Juvela, an established gluten-free producer, has introduced OAF, a fresh brand targeting health-conscious consumers in the free-from market. The launch coincides with the opening of a new allergen-free production facility in South Wales.

Dual Brand Strategy

The company is positioning OAF as its retail-focused offering while maintaining Juvela's presence in the prescription coeliac market. This approach allows them to serve both medical and lifestyle-driven gluten-free consumers through distinct brand identities.

OAF made its retail debut this week across Tesco locations, featuring four products that emphasize authentic bread characteristics in taste, texture, and nutritional value.

Production Innovation

What sets OAF apart from competitors is its foundation in wheat starch technology rather than rice flour, which dominates the gluten-free sector. The process involves removing gluten from wheat starch while preserving the familiar qualities of conventional bread. This method has primarily served prescription markets but is now being adapted for mainstream retail.

The new South Wales facility represents significant infrastructure investment, designed specifically to prevent cross-contamination while supporting expanded production capacity.

Market Positioning

CEO Scott Livingston explains the market opportunity:

"Gluten free consumers - especially the younger, health-conscious segment - aren't connecting with brands on the shelf, perceiving them as second best to conventional bread. This presents a massive opportunity to engage this audience with a vibrant, characterful brand that resonates with them, whilst showing how tasty and simple gluten free bread can be through our product innovation."

Livingston continues:

"By combining Juvela's well-established quality, craft and expertise with OAF's vibrant brand personality, we're on a mission to inject new energy, relevance, taste and enjoyment to the retail free-from space, starting with a line of high-quality bakery goods, in the fastest growing areas of the category."

The launch targets the fastest-growing segments within the free-from category, focusing initially on bakery products with potential for future expansion.

Industry Context

The move reflects broader trends in the gluten-free market, where lifestyle choices increasingly drive demand alongside medical necessity. By leveraging established production capabilities while creating a distinct retail identity, Juvela positions itself to capture both segments of this expanding market.

The brand's emphasis on wheat starch technology represents a technical differentiator in a category where rice-based formulations have become standard, potentially offering consumers closer approximations to traditional bread experiences.