Salford was the latest council this month to ban biscuits at meetings, leaving a £30,000 hole in sales of bourbons, custard creams and Rich Tea. Luckily for cookie makers, the category looks likely to withstand such swingeing government cost-cutting ahead.

As BB reported last issue, calls to cut salt in food are showing no signs of quieting down, with bakers still public enemy number one as far as people's salt intake goes at least in the Food Standards Agency's (FSA's) eyes. Controlling salt levels is no mean feat just ask the government, which found it conspicuously difficult when the snow hit earlier this year. So what can bakers do to help the government reach its salt reduction targets and perhaps save a bit back for gritting the pavements?

Got your head around the difference between a latte and a cappuccino yet? No? Well, you've got a whole new coffee option to worry about now: the flat white.

The world's first integrated check weigher has been launched by Benier as part of a divider control system, which aims to optimise accuracy of dough weight.

While consumers have been trading down in many areas of their lives of late, it seems the bake-off breads market has been protected by a layer of recession-proof crust.

By offering coeliacs something they'd struggled to buy before fresh gluten-free bread it's not hard to see why Genius triumphed in The Innovation Award category, sponsored by Asda, at the Baking Industry Awards last year. The addition of this loaf to the supermarket shelves meant those requiring gluten-free bread, could actually purchase a loaf, and eat it as it came fresh.

Greggs has started gathering intelligence on overseas markets as it prepares for international expansion. The company is already Great Britain's biggest bakery takeaway operator, with 1,419 shops. But Greggs has plans to launch in other parts of the world in the longer term, says chief executive Ken McMeikan. Speaking to British Baker after Greggs topped the new BB75 league table of bakery retailers, McMeikan says Greggs' expansion ambitions are far from satisfied.

St Anne's College was the venue for The Rise of Real Bread Conference a place where the Gandalfs and Aslans of all baking things, philosophic and prophetic, gathered.

Sandwich retailer, EAT, which BB last August revealed had plans to double the number of outlets from 100 to 200 within three to five years, has revamped its chilled distributions to cope with worries over sudden failures in distribution of products to its stores.

While most people will be aware of the major bakery wholesalers such as Bako and BFP lesser known are the smaller regional suppliers that are making inroads into craft bakery. Walker Humphrey, which supplies esteemed retailers like Bettys of Harrogate and Cooplands of Doncaster, is a case in point.

The logistics of integrating two large firms, operating from different sites, can be a real nightmare.

What's the latest?

Simply put, Daub makes ovens. The company pioneered thermal oil ovens which, according to research, save 30% on energy costs while producing quality end-products. At its Hamburg headquarters, which employs 85 people, the ovens are built before being exported to Britain and all over the world.

McDonalds Bakers of Glasgow took a tentative step in a new direction during the 1990s and has never looked back. A traditional family baking business, with 10 conventional retail outlets, the company had made an abortive and almost business-ending attempt to diversify into wholesale during the previous decade. And since it was "getting harder and harder for traditional bakers' shops", according to its MD, the decision was taken to develop a coffee shop and takeaway offering.

A world of change and only 650 words to sum it up (that's 12 wasted already). You could write a book on the new qualifications framework, its implications and benefits for employers, and how bakery fits in. Instead, here is the slimmed-down, abridged, Dr Atkins version just the protein, no carbs.

These premium Easter-themed cakes use Macphie's Genoese Mix and 5th Avenue icing and offer a high profit margin.

This recipe combines CSM's Craigmillar-branded Extra Moist Cake and Crembel Lemon Fudge Icing.

This uses Baktem Blue (used at 20% on flour weight) for fermented buns, a ready-to-use crossing mix and a ready-to-use bun glaze. Baktem Spiced Bun Concentrate, a ready-spiced mix (25% on flour weight), is also available.
Ingredients kg
Flour4.000
Baktem Blue 20%0.800
Yeast0.200
Water2.240
Currants1.000
Sultanas1.000
Peel (if required)0.038
Bun spice flavour0.035
Total9.313

You don't have to wait until September's National Cupcake Week to capitalise on the cupcake craze, which shows no signs of slowing. In fact, cupcakes saw sales volume growth of 13.7% and average prices per pack increasing by 7.2% (TNS Superpanel, 52 w/e 4 October 2009). "There is still potential in the market for those looking for great trading profits," says Lisa Boswell, marketing manager at CSM. So why not try some decorated cupcakes this Easter?
Ingredient suppliers are coming up with a number of ways to cut costs and simplify the process this season. Karen Scott, communi-cations manager at Macphie, says: "We recommend that bakers look more closely at the 'cost in use', because it is not just about the cost of the bag mix, it is about how far the mix goes and what additional ingredients may be needed."
Meanwhile, British Bakels is offering a package that means bakers can achieve an 80% margin on hot cross bun sales. If they use Baktem Blue, along with Bakels' ready-to-use Crossing Mix, they will receive the ready-to-use Bun Glaze free of charge. This bundle deal is the equivalent to a 30% discount across the board.
"Our package gives bakers the opportunity to produce great-tasting hot cross buns and increase their profit margins, thanks to the free bun glaze," says Pauline Ferrol, national sales controller at Bakels.

