Flour Power: How The Good Loaf Changes Lives Daily

The Good Loaf CIC (Community Interest Company) is a Northampton-based social enterprise that is ‘as passionate about giving people a chance as we are about producing delicious artisan bread’. The Good Loaf has been transforming lives since it opened in 2015. Located in the historic Boot and Shoe Quarter, this artisan bakery and café offers more than just freshly baked bread, it provides hope and opportunity to vulnerable women in the community.

What is a CIC?
It is a special type of business in the UK that exists to benefit the community, not to make big profits for owners or shareholders. CICs are carefully structured and monitored to make sure they prioritise social impact over private profit.

Here’s a simple explanation.

• Purpose: CICs are set up to help people or communities— by providing jobs, training, or services.
• Profits: They can make money, but most of it must be used to support their mission, not to pay out to investors. This is called an asset lock.
• Regulation: They are regulated to make sure they are doing what they promised for the public good. Their financial reports are fully available to the public.

In short, a CIC is a business that works like a charity in spirit but operates like a regular company. Follow this link to the Government website to find out more.

When was it opened?
The enterprise was awarded £386,487 from the Big Lottery Fund in 2014 to set up and operate its bakery and café, providing training and employment opportunities for female ex-offenders. From the start, The Good Loaf's mission was to break the cycles of poverty, unemployment, and offending by offering structured work placements and accredited training programs. Women participating in these programs gain practical skills, such as food hygiene certification, and valuable work experience in a supportive environment. The enterprise has assisted approximately 100 women annually, many of whom have faced challenges like mental health issues, domestic abuse, or involvement with the criminal justice system.

A local story
Louisa joined The Good Loaf as one of the bakery’s café assistants. She had been struggling with anxiety and depression and found a lifeline in the bakery's supportive environment. "The Good Loaf has changed my life completely. If I hadn't found the Good Loaf... I couldn't say for certain if I would be here alive," she told BBC News Northamptonshire.

National and local recognition
The Good Loaf has received well-deserved recognition for its impactful work; namely a national award called the Howard League Community Award, in the Women category in 2016 which acknowledged the bakery's efforts in providing employment and training opportunities to help women rebuild their lives after involvement with the criminal justice system. It also won Local Food Hero of the Year at the Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards. A year later the Good Loaf won the High Sheriff Initiative Award from the Northamptonshire Community Foundation, recognizing its significant contributions to the community through activities that benefit and support vulnerable groups.

Environmental initiatives
Although a ‘social’ enterprise, The Good Loaf has a big focus on environmental sustainability and is committed to integrating eco-friendly practices into its operations.

Food waste
Bread is the most wasted food in the UK, with an estimated 900,000 tonnes of bread thrown away every year. Not only is food waste a massive contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, but how can this happen at a time when in 2024, 15% of all UK households are living in food poverty?

In collaboration with Cranfield University's Food Waste Innovations project, The Good Loaf conducted comprehensive audits of its bakery and café to identify and mitigate food waste. This initiative led to practical changes, such as adjusting portion sizes and offering side dishes like coleslaw or salad as optional add-ons, thereby reducing unnecessary waste. They are also working on their inventory management and demand forecasting with the aim of minimising waste.

Reducing ‘food miles’ and supporting local producers
The Good Loaf is part of the Real Bread Campaign and is committed to reducing the distance between where the grain is grown, the flour milled, the dough baked, and the bread consumed. Suzy, the Chief Executive says, “Collectively, the big bakers that produce the majority of our loaves transport more than 12m of them around the country each day. Diesel-guzzling lorry loads are taken up and down motorways from large plant bakeries to central distribution depots and from there to local distribution hubs and finally on to retailers. The Good Loaf's flour comes from Heygates in Bugbrooke and they use Farrington’s Mellow Yellow Cold Pressed Rape Seed Oil, another Northamptonshire product, in many of their recipes.

By integrating these sustainable practices, The Good Loaf exemplifies how social enterprises can positively impact both their communities and the environment.

Feeling hungry?
The café is open from Tuesday to Saturday and they offer a variety of freshly baked artisan breads through their online shop, including options like sourdough, malted, white farmhouse, wholemeal, and white round baps. Their bakers use natural ingredients and avoid artificial preservatives and additives.

You can also find The Good Loaf on Instagram and Facebook, so keep an eye out for tempting goodies!

Additionally, their breads are available at select local retailers, such as ‘Philippa’s’ in Bugbrooke, Castle Ashby Deli, Daily Bread, The Egg Shed in Woolaston, Towbury Butchery in Towcester and RE in Flore.