ACI Group expands bakery ingredient portfolio with innovative Gecko® Ultra for superior seed retention

ACI Group, a leading supplier of bakery and functional food ingredients in the UK, is delighted to announce the addition of GECKO® Ultra to its expanding portfolio of advanced bakery solutions.

Developed by GoodMills Innovation GmbH, GECKO® Ultra is a 100% natural, wheat-based adhesive designed to tackle one of the bakery industry’s longest-standing challenges: seed loss. This innovative ingredient offers bakeries a powerful, clean-label solution that significantly improves seed retention on baked goods, reducing waste, lowering raw material costs, and enhancing overall product quality.

Seeded breads, rolls, and crackers are highly popular among consumers, but the seeds that decorate them often become a liability for producers. From baking ovens to packaging lines and transport to retail shelves, up to half of all decorative toppings frequently fall off, resulting in ingredient waste, inconsistent product appearance, and increased production costs.

Traditional methods, such as applying water or common binders, often fail to secure seeds effectively, forcing bakers to overuse expensive toppings to maintain visual standards. GECKO® Ultra changes this dynamic by mimicking the natural adhesion ability of the gecko lizard through a refined wheat-based powder. When mixed with water, it forms a stable suspension that holds seeds firmly in place throughout the entire production process and beyond, without chemical additives or compromising clean-label standards.

Jack Helm, Account Manager for Beverage, Bakery & Functional Food at ACI Group, highlighted the transformative impact GECKO® Ultra can have on bakery operations. “By adding GECKO® Ultra to our product range, we’re empowering artisan and industrial bakeries to overcome a costly and persistent problem,” he said. “Trials have demonstrated that seed retention rates can increase from an industry average of around 56% to over 90%, which translates directly into significant cost savings, improved sustainability, and a better experience for the end consumer.”

GECKO® Ultra is highly versatile and can be seamlessly incorporated into various application methods, including manual brushing, immersion baths, roller systems, and advanced spray technologies. This flexibility makes it accessible for bakeries of all sizes and automation levels, enabling producers to optimise seed adhesion regardless of their equipment or production scale.

The addition of GECKO® Ultra reinforces ACI Group’s ongoing commitment to supporting UK bakeries in improving product quality, operational efficiency, and sustainability performance. As the bakery market faces increasing consumer demand for clean-label products and waste reduction, innovative ingredients like GECKO® Ultra provide a critical competitive advantage.

Bakeries interested in learning how GECKO® Ultra can be integrated into their production lines and deliver measurable benefits are encouraged to contact ACI Group’s expert team at www.acigroup.biz.