Jonathan Warburton, chairman, Warburtons
"I believe the category still has lots of opportunity to encourage consumers to expand their repertoire, particularly at the moment when staying in and eating at home is becoming increasingly common. If we work closely in partnership with our customers, we can achieve this. Innovation is key within any category to ensure that the product offering remains relevant to consumers and bakery is no exception. As a business, we are more determined than ever to help drive growth in the category and succeed in these difficult times."
Mike Benton, marketing controller,McVitie's Cake Company
"As the recession continues into 2010, promotions will continue to play an important part in the market for branded cakes.
"Consumers will be looking for brands they trust and value products that provide more for their money and, as consumer confidence in the category slowly returns, there will be a bigger appetite for innovation. This will add excitement to the category, reflecting consumers' willingness to experiment with new products and flavours.
"Health and nutritional improvements and reformulations will play a key part, as comfort eating declines and people look for healthier alternatives. In keeping with this trend, out-of-home consumption is likely to continue to decline, as fewer people choose to have lunchboxes and vending machines are removed from schools in a bid to tackle the growing problem of obesity.
"It is also expected that there will be a massive growth in the importance of new consumer communication channels, as people become more interested in alternative forms of consumer engagement, such as digital media campaigns and advertising.
"The government health agenda will put added pressure on the market, with companies under continuous pressure to produce healthier products that will aid in combating obesity in the UK. Retailers will also be faced with the challenge of maximising profitability from shop space, as consumers continue to demand value from products.
"It would bring a great big smile to my face if we could see the cake market return to volume growth in 2010. Nothing would make me sigh; I'm an eternal optimist."
Ken McMeikan, chief executive officer, Greggs
"The biggest hope I have is that there aren't going to be significant job losses. One thing I've noticed in 2009, which impacts on confidence more than anything, is when people are uncertain about their own future and their incomes. People are still very uncertain about that, particularly when they know that whoever is in government will have to face the UK's debt challenge and make some tough decisions that could involve job losses. If people have money and there's still confidence to spend or to start spending, then we all have a chance of having a reasonably good year.
"As for the baking industry, I would hope that we continue to work well with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on issues such as salt and fat reduction. These are important targets we face as an industry and we are making good progress and doing a lot of work towards them. But we have to have a very healthy and constructive partnership with the FSA, because we don't want to have customers impacted adversely by the consequences of what we're doing, due to changes in the taste and quality of the products we're delivering.
"We make great-tasting products that our customers love and we are working towards FSA guidelines and targets. But I think we need a commonsense approach. Our hope is to have a constructive working relationship with the FSA, so that we continue the dialogue and they work closely with us to understand the efforts we're making to reduce salt, as well as the consequences of what we're doing.
"I also hope that we don't lose any more small independent bakeries. That's not good for the baking industry and, over the past three to four months, we've started to see some of the smaller chains of bakeries and independent bakers going into administration. The one that surprised me was Ainsleys, given its size.
"We tend to see more reports of retail sales through the supermarkets, so you don't get the full picture of the high street and the effect the recession is having. It's good to have competition and the baking industry needs independent bakers; they create a lot of innovative and specialist products, challenging all of us to match or do better than them. And the human side of smaller chains or independent bakers going into administration is that people have lost their jobs.
"For Greggs, my hope is that it remains a strong and growing business, because that allows us to continue to create jobs. We employ over 19,000 people, so securing their employment is important and good for the economy as a whole."
Simon Cannell, head of La Boulangerie, Brakes
"With regards to salt, my concern boils down to the fact that, as a nation, we've been consistently eating less bread over the years and what is this being replaced with? Everyone recognises that bread and other starchy foods should represent a significant portion of a healthy diet. If we turn customers off bread, will this be replaced by less healthy alternatives. Bread has always played a vital role in diets across the globe, but more and more people I speak to in the UK say that they don't eat bread any more due to diets etc.
"For 2010, I'd like to see a healthier view towards bread in the UK. Sometimes, all of the good work that is done in salt reduction can lead to the only thing consumers hearing is that bread is full of salt and bad for you. We need a balanced view and we need to promote the benefits of bread in a healthy diet much more effectively."
Nicky Cracknell, national account controller, Bakehouse
"2009 has been a tough year for the economy and the foodservice industry has felt the impact. In 2010, consumers are looking for a good deal, but not at the expense of quality. With this in mind, there is a lot of NPD activity around products that offer the best combination of innovation and value. We believe that any issue of cost will come full circle, as people want to indulge in little daily luxuries, such as a fresh morning pastry on the way into work. We are seeing a real rise in interest in new savoury options within the bakery sector. There is a demand for innovation at the savoury end of the scale. Consumers want something different to eat on-the-go or as an alternative lunchtime option or accompaniment.
"For coffee shops, price is a real driver at present, with an increased focus on savoury items and this is also true for quick-service shops and service stations, which are looking to extend their savoury offer and provide a choice of comfort foods. Operators will be looking at getting their core ranges correct, before considering extensions to the offering. It is a careful balancing act between not offering too much choice, so as not to confuse customers, but having enough to inspire them and secure repeat purchases. The important thing is to demonstrate that you are trying new things."
Jefta Kon Lakovic, chief executive, Arnaouti Pitta Bakery, Hoddesdon, Herts
"In 2010 I believe we are going to see the growth of more flour-based baked snacks, such as crisps, hoops and other extruded goods, because they will be perceived as healthier. Obesity is becoming a major problem, so lower fat levels will be good and cost content will be lower.
"A new niche drinks market will emerge, with more drinks from the Orient using natural juices and spring water. They will be all-natural with little or no added sugars.
"This Easter, I think the economy will give a false sign of uplift, around election time, but then it will dip again. Hopefully we will see a resurgence beginning in the autumn, motoring on through Christmas and gaining momentum in 2011. The British export market in food will contribute to this and the whole economy will start to resume growth of between 2-6%. This may happen earlier (as in France, Germany and others), but the UK. economy is no longer manufacturing-dominant. In my view, this is a serious disadvantage."
Paul Ettinger, a founder of Caffè Nero
"Predicting the big food trends is not easy, but I see artisan bakeries growing, and smaller food portions arriving. Challenges will include a flat economy, volatile ingredient prices, currency issues, inflation and more competition."
Duncan Macfarlane, sales director, Scobie & McIntosh bakery equipment
"Alistair Darling needs to move on or get the sack! The pound needs to recover more. The banks need a push to start filtering more money through to businesses and there needs to be more grants available. They should treat the whole of the UK as equal not just take specific areas where some can get grants of 47% towards new equipment and others, such as Aberdeen, getting virtually nothing. Where is the fairness in that?"
John Smith, MD of craft baker New Pitsligo, nr Aberdeen
"We have two shops and a wholesale business, comprising around 60% to local shops and convenience stores. I want to see cheaper distribution costs and diesel come down.
"[Scotland's First Minister] Alex Salmond promised to reduce business rates and he's done that. We now pay virtually none, saving us around £450 a month. It's good to see a politician supporting small businesses and keeping his promises! It has made craft bakeries compete much better throughout Scotland."
Keith Stalker, MD, EPP machinery
"Not being able to get funds from banks is holding good businesses back. We see customers who want to expand SMEs and, while the very big ones are OK, as are the major retailers, the SMEs are not getting access to the money they need.
"So the banks need to lend more and the pound needs to get stronger. We need to see the UK start to climb out of the recession and hear people talking more positively about things and for that to happen, more lending needs to take place."
Neville Moon, head of food and beverage, Caffè Nero
"I would say 'excess' will be a watchpoint as we exit the recession. For example, large portion sizes, or products laden with fat or sugar, will make people feel they are not being good to themselves. 'Healthy' will take on a greater role, particularly in snacking, as well as healthier alternatives to pastry and muffins. I also predict a greater interest in artisan products particularly for better bread."
Kirk Hunter, CEO, Scottish Association of Master Bakers
"I'd like to see us move strongly out of recession. To do that, we need to restore consumer confidence, so government must come clean on the right strategy. We need to get through the election because, at the moment, we are in a phoney war situation, which is not good for business.
"We can anticipate public expenditure cutbacks, which are bound to have an effect on bakers, but overall I'm optimistic that 2010 will see the beginning of a recovery and a return to prosperity."
"I hope this is a year we see the economy start to recover and customers being more confident."
Scott Clarke, bakery category director, Tesco
Simon Solway, MD, Unifine Food & Drink Ingredients
"Last year was about looking at the bottom line and reducing costs; 2010 will be about building on that platform. Once the country thaws which is the big issue of the moment we're really seeing more positivity in the market.
"Consequently, we're looking forward to the Baking Industry Exhibition [at the NEC from 21 to 24 March] this year, where there will be a lot of new launches; this gives us confidence. If we look at our customers, we're recording more launches compared to this time last year. If we looked at 2009, the first six months were very tough and things got a lot better in the last six months, and that has carried on already into January.
"In November, British Baker wrote that Danish pastry sales were up 10% year-on-year second behind muffins. This is fantastic news yes, people are being careful about what they buy, but they want something that tastes good and satisfies all their senses. We would encourage customers to look to the Continent, where there are some great new products being launched. We would also like to see the UK export more cake there's still so much imported cake into the UK. The exchange rate is something producers can really benefit from."
Andy Pollard, sales and marketing director, Cereform
"I want to see the Euro exchange rate improve and raw material prices become more consistent, so we are able to give longer-term commitment on cost to manufacturers and they, in turn, can do the same for their customers.
"I'd also like to see a continuing resurgence of brands, which puts value back into the baked goods sector. Also, I'd like consumers to understand and appreciate the baking industry as a provider of healthy staple products, as well as indulgent ones.
"I have no agenda regarding the GM issue. However if, in the future, consumers and the retailers want the food industry to continue to provide products at ever-reducing prices while maintaining quality, it must be a consideration."

The baking industry has traditionally prided itself on its artisan production methods, usually portrayed by television commercials showing the baker's lad on his bicycle, delivering fresh bread or a loaf gently rising in the oven. However, the multi-billion pound bread and morning goods market now delivers an estimated 12 million loaves and packs every day in the UK, and producing that quantity requires a far more state-of-the-art approach.
Many smaller British bakers have yet to come up to speed with modern production solutions. The apparent reluctance to adopt new technologies in some quarters mirrors many sectors of the UK food industry as a whole. Even major bakery manufacturers, who already employ higher levels of automation, can benefit still further from the innovative methods now available for boosting productivity.
It was to overcome this scepticism about the capabilities and benefits of flexible automated processes and solutions in the UK food industry that CenFRA, the Centre for Food Robotics and Automation, was founded. In contrast to the UK, the food manufacturing industry in Europe embraces automation and robotics at all levels. Even the craft bakers who dominate the Continental market rely on automated processes, so CenFRA's primary aim was to close that technological gap.
Many bakers are aware of basic automation, such as mixers, depositing systems and conveyors, but some find it difficult to think 'outside the box'. Issues such as factory space, concerns that automation is not cost-effective for small runs or fears that switching to robotics could compromise the quality that hand-crafted products provide are all cited as reasons not to engage. Yet CenFRA says these fears are unfounded and, to encourage and enable greater take up of automation, has developed discrete event simulation systems to demonstrate the advantages without the need for physical mock-ups, which can incur significant costs. CenFRA's engineers can draw up a "virtual" map of the baker's set-up, using highly advanced software and can then highlight prospective areas for improvement, while identifying any potential or unforeseen obstacles and influences created elsewhere in the client's manufacturing process as a result of these changes.
Traditionally, bakeries have been labour-intensive, fed by the many workers choosing to come to the UK to seek work, particularly from within the eastern region of the European Union. But there is an increasing trend for foreign workers to return to their homelands, and despite a backdrop of rising unemployment in the UK, many of these places remain difficult to fill.

