Supa Loaf is one of Kenya’s most famous brand names. Supa Loaf is a product of Mini-Bakeries Limited, a family owned business that started in 1970.
Mini Bakeries was established by Nurzakhanu Akberali Manji and her husband Akberali Manji, and has over several decades grown to become one of the largest companies in the food and beverages sector.
Supa Loaf began its journey as a home -based bakery, and slowly expanded its operations while also streamling the business to compete with big players.
Nurzakhanu Akberali Manji, nicknamed ‘Mama Kubwa’, and her three sons are credited with steering the business from a household bakery to a multi-billion family empire. The modern Supa Loaf recipe is the same as the original one, although the bakery has introduced multiple new products over the years.
Notably, Supa Loaf was the first brand of bread to be branded on company vehicles and to appear on billboards as part of its marketing strategy – demonstrating the company’s early understanding of the importance of marketing.
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It was reportedly the first brand to buy airtime on both radio and television for a commercial advert in Kenya. When the demand for bread increased, Supa Loaf was well positioned and set up manufacturing units across Kenya for its supply.
In 2001, the bakery made a splash in the baking industry by being the first bakery to market its products with a combo pack known as ‘supa bandika’ in a partnership with Unilever, which at the time owned the Blueband brand. In 2011, Supa Loaf partnered with coffee makers Nescafé to run one of the biggest marketing campaigns in the country, in order to attract more customers for the purchase of its original products.
Mini Bakeries was notably also the first major Kenyan bakery to set up an in-house test bakery and offer training to bakers.
Supa Loaf’s popular tagline known as ‘never say bread, say Supa Loaf ‘, which was aired in commercials, is considered iconic and is one reason why customers love the bread to date.
Supa Loaf bread also expanded its market by seeking customers in Kenyan schools and various other learning institutions.
The owners of Mini Bakeries are associated with other companies including Island Paradise Inn, Akiyda Bakeries and Butali Sugar Mills.
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