J2O is sponsoring a series of comedy nights during, linking the brand with the critically acclaimed stand-up tour, ‘Yanks Your Chain’.

The Co-op group is to roll out an in-store labelling system for its bakery products following a successful trial.

Brace's bakery will be making some of its staff redundant as it restructures its business in response to challenging market conditions.

Asda is to sell its large white bloomer for 50p as part of a cut-price promotion this weekend.

Leeds-based bakery chain Ainsleys’ delivery service has grown from a single van a year ago to a fleet of 10 this month and has recorded turnover of £1.5 million, according to sales and marketing director James Ainsley.

Research on fortifying UK wheat with selenium through the use of fertilisers has been encouraging, according to project leader Dr Martin Broadley.

Ingredients supplier Beacon Foods has joined forces with a group of academics and food industry professionals with the aim of developing food industry skills within Wales.

McDonald’s is to vary the amount it charges for food depending on the location of each outlet.

Kate’s Cakes has added three new cereal bars to its You Can! range.

Proper Cornish Food Company, has won a major contract with Sainsbury’s, which will see them supply the supermarket with a Taste the difference, Traditional Cornish Pasty.

The last day for early bird booking for the 2008 Baking Industry Awards is Monday 30 June, so make sure you book your table now!

Tesco has revamped its bakery packaging and displays.

Mr Kipling has launched a range of Cake Bites. The Premier Foods brand is aiming to capitalise on the growing market for sharing and special treat eating occasions with its new offering.

Major bakery trainers have pledge their support for a national Colleges and Trainers Forum.

Starbucks Coffee Company and food travel experts SSP have agreed a deal which will see SSP open more than 150 Starbucks stores in Europe over the next three years.

Grahams Bakery in Dromore, Northern Ireland, has announced a partnership with charity Barnardo’s.

The Food Standards Agency has taken action to stop the sale of a number of products which contain dried irradiated yeast from China, in breach of UK regulations.

Costa Coffee has reported a “positive start” to the financial year, with sales up 28.4% in the 13 weeks to 29 May.

Costa Coffee’s first national Foundation Day raised £150,000, which will be donated to coffee growing communities.

Ingredients supplier, Beacon Foods, has joined forces with a group of academics and food industry professionals with the aim of developing food industry skills in the country.

Kettering-based labelling, bar-coding and software solution specialist AM Labels, has added the world's first 3.5" screen all-in-one PDA, the Bluebird, to its portfolio. The Bluebird offers powerful functionality, integrated GPS receiver with worldwide navigation capability and is teamed with a large 3.5" screen, suitable for sales and mobile staff where the automation of business processes is imperative. AM says the PDA is suitable for tracking electronic ticketing, product data and customer information.

Eurotek has launched a snow removal system for frozen food manufacturers. Designed to keep evaporator fins clear of snow, it allows freezing lines to run for twice as long between defrosts.

FWB Products has launched a range of gloves for the catering and foodservice industries. The range includes nitrile, latex, temperature-resistant, chain mail and disposable varieties. The gloves have been designed to be compliant with all relevant food legislation and regulations.

European Process Plant launched a deck oven from MIWE at the Baking Industry Exhibition earlier this year. The MIWE condo has all the features of a professional rack oven, but takes up less space and "handles everything from delicate pastry to hearty bread".

Distributor Apuro has introduced the low-cost Samsung semi-commercial microwave oven to "fill the gap between light-duty domestic models and more expensive, larger commercial microwaves". The Samsung Superlite CM1039K has a power output of 1,000w and has a black metal outer cabinet and stainless steel inner cavity. Apuro says it is "designed to withstand the demand of a semi-commercial environment" and is suitable for small cafés, where microwaves are not the main source of cooking.

What's new?

California Raisins

Price Measurement Change (%)

The Guardian featured a letter that challenged the notion that rising grain costs has contributed greatly to soaring prices on the shelves. It said: "According to the EU directorate for agriculture, the grain cost within 'bread, cereals and respective products' fell from 19% in 1970/71 to 4% by 2002/03. It suggests that food prices are more sensitive to cost increases in the other 96% of the retail cost of bread. The non-cereal cost components include energy-intensive food processing, packaging and transport."