Think of pizza and you'll automatically think of Italy which is why the Kaak Group says it has turned to the land of pizza, pasta and Chianti as inspiration for its pizza lines.
The only difference between Kaak and the traditional Italian pizzeria is that the company's pizza expert Italian company MCS based in the north of the country has designed plants that can produce up to 15,000 pizzas an hour.
MCS is considered to be one of the world's leading specialist companies for pizza lines. The reasons for success are its expertise, built over a number of years, and the fact that each line is designed and developed on a bespoke basis.
Says Maurizo Tabarelli, head of MCS: "The type of plant we commission depends on the end-product and the intended sales and distribution channels fresh or frozen pizza, sheeted, cross-sheeted dough, pizza crusts in trays or directly pressed on the belt and sometimes even a combination of methods. No matter what the customer's needs are, we supply the equipment and the tech-nical know-how."
Core parts of the product range are pizza plants, a wide range of automatic provers with swing trays, as well as the cyclotherm ovens from the Bakemaster series. The ovens, which heat the baked products with radiated, as well as convection, heat, are modular in design, allowing easy selection of the baking area, number of burners and burner performance.
Any type of wire mesh belts, hinge plate belts and, in particular, natural stone plates, are available. The stone plate supports are moved with heavy-duty chains located laterally on high temperature-proof ball bearings.
This oven is suitable for baking almost any kind of baked goods, from traditional bread (hearth-baked) to all types of panned bread, hearth rolls, small bakery items on trays, all kinds of fine bakery wares and even most pizza types, as the oven can reach a baking temperature of up to 300°C. Pizzas can be baked in one to two minutes.
The company also cuts down on dough handling and mess by pressing pizza crusts directly on to the oven belt before baking. This avoids the need to sprinkle flour on the dough during make-up. A light film is applied to the belt, the pizza crusts are pressed at a temperature of almost 100°C and they do not stick.

If you've read the papers recently you'll have seen lots of stories stating that many of us do not have enough Vitamin D. Prior to the 1800s, people spent their lives largely in agricultural communities, working or playing outdoors, with the main source of Vitamin D being the sun. The ultra violet rays in sunlight naturally convert cholesterol in the skin to Vitamin D. This is the most important source of Vitamin D for people.
The only significant dietary sources of Vitamin D are oily fish and fortified products such as margarine and breakfast cereals. For people living in countries far north of the equator, such as Iceland, who get less sun, dietary sources of Vitamin D such as oily fish are important for health and wellbeing.
But times have changed. Now we are often in bakeries, offices or cars. Many of our foods are fortified, because processing takes out natural goodness. Breakfast cereals are commonly fortified with iron, niacin and Vitamin D, among others. And here's the rub: flour is fortified, too, but bakers never shout about it on the pack. It was a point made forcibly by Scott Clarke, bakery director of Tesco, at this year's Federation of Bakers conference. Breakfast cereals compete with bread, he said, but Kellogg's and others make their cereals sound healthier. Bakers, he pointed out, are missing a vital sales trick.
But with Vitamin D now in the spotlight, Lallemand, which owns Britain's biggest yeast-making plant based at Felixstowe, formerly GB Ingredients, has pioneered a way to give yeast itself natural Vitamin D by treating it with ultra-violet light. The yeast will be available in normal block, cream and instant dried formats.
But why is Vitamin D so vital? It's because deficiencies are said to contribute to osteoporosis, some cancers, especially breast, colon and prostate and a weaker immune system. The amount inherent in all Lallemand's yeast is at least 30 IU (international units) per 100g serving of bread, which is enough to ensure a necessary level but nowhere near enough to exceed the safe upper limit of 2,000 IU recommended by the EU scientific experts even if you do spend a lot of time outdoors, eat oily fish or take a multivitamin supplement.
So who is Lallemand and why have they pioneered the new yeast? Lallemand UK MD Dr Mike Chell explains that the company is a major worldwide yeast supplier, which invests many millions in plants and research. "After the EU Commission took a keen interest in all yeast acquisitions across Europe, Lesaffre GB Ingredients' then owner agreed to sell the company.
"Lallemand was waiting in the wings to buy GB," he adds. "Our Felixstowe plant is one of only two yeast plants in the UK and is the biggest. We supply both the UK and Ireland. The company is set to benefit enormously from all Lallemand's international R&D and expertise."

Breathe a sigh of relief with that headline, we're not building up to a discussion on what might poke out above Kerry Katona's trousers, but rather the more palatable proposition of cake muffins being one of the top performers in the cake market over the past year.
Given that it's a pretty mature category, valued at £64m, why has it seen a 20%-plus spurt over the last year? It's largely down to the huge increase in opportunities to purchase, says Mike Benton, marketing controller at McVitie's Cake Company. McVitie's has developed the branded muffin market to the point where it has the top four muffin SKUs in what he calls the "eat now" market Galaxy, Mars, Jaffa Cakes and Choc Chip Muffins in that order and has a 51% share of the total branded muffin market. One way it has differentiated in an increasingly commoditised category is by injecting a filling and topping with chocolate.
"The growth and expansion of the multiple grocers, local, express and travel outlets plus the growth of café culture within the UK and all outlets offering muffins as a staple item, has led to the growth of the muffin market," he says. What's more, the number of varieties on offer continues to expand, often with seasonal variations, "all leading to increased awareness of muffins within the UK market", he adds.
Strong growth has also come from the coffee shop sector, says Simon Cannell, head of bakery at foodservice wholesaler Brakes, which led with a range of five tulip muffins when launching its La Boulangerie bakery division earlier this year. "We've seen phenomenal growth on those and they've been our most successful range since launch," he says. Many of those muffins have gone into high street department store coffee shops and contract catering. "We know that the coffee shop market is outperforming the rest of the industry anyway, but a lot of the reason why ours have done so well is because they are flow-wrapped, so they've got a four-day shelf-life from thaw. They've also got good visual characteristics."
So is this boom something that is being reflected in craft retail? "It is, yes they're certainly going in the direction of becoming one of our top sellers," says Neil Wood, head of retail sales for 16-shop and bakery wholesaler Wright's, based in Crewe. "We're very proactive in introducing new products and people's eating habits are changing from some of the traditional lines to something that's a bit new. Muffins have been so well advertised by the likes of McDonald's, that it's a product that fits into the marketplace nicely."

That was the year that was. The deepest recession in history, unprecedented industry interference from the food regulator, a series of big name chains toppling like dominoes not to mention a glut of biscuit-related scandals (more of that later), and well, looking back, it could have been a lot worse. In fact, over the course of the year, the number of good news stories among bakery retailers and manufacturers far outweighed the bad, which goes to show it wasn't all doom and gloom.

When it comes to pastry, Pidy may not be the most recognised name in the UK, but this looks set to change as the Belgium-based firm embarks on expansion this side of the channel. Based in the once war-torn town of Ypres, the company already produces pastry products in as many sizes and shapes as you could imagine, so you might think NPD could pose a problem but you'd be wrong.
Pidy, an acronym for Patisserie Industrielle Dehaeck Ypres, is an independent family business, set up in 1967 by the late pastry baker Andre Dehaeck , the father of current chairman Thierry. While working at the family bakery and patisserie, he secured his first business customer when approached by a lady from Gant, who had a wine and cheese shop and was interested in selling his pastry products to complement her offering. He also discovered a market for gift-packs of unfilled pastry, which were purchased by tourists visiting the battlefields surrounding Ypres. Enquiries from wholesalers then started rolling in, and the business grew and grew, with the company's first production unit created in a bakery of only 520sq m.
A series of acquisitions and a number of years later, Pidy now produces over 300 million pieces per year, from its three production sites in Ypres, Halluin in France and Inwood, USA.
Foodservice has been its core business since it began in the 1960s, but Pidy also manufactures ready-to-fill pastry products for sectors including manufacturing and industrial; contract and event catering; cash-and-carry; and retail. It produces six different types of dough: puff pastry, shortcrust dough, choux buns, sponge dough, pâte à foncer (the French version of a basic pie dough, but with an extra-fine texture) and croustade.
For the production of its puff pastry Pidy uses both the French and Dutch method of production. With the French method, the fat is placed between the layers of dough, whereas with the Dutch method the fat is mixed with the dough and then layered. As an example of output, the Ypres factory produces approximately 29,500 pieces of its 4.5cm sized bouchées similar to a vol-au-vent an hour.
Pidy already has a presence in the UK, with ambient products in Brakes, its biggest foodservice customer. It also supplies Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Harrods, Waitrose, Délifrance and Spar. But the firm isn't as well represented on the high street and has put the wheels in motion to change this.
Recently appointed UK general manager Robert Whittle says the firm sees an opportunity to increase its presence in high street bakeries, patisseries and cafés. "We're also looking to talk to the likes of Pret A Manger and Starbucks in the UK and Europe," he adds. Whittle's aim is to double the firm's overall growth in the UK over a period of two years, which will involve expansion in the majority of the markets in which it operates, not just bakery retail.
The majority of the sales thrust in the UK bakery and café sector will be through targeted product launches. These have been designed to address problems such as lack of time, space and skilled staff, as well as the view that sales are often made based on the visual appeal of products. Pidy has already launched easy-to-use kits, such as Tarto Presto. This contains pastry tartelettes and crème patissière, which can be combined with fruits or chocolate, for example, to create eye-catching "window candy", says Whittle.
Pidy is hoping to introduce other kits as well and Whittle says plans are already afoot, although "still under wraps", to join forces with partners in the industry. "We see an opportunity to increase our presence in independent bakeries by working with partner companies, such as Unifine, to get our products to that market," he explains.
Chairman Thierry Dehaeck says that "finding skilled staff is getting to be a nightmare" and that products such as Pidy's pastry cases can be promoted as "a perfect substitute for a handmade product", leaving the baker time to concentrate on the filling and presentation.
"We can also offer frozen dough to the UK bakery sector, as we now have adequate storage facilities we haven't had the capability to do this before," says Whittle, adding that the firm is currently in talks with Brakes about distributing its frozen range.
Dehaeck says that although the company has competitors, when comparing individual types of pastry, there are no other companies that have the 'all-under-one-roof' claim. "Pidy is at an advantage as it manufactures such a variety of products," he adds.
Moreover, the company certainly hasn't been resting on its laurels when it comes to innovation. With around 30 new product launches in the last year, and plenty more to come, how does it come up with new ideas? "Question everything this is the most important thing," answers Dehaeck. To rethink and optimise the original idea, to reshape any shape and to apply trends proactively, are key parts of Pidy's new product development. But it's not enough just to sell the products, you need to sell the ideas to go with it, adds Dehaeck.
Pidy likes to be ahead of the game. "We are focused on quality and customer-driven thinking. We always try to be proactive," explains corporate sales director Robin Van Oudenhove. For example, the firm introduced products containing non-hydrogenated fat around two years ago, despite that fact it isn't a necessary requirement in Belgium, he explains. Areas the company is now looking at include low-fat and gluten-free options. "If we can have a production facility ahead of a competitor in terms of trends, then we're at an advantage," explains Dehaeck.
Recent innovation includes the creation of a vol-au-vent that keeps its crispiness without needing to be reheated; a tart with a vegetable coating that stops it going soggy and allows users to prepare finished products in advance; and canapé products such as mini-cones and 'spoonettes' an area Dehaeck says is seeing real growth in the UK. However, in one case, its recently launched edible coffee cups needed to come with a warning. Oudenhove explains that at a trade show in Dubai, a gentlemen decked out entirely in white took a bite out of the pastry cup before he had finished drinking the coffee and ended up wearing it instead.
The family aspect of the business is very important to Dehaeck, who says the secret to keeping your staff happy and retaining them is by listening to what they have to say. And as some of his employees have worked at the company for over 25 years, that philosophy appears to be working.

