Once upon a time, a small family decided to migrate from South Africa and settle in the beautiful plains of Kenya. In 1903, this family opened the very first bakery in Kenya called the ‘Tea Room Inn” on Government Road within Nairobi’s Central Business District. The introduction of wheat growing in the then Kenya colony necessitated a consumer demand for a quality, well baked bread that was as good as homemade bread. Local wheat was soft and therefore not perfect for bread baking so Elliot’s had to redo the recipe that would have the right ratios for the soft and hard wheat. Additionally there was little electricity then which minimized how many loaves Elliot’s could bake at any one time. The bread had to be baked in wood powered ovens.

The market at the time was small and settlements were spread far between. The family baked its own bread and distributed it to settlers’ provisional stores by horse drawn wagons along the marram course roads. This famous bread came to be known as Elliot’s! after its founder, the Elliot’s family. With the growing demand of bread in Kenya the wheat farming industry was spurred along to become the vibrant industry that it is today. Elliot’s has been supplying bread to Kenyans throughout history, including the first and second world wars, the building of the railway and Kenya’s victory of Independence. Elliot’s! look forward to supplying bread for many generations to come.

Over the years, the packaging of Elliot’s! bread has evolved to become a distinctive feature. From non-wrapped loaves, to wax- paper wrapped bread, today Elliot’s! comes in evenly sliced loaves wrapped in recyclable, transparent plastic bags. The packaging, however, has retained its distinguishing feature of checks, making it part of the visual identity of all Elliot’s! products.

Elliot’s bread, the Bread Division of Uzuri Foods Ltd, is known as “Kenya’s Original Bread” because Elliot’s was the first bread to be manufactured in Kenya, in 1903, making the brand about 110 years old today. Elliot’s bread is the most commonly known brand of bread throughout Kenya.

Since its inception, Elliot’s! bread was meant to be enjoyed. Families across Kenya remember having shared the goodness of Elliot’s! bread on their tables throughout the country, keeping alive the promise of always bringing families together for generations. In fact the tradition of eating bread for breakfast was started and nurtured in Kenya by Elliot’s! long before any other bakeries opened in the region. The long standing baking tradition of Elliot’s! bread has been refined for decades on end so as to stay true to the commitment of always producing only the best bake.

In 2013, Elliot’s brand is celebrating the heritage of baking and years in “…bringing families together for generations.” This has become the official slogan for the brand. Over the years families have enjoyed sharing their Elliot’s bread together. More than any other product sharing the slices of Elliot’s is remembered fondly by many families in both rural and urban areas.

As a way of reaching the wider target market with diverse bread eating needs, your Elliot’s bread comes in innovative forms; the scones, queen cakes and muffins for the take away clientele. Hamburger buns and rolls for fast food quick fixes, The 400g, 600g, 800g and 1500g bread for the family tables and the 200g for the kadogo economy or just a quick snack for lunch for the people who enjoy their bread for lunch, with gravy or meat sauce, within our country’s informal sectors.

Elliot’s! has also maintained a distinctive taste that has been preferred by Kenyan palates across a diversity of culture, age and ethnicity. To achieve this perfect balance of taste, the bread is baked with precise ratios of finely selected ingredients, taking into account that consistency is the hallmark of quality everywhere in the world. Consumers of Elliot’s! country wide prefer the softness of their bread, which also provides an affordable, delicious and satisfying snack.

There has been an increase in the demand for the brown bread variant which is rated one of the best brown breads in the market. Elliot’s brown bread is perceived as healthy and nutritious as it does not contain refined sugar and is preferably eaten by the dietary conscious customers. As a trusted brand for generations the future is bright for the brand and Elliot’s see themselves growing to at least 45% share in the next five years. They will achieve this through well planned and executed marketing strategies. In terms of turnover they intend to grow to 400,000 units per day.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Elliot’s! Bread, is one of Kenya’s oldest brands, with a history and reputation for excellence. Hence the slogan “Kenya’s Original Bread!” Elliot’s! having opened its doors for the first time in 1903 has been creating employment for generations. Today Elliot’s! employs more than 500 people and takes great pride in its employees as its greatest asset. They provide the intellect, motivation and energy that enable Elliot’s! to meet its brand obligations to hundreds of thousands of consumers who eat Elliot’s! Bread every day.

In 2012, and in 2014, Elliot’s! was voted by consumers and experts alike as one of the most important brands in the bread-baking industry. The support of the consumers for the endorsement branding practitioner in the survey earned the brand worldwide recognition as a Superbrand status for four successive years. Elliot’s would like to thank all their consumers for their vote of confidence and for keeping Elliot’s a part of Kenya’s heritage