The launch of Allied Pinnacle’s product range using the high fibre wheat brand, Wise Wheat, has been more than 20 years in the making. Following decades of R&D, the wheat contains six times the fibre of regular wheat flour without impacting the texture or flavour of the finished product.
Allied Pinnacle was granted exclusive use of licensed patents for the wheat in 2023 by Arista Cereals, a joint venture between CSIRO and French farmer-led co-operative, Limagrain, that had been researching the grain for 20 years.
In Australia, Australian Grain Technologies (AGT) bred the wheat, and it has been grown across New South Wales and Victoria’s wheat belt.
Allied Pinnacle CEO, David Pitt, told Food and Drink Business the company is “super excited” to finally be delivering the product to market.
“It’s a well-known fact we all have a fibre gap in our diet, it’s a global issue, and here we have a potential solution.
“We are creatures of habit and Wise Wheat means people can get six times the amount of fibre they have been getting in a simple yet effective way to increase their fibre intake the natural way with no compromise on taste or change in eating habits. Bread is just the beginning.” Pitt said.
Woolworths merchandise manager – Bakery, Donald Keith, echoed Pitt, saying the retailer was committed to meeting customers’ evolving preferences for convenience and health.
“Introducing Wise Wheat into a selection of our popular everyday bakery loaves and rolls offers an easy way for Australians to make healthier choices without sacrificing taste or convenience,” Keith said.
Allied Pinnacle was #34 on last year’s Australia’s Top 100 Food & Drink Companies report, reporting revenue in excess of $863 million. Its portfolio is broad, ranging from paddock to finished baked goods.
According to Pitt, that diversity puts the company in good standing.
“It is really important for us to be able to talk directly to our consumers to understand them. It lets us listen to their problems (like a lack of fibre in their diet) and develop solutions.
“We want our branded products to be recognised by consumers and for their trust to grow in our portfolio. ,” Pitt said.
Pitt said potential for Wise Wheat and its logo is immense, with the goal of forming partnerships with other existing large brands that are already on the shelf.
“We want consumers to see and recognise the logo when they see it on products – a ‘Powered by Wise Wheat’ idea, like an Intel chip in a computer. Wise Wheat can be the Intel inside your bread,” he said.
For the flour production, the only operational change has been ensuring the flour is isolated from others to avoid cross contamination. But Pitt explained that is standard practice for the business due to existing different wheat varieties being used.
Allied Pinnacle has partnered with Woolworths to launch the Wise Wheat brand in a selection of white and seeded bread loaves and rolls that will be available at Woolworths supermarkets with in-store bakeries.
