Lo-Dough makes a point in Parliament Rochdale-based food tech company invited to Westminster to disc

Posted by on 25 Oct 2018

The Rochdale-based manufacturer of a revolutionary bread and pastry alternative was in London last week to participate in the Sugar Summit, an annual initiative organised by Sugarwise to promote healthier prepared food and drink, and hosted by the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Diabetes.

Lo-Dough was invited to the event after being awarded Sugar Free and Reduced Carb status by Sugarwise, the international certification authority for sugar claims. Lo-Dough is the first business in the world to be awarded the new Reduced Carb status.

Lo-Dough began in 2017 and now employs 30 people at its Rochdale headquarters. The company manufactures and sells a game-changing bread and pastry replacement that contains 55% fewer calories and - uniquely - 90% fewer carbs than traditional bakery products. Each piece of Lo-Dough is just 39kcal and can be used as the lowest calorie pizza base ever created.

Lo-Dough co-founder Rob Wales said: “Lo-Dough was created to redefine the nutritional composition of bread and pastry, changing the perception of foods such as pizza, quiche and cakes together with their health credentials. We’re honoured that the committee gave us a voice and recognised that companies like Lo-Dough have an important part to play in the debate around healthy eating.”

Topics discussed at the summit, hosted by Keith Vaz, MP, included food and drink labelling and healthier hospital catering. Participants included major food and drink brands, charities and other stakeholders.

Lo-Dough sells direct to 70,000 customers through its eCommerce site. In just over a year, the company has built up a loyal following of slimming club members and fitness fanatics.

Rob says that the company’s Rochdale location has played a part in its success: “We arrived in Rochdale whilst looking for somewhere to build our pilot operation and immediately felt at home. There’s a real sense of action, positivity and getting things done in the town, an attitude that resonates with us.”

Lo-Dough has recently joined the Rochdale Ambassador programme, a scheme which uses the influence and networking expertise of thriving Rochdale businesses to promote the town beyond its borders.

Co-founder Ben Holden added: “We’ve been incredibly well supported by the Environment Health team in Rochdale and the Rochdale Development Agency. These factors have helped us start and scale our business so we are more than happy to be able to put something back and help spread the word that Rochdale is a great town for business.”