Oaf came about because the brand owners Juvela felt the UK free from bakery category was packed with great products, but also free from anything interesting or fun. Gen Z and Millennial consumers were being put off, believing the current products ‘weren’t for them’ They imagined a new challenger on the fixture, a simple, approachable and delicious new gluten-free bread; because following a gluten-free diet is already complicated enough.

Wrapped bread is dominated by big bakery companies that largely follow traditional designs for their products. Into the Light studio set out to break the mould and took inspiration from other categories like plant-based and dairy free, where challenger brands are the norm and reign supreme. They dived deep into Gen Z culture and developed territories that would resonate. The audience needed a brand that would cut through and speak to them directly from a crowded and complicated fixture full of claims, clutter and nutritional information.

The studio purposely went for simple, bold pack designs, bright colours and playful use of copy and type. This ensured Oaf had maximum impact on-shelf. The distinctive purple Oaf character, created by illustrator A J Higgins, draws consumers into the pack with his eyes and has proved to be a great asset for back of pack, website and social channels. The brand achieved a major retailer listing with Tesco straight away for all skus, and is on track to achieve its goal of disrupting a staid fixture plus injecting the fun back into gluten-free bakery.