The Association of Bakery Ingredient Manufacturers (ABIM) held a forum on 6 June focusing on Growing a Sustainable Bakery Industry. The theme included social, economic and environmental topics.

Steve's Cakes in Antrim, which produces homemade cakes and traybakes, is to supply one of Ireland's leading foodservice organisations, Pallas Foods.

Food retailers are shielding customers from the full impact of soaring commodity prices, according to figures produced by the British Retail Consor- tium (BRC).

Fairtrade beverage producers must continue to innovate to cater for both older and more affluent consumers as well as younger professionals, according to new research conducted on behalf of Aimia Foods.

Beverage machine manufacturer N&W is celebrating after successfully showcasing its equip- ment in conjunction with Percol, the Fairtrade and organic coffee brand, at Caffè Culture.

Work is under way on Warburtons' £45 million new 'super-bakery' in Bristol, which is expected to employ 450 staff and produce 1.5 million products each week.

Greggs grows

Food manufacturers should welcome the crackdown launched by the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) to stamp out exploitation of foreign workers, which will involve up to 30 raids across the UK, inter- national law firm Eversheds said last week.

Multiple retailer Tesco is planning to move some of its freight, including baked goods, off road and on to rail. The plans coincide with the opening of a large distribution centre in Scotland, which will employ 1,700 people.

South Wales-based company Best Bakeries, which went into administration on Wednesday (4 June), may be saved by a management buy-out (MBO).

FSA's point-size push

Salt limit

Residents of Dunbar in East Lothian are so concerned about the possible closure of the William Smith's bakery, that they are putting together a plan for the local community to buy it.

International food, ingredients and retail group Associated British Foods (ABF) has announced the merger of W Jordan & Son (Silo) ('Jordans') and its Ryvita Crispbread business.

Northern Ireland bakery Irwin's has broken new commercial ground by securing contracts to supply its Nutty Krust batch bread to retailers in the Irish Republic.

The Bakery School, a web-based online resource tool, went live on 31 May.

A total of 450 jobs have been axed after the Lyndale Group was put into administration, which led to the closure of the Sayers' bakery in Norris Green, Liverpool, 41 stores across the north west and the Sayers headquarters in the city.

Pasty specialist Ginsters has launched a New York-style Steak and Cheese pasty to its Pasties of the World range. The pasty contains West Country steak, New York deli-style mustard and manchego cheese.

A total of 105 new entrants - a record number - have entered the Baking Industry Awards 2008, to be held on Monday 15 September.

Every penny of profit generated at Costa coffee stores on 14 June is to be donated to coffee-growing regions to help with the provision of school buildings, clean water and other facilities.

Belgian firm Vandemoortele Food Group is poised to take over Panavi, France's leading manufacturer of frozen bakery products, for an undisclosed sum.

Prison bakery

Tindale and Stanton has been rescued from administration securing almost 160 jobs in the process.

Foodservice supplier, Brakes Group, has been awarded the title of Green Wholesaler of the Year at the Grocer Gold Awards, on 11 June, in London.

Starbucks Coffee Company and food and drink concession specialists, SSP, have announced a partnership agreement to open more than 150 Starbucks stores in prime travel locations across Europe, over the next three years.

A total of 450 jobs have been axed after the Lyndale Group was put into administration which led to the closure of the Sayers’ bakery in Norris Green, Liverpool, 41 stores across the north west and the Sayers headquarters in the city.

IAWS has announced a merger with Swiss Bakery firm Hiestand, which will see the creation of a new company called Aryzta.

Warburtons is to invest £45m in a new 'super-bakery' in Bristol. The new plant is to be built on a 12 acre site at the Western Approach Distribution Park at Severn Beach, and forms part of the company’s national expansion programme.

Administrators for Medway Foods are still looking for a buyer for the collapsed firm’s Isle of Sheppey plant.

Web-based training resource The Bakery School will go live tomorrow (31 May).

Firemen were called in to tackle a blaze that broke out among vans at South Wales' Ferraris Bakery last night.