What can the optimum travelling oven achieve? Fast efficient baking well, that should be a given. But nowadays, every semi and industrial user is looking for more.
At the Iba exhibition in Germany, Gouet, a part of Mecatherm, launched its new Double Action oven. Gouet chairman Olivier Sergent took British Baker through its workings: "The Double Action oven combines two of the most sought-after baking systems: cyclotherm and impingement, also known as radiation baking and forced convection baking." Radiation baking means there is no air movement, so the products bake gently and evenly. "In convection baking, when the core temperature is correct, the top opens and hot air flow gives fast surface baking for exactly the right amount of colour."
Its dual action makes the oven ideal for tin breads, he says, ensuring they have no burnt tops, but is also suitable for flat breads, rolls and topped lines, such as pizzas. Sergent adds: "There is fantastic flexibility, but also consistency. And what makes it unique is that you can bake such a range of goods on an industrial scale in one oven. Baking time is reduced, saving energy, while the quality of the product, including tin bread, is excellent."
The first oven has already been sold to the Village Bakery (Coedpoeth) for its gluten-free production site at Wrexham.
Italian manufacturer Polin's tunnel ovens are designed for larger-scale bread, pastry and biscuit production. Polin manufactured its first oven some 80 years ago in Verona, Italy. The company now makes ovens capable of multiple applications. From cyclothermic heated systems to convection and electric, the made-to-order range can be adapted to suit a particular product and the production levels required.
With the benefits of combining multihead depositors and sheeters to the line, as well as a choice of conveyor, from wire mesh, metal or stone-based, production can become more streamlined and versatile.

The free-from bakery sector has undergone a massive transition in recent years, from producing only long-life breads which have to be refreshed, to the launch of the first fresh gluten-free bread on the market this year. Recent data from TNS Worldpanel into free-from bread, ambient cakes and pastries and morning goods (for the 52 w/e 4 October 2009), reveals that the volume and value of bread sales have shot up by nearly 50% (see free-from bakery market tables). Ambient cakes and pastries have seen a steady growth in value, but a slight decline in volume, while morning goods have seen a small decline in both volume and value.
Paddy Cronin, sales and marketing director for Finsbury Foods' free-from division, says the firm has seen significant volume growth for bread. Finsbury's free-from division is split between two businesses United Central Bakeries (UCB) and Livwell. UCB, based in Edinburgh, produces a range of flatbreads, morning goods, cake products and the Genius loaf, which won this year's Asda-sponsored Innovation Award at the Baking Industry Awards. Livwell, based in Hull, produces mainly bread and rolls, but also speciality products, such as ciabatta rolls, focaccias, croissants and pains au chocolat.

König
Brand new at the Iba show in Düsseldorf was a working prototype of the new industrial König automatic divider-rounder.
Developed from the Industrie Rex III, the new model known as the Industrie Rex Hyper, came about after extensive customer surveys throughout Europe. Stewart Morris, director of UK supplier EPP told British Baker: "We studied all the ideas from the surveys and came up with key improvements. Customers wanted more and more time-saving, increased productivity and they wanted machines that were easy to clean to the very highest hygiene levels.
"As a result the new divider-rounder can be dis-assembled (it's normally fixed) for full cleaning in 15 minutes. It can then be jet-washed. This makes it a revolutionary step forward in roll plant design."
Central components of the machine have been combined to produce changeable sub-systems, which can be easily cleaned and serviced at the end of a shift, saving downtime. On the dough side, pressure is simple to adjust for different products and can be recalled via the linkage programme.
König also unveiled an all-purpose final prover. Based on a proven racking and storing system, it allows the individual proving plates to be stored for a specified time, giving maximum flexibility with different products. The system meets the latest hygiene requirements and offers a large proving area but only takes up a small amount of space.

Jon Goldstone, you terrible tease! A long, involved chat with the brand boss, sat in Hovis HQ in Windsor arranged to find out the secrets behind the bread's recent runaway success gave no hint of the epoch-shifting announcement he would make a week later (a day after BB went to press): from January 2010, Hovis would be using 100% British wheat across its entire range.
We caught up with Goldstone on his hands-free kit. "You kept that one quiet!" we exclaimed. "We were going to launch it in December, but we thought now would be a good time" he explains, hinting at an intriguing PR cat-and-mouse game, played out behind the scenes. Hovis was gearing up to announce the news next month, but caught wind that rival Warburtons was about to launch two all-British loaves using UK wheat. The Bolton baker played its card and Hovis' PRs sprung into action to deftly grab the headlines by announcing its full-range UK wheat switch.
"I'm glad it's hit the headlines, because it is a big commitment for us to make. Every single product that has the name Hovis on it will be using 100% British wheat," he says, when asked about stealing Warburtons' thunder. "I think it is one of the most exciting and powerful things that we could have done as a brand."
Undoubtedly. Plant bakers have always blended lower-protein UK wheat with Canadian wheat wheat that could not previously be grown in our dismal climate. But, for five years, Hovis has been trialling a red wheat to match Canadian wheat quality in the UK. This equates to £18m of wheat that will now be bought from the 600 farmers already signed up. What's more, there will be no change to the price of Hovis, despite the higher costs involved. How is that possible?
"There is an on-cost," admits Goldstone. "We've made a commitment not to increase our retail prices next year."
The move marks the culmination of a great year and a return to form for a brand that was in dire straits a year ago. From mid-2006 to October 2008, Hovis was in a worrying decline; Premier Foods was in the process of buying RHM, including Hovis a period during which brand investment slipped. Quality fell and marketing tailed off. At the same time, Warburtons' rise appeared unstoppable.
Hovis was relaunched in September 2008 with new recipes and packaging, updating its pack styling with a nod to its heritage and an award-winning TV and cinema ad campaign. "All of that, together with significant improvements in our relations with the grocery trade, drove a real step-up in volume," says Goldstone. The company has now restored its market share to 2006 levels, around 28%, with a volume growth of 16.4% year on year in a market that declined 2% (October 4, IRI).

