US health foods giant Boulder Brands is aiming to become the “category captain” in the UK free-from market.

The business, which has a turnover of around $450m, plans to roll out up to 50 gluten-free and dairy-free products in the UK under best-selling US gluten-free brand Udi’s, including sliced bread, breakfast cereals, food-to-go and ready meals.

It has signalled the start of its expansion into the UK with the acquisition of Cheshire-based gluten-free supplier Davies Bakery - part of the Frank Robert & Sons Group - and the creation of British subsidiary Boulder Brands UK.

Davies Bakery is an 18,000 sq ft facility in Harden that was opened in 2010 and produces private-label gluten-free bread and gluten and dairy-free loaves under the Yes! You Can brand.

The site will produce Udi’s fresh baked products, while other lines in the UK range will be made at two Boulder Brands sites in the US.

“Udi’s has grown to become a £61m brand in the US and we want to replicate that success in the UK,” said UK MD Simon Hazlett.

“Many of these lines will represent innovative, first-to-market products that will give the consumer a much wider offering across all categories of gluten-free. We want to be category captains.”

Hazlett added that Boulder hoped to bring the first Udi’s products to market this September or October and was currently talking to retailers about potential national listings.

The free-from market has seen a surge in activity in recent months, with Irish gluten-free brand BFree launching in the UK, Heinz creating a range of gluten-free pasta and Warburtons rebranding its gluten-free range as Newburn Bakehouse.

In February, market-leading gluten-free bread brand Genius acquired Finsbury Food’s free-from operation for £21m.

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