Weight Watchers bread range gains listings at Canada’s supermarket chain Longo

By Gill Hyslop

- Last updated on GMT

Weight Watchers produces a branded range of calorie controlled foods, including bakery goods like sliced breads and pizza bases. Pic: Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers produces a branded range of calorie controlled foods, including bakery goods like sliced breads and pizza bases. Pic: Weight Watchers
Canadian supermarket chain Longo has started carrying a line of Weight Watcher-branded breads to offer consumers a guilt-free bakery option.

According to Nielsen’s 2015 Global Health & Wellness Survey that polled more than 30,000 consumers in 60 countries, 49% of the world’s population believes they are overweight, while 50% are trying to lose weight. And they’re doing so by making more healthful food choices— with the help from industry.

For example, Longo is the latest Canadian chain to stock the Weight Watchers line of breads on its shelves.

Several of the country’s major grocery chains, including Loblaws and Walmart, also carry Weight Watchers bread products, which are produced by WW Foods LLC, a subsidiary of Weight Watcher's International.

Weight Watchers told BakeryAndSnacks it has developed its range of branded foods to focus on portion control and comes in resealable packaging to assist dieters with weight management. The company’s research and development team is constantly reformulating its products to eliminate or reduce the sugar, fat and sodium content in its branded supermarket range.

Longo will stock Weight Watcher-branded tortillas, sliced bread, bagels, English muffins and buns. The pre-packaged products are available in white, whole wheat and multigrain varieties.

Free to indulge

According to company spokesperson Rosanne Londo, the company invested in the new guilt-free range to assist its health conscious shoppers “succeed with their clean eating aspirations”.

A recent shopper survey conducted by the Toronto-area grocery chain found that more than 87% of its customers are interested in buying healthy foods, while nearly 31% are focused on health.

However, while January is typically a period for clean eating for many people, Longo noted that consumers still want to indulge in foods they love, particularly comforting breads.

Diet bread woodbe
Pic:©iStock/woodbe

Sales of diet bread increases 12% in January, according to data

Nielsen data records the sales of diet bread increased by 12% to 1.88 million units between December 2015 and January 2016.

A total of 23.18 million units were sold in Canada during the 12-month period November 2015, claimed the market researcher.

Natural fit

“A focus on healthy, fresh and local defines our brand. It’s what we’ve stood for forever, so adding these breads to our product line-up is a natural fit with what our customers are looking for,”​ commented Longo.

The Weight Watcher products are low in Weight Watchers “smartpoints,” making them suitable for customers who follow the diet regime stay on track. The company also stocks Weight Watcher meal replacement bars.  

Longo’s is a family-owned Canadian organization that started in 1956 when brothers Tommy, Joe and Gus opened their first fruit market. Today, the company operates 30 stores across the greater Toronto area (GTA), as well as an online home-delivery service.

According to Weight Watcher’s online shop, its range of breads, sandwich rolls, bagels and muffins are low in its officially calculated point value. For example, two slices of its Multi-Grain bread contains 100 calories, 0 g fat and 4 g fiber, which is a point value of just one for the two slices.

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