Meet the Titchfield couple who have made the UK's first bread from vegetables

FOR Jon and Kelly Barfoot bringing fresh produce to people's homes is more than just a business '“ it's a passion.
Jon Barfoot (41) and his wife Kelly Barfoot (42) run Boxxfresh a vegetable delivery service based in Titchfield, and have also invented and marketed the first bread made entirely of vegetables.   Picture: Sarah StandingJon Barfoot (41) and his wife Kelly Barfoot (42) run Boxxfresh a vegetable delivery service based in Titchfield, and have also invented and marketed the first bread made entirely of vegetables.   Picture: Sarah Standing
Jon Barfoot (41) and his wife Kelly Barfoot (42) run Boxxfresh a vegetable delivery service based in Titchfield, and have also invented and marketed the first bread made entirely of vegetables. Picture: Sarah Standing

Not only is their vegetable delivery service booming, they have now invented and marketed the UK’s first bread made of vegetables.

The couple, from Titchfield, started Boxxfresh in 2016 to bring local people closer to where their food is grown. They were inspired by the abundance of ‘best in class’ growers along the south coast.

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Jon said: ‘It made sense to keep it local, fresher and ensure less food miles.’

After seeing their business take off, Jon spotted a gap in the market for naturally gluten-free craft breads.

He set about inventing a healthy bread that all the family can enjoy, regardless of age or diet, and came up with Vegbred – the UK’s first 100 per cent naturally gluten-free sweet potato bread.

The bread, which can last for two weeks in the fridge or seven days at room temperature, is a high protein and high fibre alternative to traditional bread.

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Jon said: ‘It is bread but not as you know it. It’s low carb, natural, gluten-free and made with sweet potatoes. It is delicious with scrambled eggs, on its own or with a bit of marmite.’

It is made with plant-based flours and uses sweet potatoes from a community farm in Senegal, where Jon frequently visited in his former role sourcing vegetables for the UK market.

Vegbred is free from animal products and the surplus peel also helps fuel its production, with the farm running on green energy produced from the leftovers.

Vegbred was launched earlier this year and Jon says orders have been flooding in. A loaf costs £5 and can be ordered from Boxxfresh or vegbred.com

The company is also in talks with major supermarkets and they hope to see their product available nationwide soon.