Laura Bolt is on something of a learning curve. Having previously worked as a business writer in Nottingham, before freelancing while living in Switzerland last year, she came to the realisation that her passions lay elsewhere. After much research, she enrolled on a three-month course at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, run by Darina Allan, whom Bolt describes as the Delia Smith of the Irish cookery world, and a 'real food' champion.
"The course was fantastic as it gave me the chance to meet lots of artisan producers and get involved in events such as farmers' markets, which was really inspirational," she explains. "I then set myself a 12-month target to find out how I wanted to work with food. Making my own products and selling them on the market was one of the things on my hit list to try and that seems to be what has taken off."
She set herself up as a caterer in July this year, producing a range of foods, and currently has a stall at the Local to Ludlow market every second Thursday of the month, where she sells solely baked goods, as a way of building her profile. She currently works from her home kitchen and has so far relied on roping in friends and family to help prepare and serve food at events she's catered for. "This is something that will obviously change when the business grows," she says. "It's my hope that event catering will eventually become the main income for the business."
However, her initial aim was simply to create something that, hopefully, people would want to buy. "Although I've done far fewer catering events than farmers' markets, private catering looks to be where the turnover is going to come from in the future." Her next move will be to concentrate on additional promotion of her business, as well as looking at the feasibility and cost of a commercial premises. Bolt says it's early days to know what she'd do differently if setting up her business all over again, but she believes she should have had more confidence in herself and what she was capable of achieving.

A stroll down the high street can be a gloomy experience at the moment, with shutters down and 'To Let' signs up. And the list of victims of the recession continues to grow. First Quench put 1,200 Threshers and Wine Rack outlets into administration in October. And baker Ainsleys of Leeds also called in the administrators, leaving further potential holes on the high street.
But all is not what it seems. If you are a high street baker without too much debt, the 'To Let' sign may as well read 'Cut Price Sale'.
A new report from research company Colliers CRE, Shop Vacancies: Filling the Void, gives an optimistic prognosis on the high street, suggesting that its long-term decline may be arrested. Firstly, with supply of units outstripping demand, companies with expansion on the agenda hold all the cards. Rents are down. Colliers has found that average prime rents in Britain fell from £130 per square foot in June 2008 to £115 per square foot in June 2009. That is the biggest decline in the 22 years in which it has been monitoring retail rents and the first fall in 15 years. All regions of Britain saw a decline in rent, it says, with the north east and Yorkshire and the Humber worst-affected.
The report also says that rental values in Britain may not return to the highs of last year until 2015. The basis for that prognosis is that, after the last downturn in the early 1990s, it took seven years for rents to recover.
"The challenging times have provided the opportunity for retailers with a strong customer base and successful business plan to capitalise on their competitors' downfall and expand their market share," said the report. "For acquisitive retailers, now is a good time to expand as the balance of power has shifted away from landlords when it comes to negotiations on leases and rents."
Colliers' report points to a second factor that indicates now is the time to bag your bargain. As the economy went into recession, numerous shopping centre developments were shelved or delayed. Once the economy has recovered, there will be a shortage of new locations available.
This may all be a shot in the arm for the high street, with competition for good-quality retail stock becoming more intense and void units being taken over. Small and badly configured units in tertiary locations are likely to remain difficult to let, however.
The Greggs chain provides an example of how a well-funded business can cherry-pick the best sites with the economy in the doldrums. It is looking at buying 120 top First Quench shops and around 10 of Ainsleys' 32 shops from their respective administrators. "When companies go into administration, we are quick to make contact. We've looked at many companies and have put extra people into our property team to do this," Greggs' chief executive Ken McMeikan told British Baker.

Surely, 'always leave room for dessert' is one of life's truest lessons. It's certainly one that the pudding brands manufacturers will be hoping buyers keep front of mind as they sharpen their pencils, with an eye to revving up under-performing own-label puddings possibly at the expense of the brands.
"Certain supermarkets have been taking stock of their own category and organising themselves to potentially streamline next year; 2010 will be a lot tougher for brands like ours," says Roberta Herd, assistant brand manager at Farmhouse Fare, which supplies both branded and own-label pudding pro-ducts. "We're looking to retain our position as a quality brand, and also to look again at foodservice options."
The traditional pudding market in which it operates accounting for about a fifth of total chilled desserts sales has dipped in the last year, with promotions hitting value perception. "There has been a lot of work on deals, especially twin-packs, with a focus on promotion for the last year," she continues. "This is driving down price and expenditure. That's why traditional puddings are tracking slightly behind in value on last year. But Farmhouse Fare has seen really good growth about 56% in the last quarter (Nielsen, week ending 3 October 2009)." This is on the back of a new 10-strong range going into 52 more upmarket Tesco stores, as well as healthy promotional activity.
News of the renewed focus on own-label comes with the latest figures from TNS, showing retailer own-labels faring worse than the brands (see overleaf). But the biggest winner after a year in recession has been the frozen desserts category. Manufacturers supplying foodservice also report gains for frozen products, though this is offset by the struggling hotel and restaurant sector, with the latter seeing a 25% rise in insolvencies in the last nine months compared to last year (PriceWaterhouseCoopers).
"There is definitely a trend back to frozen due to reduced wastage," says Angus Allan, MD of Indulgence Patisserie, which supplies a number of chilled and frozen private-label products. "But if there is such a trend in foodservice (towards supplying frozen products), they are overwhelmed by the reduced number of people eating out. My gut feeling is this will last until after the election. Retail is very buoyant, foodservice is flat, but the coffee shop sector is doing fine."
Clean-label declaration continues to be a priority, which has benefited the frozen sector. "The retailers always go after the chilled, but immediately you have a life and a wastage problem," says Doug Chapman, MD of frozen supplier Speciality Desserts, which focuses on developing bespoke desserts to fit a brand concept in the hotel, pub and restaurant markets. "With frozen, you've got more flexibility. Certainly in our marketplace it's about zero wastage."

As phoenix from the flames stories go, a cupcake cases supplier being plucked out of administration and landing plonk in the middle of a boom in muffins and cupcakes is one of the more positive stories to come out of the recession-hit bakery sector.
A well-known name and a cupcake case supplier to craft bakers, coffee shops and supermarkets, Chevler Packaging filed for administration earlier this year, largely caused by an expensive final salary pension scheme that the business couldn't afford and a pressured market in carton packaging. With the recession in full flow, the bank got twitchy and pulled the plug on its investment, meaning uncertain times for the Hengoed-based business, which traded for two weeks in administration. Luckily, the management stepped up and bought out the profitable cupcake casing business from the family owners and left the plastics and carton side.
Following loan capital assistance from Finance Wales, an organisation set up by the Welsh Assembly Government to help businesses struggling to find credit, along with investment from the new owners, Chevler is back on an even keel. In fact, the outlook is so positive they've managed to create 12 new jobs without losing any.
Pretty good news, then, for nearly half the bakers in the UK that use Chevler cases, especially as it has only one rival supplier in the UK and another in Italy. "It wasn't in any way, shape or form a pre-pack buy-out. We were the first ones that [administrators] Deloitte made redundant," recalls MD Stuart Whelan. "There were competing bids. We put everything into our bid, we put our own money in and we got it. We were delighted. We knew we were getting a strong business that did not need any major surgery and customers saw very little disruption."
Sponsors of the inaugural National Cupcake Week in September this year, alongside ingredients supplier Puratos, Chevler has been busy fuelling the cupcake craze ever since. It has launched a range of coloured cases, available in small pack sizes for craft bakers; previously these were the reserve of the big guys, who bought up to 100,000 cases at a time. There are eight separate colours in the range of 51mm x 81mm cases, which are offered in cartons of just 360. The new colours join the Chevler range, which already includes gold and silver foil cases, known for their icing holding properties.
It's a simple idea, but one that can improve a coloured cupcake range display at a stroke. "Smaller bakers might only use 1,000 a year. So we listened to our customers, packaged them in small quantities and sell them through wholesalers," says Whelan. The last major breakthrough for Chevler was the tulip case, first developed for Costa Coffee, before it caught on throughout the industry.
It has also developed cases for all the main special occasions on the calendar, from Christmas to Easter, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Halloween and birthdays. A forthcoming launch will be unbleached, grease-proof products, with a more rustic look, targeted at the artisan side of the industry.
"If anything, we've had too many good ideas and have had to hold ourselves back to get the business right," says Whelan. "We turn around a phenomenal amount of samples at great expense; we have all the equipment here on-site, which means we can set up print runs. That gives us flexibility and quick reaction times, and we don't have the burden of outside printing costs."
Now the business is in solid growth, Chevler can focus on innovative case ideas, says Whelan. "The business is in good shape," he says. "We have four owner managers, which is a good blend of experience. We'll be focusing on the business and customers will see more from us going forward."

Economic hardship is failing to quell packaging and labelling innovation, as bakeries, cafés and food-to-go retailers increa-singly seek differentiation in the great high street bun fight.
While times are tough across the retail sector, the recession has both boosted and hindered independent operators, with many consumers trading down from restaurants, but others swapping take-out breakfasts and lunches for home-prepared food.
For those enjoying a lift in trade from the restaurant exodus, branding has become all-important to compete in a saturated sector ranging from small over-the-counter bakeries to chains such as Starbucks.
Manufacturers of packaging and labelling solutions have responded with new ranges of bags, bowls, cups and containers in materials offering greater scope for on-pack marketing, and responding to increasing demand for an upmarket and environmentally aware image.
Opinion is mixed as to the impact of the economic downturn on customers' willingness to pay out the premium applying to 'eco' packaging, with one trade source claiming the environmentally friendly option can triple costs. However, according to Planglow, trade in environmentally friendly lines is booming. "Packaging sales have soared over the last year or so," says Planglow marketing manager Rachael Sawtell. "Most of our products are environmentally friendly and we do tend to have a lot of bakers as clients."
Greatest sales growth has come from sandwich and baguette packs, says Sawtell, which are cardboard-based with windows manufactured from plant-based materials such as corn. Most of Planglow's packaging, which also extends to wraps, salads and beverages, is from renewable resources and is 100% biodegradable or compostable.

