship between the two companies and extends Aromaferm availability to craft and mid-size bakers who buy through BAKO's wholesale network.

The deal covers two products: Fermora Wheat, an active chilled liquid, and Rye Ferment 200, an inactive powder. Both will be available nationally through BAKO's five depots in Durham, Preston, Wimbledon, Belfast and Cullompton, following several months of joint planning between the two companies covering value proposition, sales targets, and product training.

UK retail sales of bread carrying a sourdough claim have grown as consumer interest in speciality bread has increased. A UK-focused survey cited by the companies found taste, texture and health to be the three leading reasons consumers choose sourdough.

For bakers producing sourdough in-house, the main constraint is fermentation time and maintaining consistency at scale. Ready-to-use products are positioned as an alternative route, allowing bakers to manage recipe and inventory efficiency while still producing distinctive flavour profiles.

Andrew Dinsdale, Commercial Director at AB Mauri, said the partnership combined AB Mauri's manufacturing and technical expertise with BAKO's national distribution reach, and that the company expected the deal to widen access to Aromaferm among UK users.

David Armstrong, Group Commercial Director at BAKO, said sourdough's growth in recent years had been driven by consumer demand for taste, texture and perceived health benefits, but that the length of the fermentation process had deterred some bakers from entering the category. He said the partnership with AB Mauri would give BAKO's customers a route into the category via AB Mauri's expertise in the space.