Tooru (TOO) , a health and wellness-focused company, issued a trading and operational update on its wholly owned subsidiary, Juvela - a provider of gluten-free foods that recently expanded into a broader range of "free from" products.
Tooru reported a 93.1% year-on-year increase in retail outlet sales for Juvela. The growth was market-wide and driven by rising consumer demand, expanded distribution, and a renewed focus on brand positioning. Within 9 months, Juvela's distribution points grew 6-fold - from c. 500 to 3,000, advancing from a single product sold in Tesco to a multi-SKU range available across three of Britain's major grocery chains.
In June 2025, Juvela introduced the OAF range of gluten-free breads to Tesco shelves, featuring a 4-variant lineup. The product uses a specially formulated wheat starch with gluten removed - a process traditionally reserved for prescription coeliac bread that delivers taste and texture much closer to regular bread than competing products that use rice flower.
Tooru noted that all of Juvela's OAF products had received accolades at the 2025 "Free From" Food Awards. The company is now in active discussions to expand the product range into new subcategories, and the distribution footprint with new partners.
Scott Livingston, CEO, commenting: "Over the past 12 months, Juvela has been laying the groundwork for real, sustainable growth - across our products, our brands, and our retail footprint. That momentum is now turning into results."
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Tooru issues a positive trading update for its recently acquired subsidiary Juvela. The gluten-free food specialist was added as part of Tooru's acquisition of S-Ventures' wellness portfolio in May 2025, alongside plantain snack brand We Love Purely, protein bar manufacturer Pulsin, and e-commerce consultancy Market Rocket.
Juvela marked a step change in sales and visibility as it nearly doubled retail sales for the 12 months to May 17 2025, while its distribution grew 6-fold to cover a multi-SKU range across three major UK supermarket chains. Building on the strong start to 2025, the company is taking steps to maintain its sales momentum, with continued investment in product development, particularly the OAF gluten-free bread product range, and a dual-brand sales strategy across prescription and retail.
As mentioned, the new challenger OAF range uses a novel method to achieve gluten-free content for the retail market. Unlike other products in the category that use rice flower, OAF relies on a specially formulated wheat starch, developed for prescription-based coeliac bread, that offers a taste much closer to conventional bread. This gives Juvela a competitive advantage in the rapidly growing 'free-from' space where gluten-free options have struggled recently. The new range will also benefit from continued investment in Tooru's new allergen-free facility in south Wales.
S-Ventures' operating businesses, acquired by Riverfort (now Tooru) in a reverse takeover in May 2025, performed exceptionally well during their last financial year. SVEN delivered positive EBITDA on net revenues of £13.9m in FY24, and so did three of its operating businesses on a month-on-month basis. Margins jumped 13 points to 58%. The reverse takeover made S-Ventures the largest shareholder in Tooru with 27.8% interest and a significant board presence.
The results demonstrate that SVEN's operating businesses were an attractive acquisition for Tooru, expected to generate significant near-term revenue and operating cashflow, spearheaded by Juvela's strong momentum.
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