Last week Starbucks unveiled its new-look store on Conduit Street in London. Well, a look that's not supposed to be a look. A look that reflects its newfound back-to-roots indie outlook. So how does it, erm, look?
In two words, 'sustainable' and 'local'. A facelift was long overdue. A recent review of coffee shops, published by The Local Data Company, said Starbucks was "entering a period of introspection" as it took stock of its strategy. "The uniform ambience doesn't seem so appealing these days and, now the bubble has been pricked, real questions are being asked about all premium coffee shops," it stated.
The chain has haemorrhaged stores, while rival Costa has continued its rapid growth. Now, Starbucks plans to open a number of stores next year, but the focus will be on refitting 100 outlets in 2010 at a cost of £25m, matching the 100 it refitted last year.
The aim is to reconnect the store to its heritage, with locally focused fittings and a less uniform approach. Tim Pfeiffer, senior vice-president, global design, flew into the UK last week to launch the plan, saying there are "several levels of environmental initiatives that we have pretty much embedded in the design going forwards".
"We wanted to embed the character of the neighourhood in this and really elevate the offering to the customer, with the overall vibe of the store, creating an environment that really is very much more bespoke and one-off. We wanted to elevate the overall value of what Starbucks represents," says Pfeiffer.

It may be the current tagline for a certain brand of crisps, but the words 'simple is better' could just as aptly be applied to Hobbs House Bakery's prize winning loaf at the Baking Industry Awards 2009. Established in 1920, family firm Hobbs House has long been in the business of making bread. And despite many of its current recipes having been in existence for 20 years or more, the bakery, based in Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire, has not been standing still when it comes to innovation.
Its Organic Wild White sourdough loaf shone through as winner of the Morrisons-sponsored Artisanal Bread Product of the Year a new category at the Awards this year. The loaf contains only organic flour from Shipton Mill in nearby Tetbury sea salt, water and a 45-year-old levain starter of rye flour and water. Sounds simple, but its production takes around three days, with the starter stored for two-and-a-half days before being added to make up the dough.
Hobbs House production director Sam Wells obtained the starter 15 years ago from a German baker, who had had it for around 30 years. "People think it's amazing that something's still going after all that time," says Wells.
The award category required entrants to submit three different products for initial judging. Alongside its Organic Wild White loaf, Hobbs House entered its Baguette Paysan and Organic Soda Seeds loaf, but the Wild White staked its place as the strongest contender, making it onto the shortlist. "It's the tasting that's the key," explains Wells, who recommended the judges warmed the bread before tasting for maximum effect. "Although it's an industry award, we obviously shout about it a lot to our customers," he explains. "We've made it our business to make sure we've had lots of press coverage, as well as marketing material in our shops, which we also sent to our wholesale customers. People like to be associated with winners."
Wells says he was prompted to enter, in part, due to the fact it was a category specific to artisan production. "It's a word we've been using quite a lot recently regarding our business. Artisanal products are exactly what we're about, so I thought, 'Maybe this us for us'."
When it was announced the firm had won, Wells says he was "absolutely speechless". "It was fantastic, a really good evening and Morrisons looked after us very well," he continues. "It was nice afterwards to be able to probe them (Morrisons' judges) on why they chose our loaf. They told us that all the judges had their own favourite second loaf, but, without fail, they had all picked the Wild White as their favourite, which was charming to hear and really encouraging. It's great to be able to bring that back to the bakers here, who make the loaf day-in, day-out, and to be able to give them that kind of feedback."
Wells sent a text announcing the win to his fellow directors and, when he got back to the bakery, he says: "People were really buzzing about it." One of the great things about this type of category, he explains, is that the award is attached to a product rather than a person, so it's one the whole business can share, as they've had a direct involvement with it. "To be attached to the whole thing has been very beneficial internally and externally. And since winning, we've sold a lot more of the loaves," says Wells. "Bryan Burger, head of bakery at Morrisons, said we should expect to see around an extra 10% return out of winning, which has been about right."

The in-store bakeries (ISB) seem to have Viennoiserie and Danish wrapped up this year.
The Danish pastry category is worth £45m and is growing by 10.4% (IRI 52 w/e 5 September 2009), year-on-year, making it the second fastest-growing sweet bakery sector in ISB behind a resurgent muffins category, and outstripping croissant sales. In contrast, Warburtons' recent Bakery Review pointed to a 20% drop in wrapped Danish pastries value.
Andy Clegg, head of bakery at Morrisons, says there has been no great push on promotions, but sales are soaring nonetheless. "We're seeing a small growth in packaged croissants," he says. "But ISB Viennoiserie has seen a market growth of 6% and we've got a growth of 38.9% (Nielsen, 12 weeks to 10 October), mainly driven by ISB croissants. Both the Bakery and Cake shop at Morrisons are performing beyond expectations this year."
So why is Danish, in particular, performing so well? "There is more promotional activity in Danish than croissants, but it also comes back to affordable treats, which people want at the moment and which is really helping ISB in general," says supplier Bakehouse's brand manager Claire Warren. "NPD has been a little more cautious, but people still want to see new things out there and it's really important to deliver that to help grow the category.
"We're seeing more NPD being generated than in other categories, such as Danish crowns with seasonal flavoured fillings, which helps maintain interest in the category. Traditionally, Danish pastries are popular with men and older consumers but lighter flavoured variants, such as lemon Danish, which is new to the category, are being aimed at younger consumers."

Anyone who uses the roads during normal daylight hours knows only too well the delays and frustrations caused by the overload of traffic in many areas. While a missed appointment can be re-scheduled, a missed delivery costs serious money for all involved with that particular load retailer, supplier and logistics firm alike.
In 2005, The Freight Transport Association and the Rail Freight Consortium raised with government the problems associated with the general ban on deliveries taking place between 11pm and 7am. This long-standing local authority guideline was designed to reduce noise levels for nearby residents. However, the movement of some retailing to out-of-town shopping centres and the growing road congestion during the day have led people to question this.
Recent evidence has emerged to show that blanket curfews are increasingly inappropriate. A survey of members of the British Retail Consortium, who run more than 7,000 outlets, identified for the first time the true cost of delivery restrictions. About 60% of the outlets are subject to a ban on delivering at specific times, with high street stores relying on kerbside deliveries the hardest-hit. A simple relaxation of one to two hours would save them some £30m a year.

Imagine the scene: a model with mid-length hair appears on TV before Christmas. With a swish of her hair, she announces that she has discovered the latest appliance that will "Curl & More".
The catch is: it's not available at Boots or any other leading high street chemist for that matter because Curl & More is aimed at bakers, specifically those who want to curl pastries and bread doughs. And our fantasy model might like to know that all those not-so-filled croissants she had for breakfast can now contain more jam or cheese than ever before, as the new Curl & More allows a ratio of filling right up to 1:1.
Manufacturer Rondo's general manager Richard Tearle is delighted at its success: "We sold a machine on the stand on the first day," he tells British Baker at Iba. "We also won two new equipment innovation awards at the show." (See British Baker, October 23.) And we have patented the design, which actually allows more filling than dough if required.
He explains that Curl & More closes the gap between the familiar artisanal Croissomats and the powerful Tornado and Spira industrial croissant machines. It means Rondo now meets requirements for operations of all sizes, from very small through to industrial firms.
The machine is flexible and can be used for automatic production of curled pastries, ranging from croissants to pretzels. And, depending on the pastry size, it produces filled or unfilled curled pastries in two to six rows, achieving a capacity of 4,000 to 12,000 units per hour.
Centrepiece of the innovation is the curling process, which involves low curling speed and clearly separated process steps. These, says Tearle, "result in a consistently high-quality production process". He adds: "The design enables the application of large filling quantities. Until now, the industry believed a ratio of dough to filling of this magnitude could not be achieved, but Rondo has achieved it."
The company also unveiled a new industrial pastry line in washed-down design. 'Wash-down' is a method of cleaning and disinfecting lines that is increasingly becoming a requirement. On the wash-down design, the line is hosed down with a hot jet of water and then disinfected with cleaning foam. It is particularly important for products filled with meat or similar and is increasingly used for sweet pastry.
Rondo's wash-down line is made of stainless steel and features solutions designed to simplify the cleaning process, according to Tearle. For example, the line has smooth and slanted surfaces that enable water to run off easily. They also prevent water or particles from collecting in corners and tight sections. The belts have sealed edges and can be released quickly and easily to allow access for cleaning the underside and the table-top.
New accessories from the firm, also on display, included a fat pump and updated automation and enhancement of its various bread and pastry dough processing lines.
Rondo recently rebranded its image, merging the names Rondo and Doge, so what has the effect been? Tearle says: "The new branding has brought the whole company together with a focused approach." Not so far from Rondo's European headquarters lies Venice, which also relinquished its Doge, but held on to its famous designs and traditions while modernising its trade, transport, and machinery. There's a parallel in there somewhere.

