Olly Harrison bakes 'largest' loaf of bread in the world to highlight unfairness in the supply chain

Arable farmer Olly Harrison has reportedly broken a Guinness World Record in baking the biggest loaf of bread in the world while highlighting the unfairness farmers face in the supply chain.

With help from Hereford farmer Martin Williams and John Branson, Mr Harrison had baked the mammoth loaf of bread on Wednesday (June 5).

Weighing more than 2,000kg, the current Guinness World Record for the largest loaf stands at 1,571 kg, which was made by Joaquim Gonçalves in Brazil on November 13 2008.

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Having constructed an oven big enough to house the bread from scratch using an eight-tonne tipping trailer, Mr Harrison said it was one of the most difficult challenges he has undertaken.

"After undertaking the combine challenge last year from John O'Groats to Lands End, we just wanted to do something really special," he says.

"Together, we raised nearly £100,000 for charities including MIND and Children With Cancer UK.

"But we really struggled to pin down an idea of what we could do to raise money.

"So I took a look at if there was a way we could break a Guinness World Record.

"When I came across the world's largest loaf of bread, I thought it would be easy.

"However, it was nothing but.

"It took around two or three days to weld and construct the makeshift oven which was really hard.

"Once it was ready, we had to use a cement mixer to get the dough the way we needed.

"Additionally, we needed around 800 kilograms of water so it was no mean feat.

"But then the oven was flicking between getting too hot and then not getting hot enough.

"In the end, it took about 24 hours to cook but it was definitely more difficult than the 800 mile plus journey last year.

"Without Martin and John, none of this could have been possible, so I really want to thank them for everything they did."

With a final weight reading of 2,340kg, the bread has reportedly broken a Guinness World Record.

Mr Harrison hopes to raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association following the death of rugby league legend Rob Burrow on Sunday (June 2). 

Mr Harrison added: "He was an absolute legend and never gave up despite all he faced.

"All money raised from this endeavour will go to support his family and the fantastic work the charity does to support people living with MND."

However, the Prescot farmer said there was also another reason why he had undertaken the challenge to highlight unfairness in the supply chain.

"The cost of the bread in a supermarket, when factoring its size, would be around the £5,000 mark," he adds.

"However, a farmer may only receive around £360 of that which is purely scandalous.

"This is what farmers have to face time and time again in the supply chain when putting the effort in and getting the scraps. 

"So we will be going to Cereals next week to showcase the now largest loaf of bread in the world so it will be great to see as many people there to see it.

"At some point in the future, we hope to sell off bits of the bread to people in jars so they can share in our success.

"It can be your little bit of history.

"But, I must stress it is not fit for human consumption."

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