When running a mountain lodge in his native Sweden around a decade ago, Peter Ljungquist came to the conclusion that he would like to make the best jam, chocolate and ice cream in the whole country. And since he had "always been passionate about bread" too, a bespoke brick oven was installed in the traditional farmhouse in southern Sweden, which became his production hub.
When visiting Edinburgh several years later, he immediately liked the place and decided to see whether the concept, tested on a largely rural customer base in Sweden, would translate to an urban environment in a different country. The central Quartermile district was chosen, because Ljungquist regarded the mix of heritage and striking new business and residential structures as "an interesting idea".
Launched in 2007, the Peter's Yard coffee shop and bakery has become renowned for its high-quality, handmade artisan crispbreads made to an authentic Swedish recipe, using all-natural ingredients, including sourdough, fresh milk, rye flour, whole wheat flour and honey. Its product range also extends to traditional Swedish cakes/pastries and cardamom buns, which Ljungquist describes as "probably the most common bun in Sweden and now our most popular line". This Christmas, Ljungquist intends producing two Swedish festive favourites namely saffron bread and pepparkakor (a ginger biscuit).
In terms of quality, there is far more to Peter's Yard than the products it sells. The 10 members of staff have received training from one of Sweden's premier chefs, while the high-spec décor has been chosen to create a welcoming atmosphere "where people want to relax and meet friends" over a bite to eat and a cup of coffee a concept known in Sweden as fika. Pointing to the light, airy design and to the lack of a partition between the 600sq ft bakery area and the 50-cover, 1,200sq ft customer area, Ljungquist elaborates: "We didn't want to hide anything. We wanted people to see what we were baking and to see us making the sandwiches."
The outlet in Edinburgh, which also sells assortment packs of company products, is on course to beat its budget by 30% this year and record a turnover of £700,000. And although launched only this summer, Ljungquist is confident that the wholesale arm, run by Wendy Wilson Bett and Ian Tencor, will add significantly to this success by supplying crispbreads to high-quality food halls, delis and farm shops, as well as into the foodservice sector. He notes: "Our customers already include food halls at Fortnum & Mason, Harrods and Fenwicks; cheese shops like La Fromagerie; farm shops such as Secretts and Cheshire Smokehouse; and major retail outlets, such as Lewis and Coopers. We also supply Martin Wishart's Michelin-starred restaurants in Scotland."
The wholesale arm's best-seller is the 200g crispbread pack, which retails for £3.50. At the coffee shop, meanwhile, hot drinks, cakes, sandwiches and soup are good earners but not the selection of breads. Ljungquist observes: "We make 100 loaves of bread by hand each day, on which we make no profit, because price expectations in the UK are still so low even when it's 'real' bread. But we believe a bakery has to have bread for sale, so we continue to make it to help build our positioning and reputation."
Although a man of seemingly the calmest of personas, he admits to one slight irritation: being described in magazine and newspaper articles as "a Swedish businessman". He explains: "I am Swedish, that's true. But you couldn't find anyone further from being a businessman."
Clearly, success for Ljungquist is derived from feeding his own soul, as well as the Edinburgh public. Despite offers to extend the Peter's Yard concept to other cities in the UK, he is not leaping at the opportunity. He says: "I ask myself 'How will it benefit my life?' I'm perfectly alright where I am."

Some of the best-known bakery businesses in the UK have started, and continued, as a family business. Bakery retailer Greggs began life as a family venture, and Warburtons is still one. So what makes family-owned firms so special?
A new study into the UK business sector, carried out by Warwick Business School, reveals that small family-owned firms are regarded as more employee-friendly, motivational, passionate and creative than non-family private enterprises. Commissioned by insurer More th>n Business, it also reveals that family firms are perceived as offering better welfare conditions and more flexible hours, unity, purpose, trust, and less stress. Head of More th>n Business Mike Bowman says these perceptions could spur a surge in interest from job-seekers, who have suffered at the hands of the recession. With unemployment levels at their highest, rising to 7.9% in September that's 2.47 million people out of work and with the 16-24-year-old age category hit the hardest, could this be an opportunity for bakers looking to recruit?

Paul Wilkinson: Are we able to meet the target of the 10% saturates reduction in cakes, biscuits and pastries without significantly compromising on the taste of the product? What do you not the businesses you work for think? Show of hands, how many people think this will be a very difficult thing to do by 2012? [Nine show hands]. How many think it's a pretty normal challenge at the end of the day? [Five show hands]. I just wanted to get some sort of idea. So is the industry geared up to do this?
Matt Verney: I think it will be difficult to reduce it without affecting product quality, because we do a range of buttered croissants, Danish pastries and Viennoiserie. A lot of research has been put in place beforehand to find the right level [of fat], and if we are going to have to reduce it by 10%, this is going to affect quality, taste, flavour and texture. So we have huge concerns about reducing the fat content.
Ivor McKane: I see saturated fats and calories as being two separate topics and I think there is a danger if we fail to separate saturates and calorie reductions as being two different streams.
Peter Quinn: It's difficult and it's going to be product-specific. There will be products that are easier and products that will be extremely difficult to do.
Having already been through a fat reduction exercise with the Melton Mowbray Pork Pies Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, we've learned a lot and also understand the consumers' prospective. They are very sensitive to that, so this process could have a negative effect on the bottom line. Technically, yes it's possible, but if the consumer doesn't like it, it's wrong.
Stan Cauvain: I don't think we should underestimate the scale of the technical challenges, especially when delivering what are accepted sensory characteristics. Consumers have a perception of how things should taste. While, technically, we may reduce levels of saturated fats, if that doesn't deliver those accepted characteristics, consumers will walk away.
Biscuit products will probably give you the most immediate opportunities for fat reduction where the functionality of fat, in terms of developing the structure, is less than it is in, say, a laminated product. [It will be easier] in those products where structural functionality does not come primarily from fats.
Steve Knapton: Compared to some competitors, businesses that have already lowered fats can be a victim of their own success, because they've already achieved that.
Chris Beresford: My biggest worry is that once it is reduced, the FSA may come back and ask for another 10%.

Britain's billboard owners must love the Food Standards Agency. The wallpaper paste had barely dried on posters urging the public to watch their saturated fat intake by cutting back on biscuits, cakes and pastries when the government agency rolled out a new advertising blitz this month encouraging shoppers to check the labels of bread, pizza and sandwiches for salt content.

For long-established bakery chains, the idea of trying something new may seem like risky business, as existing customers will be used to particular products and price points. However, a number of bakery businesses, interested in introducing different and perhaps more premium lines, have come up with new shops to fit their ideas. We look at how two businesses have achieved 'concept outlet' success.

Ask most customers if they want a hot drink to go with their cake or sandwich and they might be tempted by a cappuccino. A humble tea bag just doesn't have the same allure as coffee, particularly if customers want to treat themselves. And let's face it, there's more theatre around an espresso machine, when you can make a bog-standard cup of tea at home.

It is the time of year when new wheat crop opportunities present themselves and bakers can benefit from the adroit use of knowledge of the new harvest to achieve effective cost savings on flour and other cereal prices.

I get by with a little help from my friends" is a familiar phrase. "I get by with a little help from my local regeneration agency" is, perhaps, less catchy. But that's exactly how one start-up bakery has managed to survive the daunting prospect of setting up in one of England's most deprived districts.

When Conservative leader David Cameron visited Cotswold miller FWP Matthews to see the company's new facilities and learn about a partnership with French miller Moul-bie, he was a little surprised to be asked questions by British Baker (see panel opposite page). Yet in a short, but wide-ranging conversation, he answered willingly.

The recession has killed off many things banks, bakeries and, erm, very nearly Iceland but try as it might, it has failed to knock the coffee shops off their perch. While Starbucks cut stores and Coffee Republic filed for administration, to hopefully emerge leaner and stronger, Caffè Nero and Costa have sat and watched sales sheets ticking over rather nicely, thank you.

It was back in the 1960s when Roger Daltrey of The Who first belted out the classic "I can see for miles". It's the sort of song that pops into your head walking round Iba, the world's biggest bakery show.

Watershed moment alert: chocolate giant Cadbury is stepping up its activities in bakery. While you may have spotted the marketing splash about its switch to Fairtrade for consumer chocolate, you may not yet be aware that it is also ramping up the hitherto less-developed part of its business bakery cocoa supply. Such is the potential for Fairtrade growth in bakery, the chocolate giant is targeting craft bakers and bakery manufacturers by launching Fairtrade cocoa into the market.

So (drumroll please)... what's the verdict? "We can say that part baked technology is a good technology," says professor Alain Le Bail, co-ordinator of an EU-funded project that has been pondering the matter. Or at least it could be. It found that par-baked bread demands around twice the energy of conventional breadmaking if the partial baking and the final bake are done in a baking oven. Another problem lies with the freezing of par-baked bread, which demands a lot of energy, especially if it is likely to be stored frozen for longer than a month.

You could say that a baker's job is never done until they have produced a great product, delivered it in pristine condition and made it so enjoyable that shoppers come back for more. Reputation is all to the smallest craft baker or the biggest bakery food manufacturer. But it is only as good as your last delivery.

If interest in the recent National Cupcake Week showed us anything, it's that a huge cottage industry has sprung up in recent years made up of professional bakers working from home. It's not just cupcakes either. A wide variety of baked goods are being produced professionally in domestic kitchens.

The UK baking industry faces mounting pressure to reduce costs. Pressure is coming from the consumer and the retailer, but equally importantly, pressure is coming from within its own organisation to ensure survival in these difficult times. Finding ways to reduce costs and make more profit are key drivers.

As more bakeware hits the market offering claims of coatings that make greasing of tins wholly or partially redundant, is non-stick bakeware making release agents defunct for bakers? And if so, are there potential cost savings for bakers investing in non-stick bakeware compared to using release agents?
Non-stick coatings range from clear silicon glaze to Teflon. However, Teflon is best used on automated plants or at bakeries where bakeware is handled with care. Careless stacking of tins and straps will reduce the life of Teflon coating, reaching a point where the coating can break down.
Gary Atkinson, technical director, of AAK Bakery Services, which supplies release agents that are designed to enable baked products to be removed without damage from pans, sheets or oven bands, says that although hard-glazed bread pans work well, they require high levels of maintenance and regular re-glazing to maintain the effectiveness. This can be very costly for the bakery, especially if they are mis-handled during loading and unloading onto the lines.
"By moving to a slightly softer tin coating in conjunction with a small, carefully applied coating of a release agent, the interval between the re-coating of the tins can be significantly extended and the bakery can make significant cost savings than through using a 'greaseless' system alone," claims Atkinson. "Working in conjunction with our technical services and engineering teams we can supply the right release agent along with bespoke application systems to ensure that the release agent is used efficiently and hygienically to give trouble-free, cost-effective release."
Material type, thickness and tin construction - welded seams or deep drawing - need to suit the methods of handling and the number of releases required between refurbishment. Cost is therefore reflected in this process of design. Kaak Bakeware offers a range of coatings to suit breads and confectionery; tin and strap design will be largely defined by the production style, batch sizes, quantities per batch and baking profiles.
Kaak Bakeware offers 'in-house' supply of bakeware from concept to final product using 3D computer design and robotic fabrication to the exacting tolerances which are necessary for automated bakeries. This process also allows small batches of tins to be supplied to craft bakers.
So what are the potential cost savings in non-stick bakeware? "Non-stick coatings, silicon or Teflon, can show profitable returns on investment but only when the coating is not subject to mechanical damage and refurbishment occurs after a pre-described number of releases - variably between 2,000 and 4,000," says John Singleton, sales manager at UK Kaak supplier Benier. "The use of a coating may allow less release agent to be applied, which assists in increasing the number of releases obtained."
There are other benefits to using release agents, says Richard Field, customer communications advisor at ingredient manufacturer Zeelandia. One is the cost saving during the baking process itself.
"When baking tin bread, a release agent is paramount for the longevity of the bread tin as well as the perfect release of the baked loaf," he says. "During the process release agents are exposed to oxygen and very high oven temperatures - up to 250C - that ordinary oils and fats cannot withstand. Due to the contact with oxygen, a process is set in motion that begins with oxidation and leads to carbonisation. Once a layer of carbon has been built up, the transfer of heat deteriorates and the release and baking process becomes increasingly uneconomical."
Release agents, such as Zeelandia's Carlo, help release steam during the baking process, which aids crust formation and helps crust colour development, claims Field. Zeelandia's release agents, which are resistant to oxidation, also cling to the side of the tin, ensuring even release.
So the best savings come from striking the right balance between the needs of your process and the benefits of non-stick bakeware and release agents - ask your supplier for advice.

Spelt bread, with its slightly nutty flavour, is rapidly winning consumer approval because of its perceived health properties.
Spelt is a very old kind of flour, first produced around 5,000 BC. It survived into medieval times and much of its heritage was protected by millers and bakers in Eastern Germany and elsewhere in Central Europe. Head of The National Bakery School in Dublin Derek O'Brien, who has been doing a lot of development work with spelt, says that products made from the flour have grown much in popularity since spelt flour was reintroduced in this part of the world in 1987.
"You can use either a one-hour or an overnight system, but the dough needs to be soft. It's a special flour and needs to be treated accordingly," says O'Brien. He adds that apart from the fermentation system, no other special baking methods or production techniques have to be used. It's a little more difficult to handle, but nothing too arduous.
He goes on to say that if the flour is used properly in the making of spelt bread, it is cost-effective. But he warns: "There's no point in making spelt bread and selling it for the same price as wholemeal," given the price premium the bread can command.
Sourcing spelt flour isn't a problem for the School; supplies are readily available from Irish Bakery Suppliers in Cork, which supplies Ballybrado, the only spelt flour produced in Ireland, or from Shipton Mill in Gloucestershire.
So far, artisan bakers in Ireland have taken up the spelt bread theme with some considerable success, such as Denise O'Callaghan's Delicious Bakery in Cork and Alan and Zoe Tennyson's Artisan Breads in Bandon, Co Cork.
One Irish bakery that makes no bones about spelling out the health benefits of spelt bread is O'Sullivan's, in Killorglin, Co Kerry. It says that spelt flour offers 50% [more?] amino acid than wheat, more Vitamin B, higher levels of fibre, more protein and special carbo-hydrates that help reduce blood clotting and make the body more resistant to infection. It's low in gluten, easily digested and, in general, is better tolerated by the body than any other grains.
O'Sullivan's has been using spelt flour since 2005 to make three varieties of bread: white sliced, brown sliced and honey seeded. At present, the bakery is making 3,000 units a month, baking these products twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Helen O' Sullivan, daughter of Gearoid O' Sullivan, the managing director, says: "There's interest in spelt bread throughout the country and we find demand increasing all the time."
While many artisan bakeries around Ireland have taken up the spelt bread cause, the plant bakeries haven't, as they prefer flour that's easier to handle. But Derek O'Brien sees no reason why spelt flour cannot be used in larger-scale production. It can also be used in certain types of confectionery, although that hasn't happened in Ireland, where spelt flour is confined to bread.
A close working relationship with the leading German master bakers' school, at Weinheim, near Heidelberg, has been developed at the National Bakery School; Germany has stronger historical links with the use of spelt in baking. O'Brien says that many consumers are now aware of the reputed health benefits of bread made from spelt flour, which he says should only be used in a natural fermen-tation system.
The School part of the Dublin Institute of Technology does a BSc course in baking and pastry arts management and also runs a professional baking programme; spelt bread now features strongly. The school uses many old spelt recipes that it has tweaked for modern production. This new academic year, 92 full-time students will enrol, meaning a record number will be learning about the commercial potential of spelt and, who knows, might eventually introduce spelt into Ireland's plant bakeries.

Now that the main wedding cake season has come to an end, it's a great time to think of new ways to boost sales before the festive period gets into full swing. Appealing to your customers' indulgent side is key to boosting sales of baked goods in a recession.

Evolution is forever calling on the past to look at ways to improve for the future, but in some areas of bakery and café retail design, what the more distant past offered is seemingly now a good enough solution.

On a sunny day in the first week in August, British Baker went to visit a farm in West Sussex, one of the many to supply Warburtons with wheat, to find out more about the seed-to-crumb process.

Belgique is a new bakery-café concept with deep breath a bakery, coffee shop, freshly made sandwiches, patisserie, chocolaterie, celebration cakes and a deli. With eight shops, 500 retail lines, 250 birthday cakes a month and thousands of boxes of chocolates, it's no wonder Igor Bekaert says he has taken only one day off in 60.

On 28 July 2009, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) launched a consultation on its draft recommendations on saturated fat and added sugar reductions, and on portion size availability for biscuits, cakes, pastries and chocolate confectionery. The consultation addresses three different elements of the Saturated Fat and Energy Intake Programme: encouraging increased accessibility to smaller food portion sizes; encouraging more promotion and increased uptake of healthier options; and encouraging voluntary reformulation of mainstream products to reduce saturated fat and energy.

Winner: Morrisons