A new flavour has been added to Extreme Beverages' Bigberry drinks range. Bigberry Raspberry and Mango Smoothie is made from 28 pressed raspberries, six chunks of mango, five slices of banana, one pressed apple and two freshly squeezed oranges. The smoothies are made from 100% fruit and contain no additives, preservatives, artificial colours, or added sugar.

Smoothie company Love Smoothies has added a gourmet menu of four smoothies - Black Fruity, Popeye's Pick Me Up, Beat the Bluesli and Son of a Peach - to its range.

Burton Foods has added a healthier snack option to its Bertolli range. Made using Bertolli oil and inspired by Italian flavours, Bertolli Baked Bites will be available in Sea Salt & Black Pepper, Sweet Chilli and Red Pepper, and Italian Cheese and Red Onion varieties. "In a short space of time, the Bertolli savoury nibbles range has become a major brand in the category and achieved over 5% market share in the savoury nibbles segment," said Jaspal Chada, Burton Foods' marketing director. "Three-quarters of UK adults snack on the go, creating over five billion occasions for Bertolli Baked Bites to be consumed."

Ulrick & Short has launched a clean-label alternative to ready-to-use egg- and milk-based glazes, in its Eziglaze range. 'Ready to use' Eziglaze has been developed in response to market demands for more natural ingredient alternatives, as well as an increasing awareness of people with allergies. It was developed with the help of the microbiology faculty at Leeds Metropolitan University. The glaze doesn't need to be chilled and contains no chemicals or artificial components, yet still has a minimum shelf-life of three months. The product has also been designed to match the viscosity of egg and milk, providing a realistic and easy-to-use alternative, says the firm.

Hell Pizza, has launched gluten-free pizza bases in the UK, following their success in New Zealand. The launch of the bases coincided with Coeliac UK's 'Food Without Fear' week. In the UK, around one in 100 people suffer from coeliac disease, caused by gluten intolerance.

Planglow has launched Natural Collection, a new range of 100% biodegradable packaging. The bio packaging has been designed in neutral earthy colours, so that it can accompany any existing brand logos or colours.

Ryvita has added a new snack to its range for the more health-conscious consumer. Ryvita Limbos are available from May and come in both single and multi-pack formats. The crispy baked snacks contain 90% less fat than regular crisps and around 70 calories per bag.

S Black has launched a "breakthrough zero-trans coating fat" in the UK. Couva 850 NH, made by IOI-Loders Croklaan, is an alternative to conventional, hydrogenated and trans fatty acid-containing coating fats.

Délice de France has added a number of new continental savouries to its existing range. A Spinach and Goats' Cheese Tart, made from shortcrust pastry filled with goats' cheese, mozzarella, crème fraîche and spinach is now on the menu, as are two new Pizza Demi Baguettes. Both baguettes have vegetarian toppings, one with mozzarella cheese and assorted vegetables including yellow peppers, aubergines and courgettes. The other has a tomato sauce, mushroom, onion and Emmental cheese topping.

Beyond the Bean launched the latest addition to its range - a ready-to-drink fruit smoothie - at the show.

Exhibitors at London's Caffè Culture show said the event had been a success overall with a good quality of visitors and strong leads.

The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) will hold its Wonderful Coffee event in Copenhagen from 19 to 22 June this year. The event will feature an exhibition, conference and series of practical workshops. Talented coffee professionals from more than 50 countries will battle it out in competitions, including the World Barista Championship and the World Latte Art Championship.

Coffee Republic is dipping its toe into continental-style drinking culture as some cafés have started to sell alcohol. Speaking to British Baker at Caffè Culture, UK franchise director Kevin Frostick said Coffee Republic hadn't really pushed the concept of licensed cafes, but where franchisees wanted to sell alcohol, the company had helped with alcohol licence applications to local authorities.

Café businesses need to "get beyond Fairtrade" if they want to be truly ethical, according to Caffè Culture seminar speaker Paul Allen.

The founder of Glaswegian internet café brand iCafé plans to expand within Scotland. Umer Ashraf said he plans to roll out the café brand "one step at a time" in Glasgow, then in other parts of the country.

Gordon Polson

Pasty maker Crantock Bakery is now supplying pasties to the Cypriot market.

Lees Foods, which produces confectionery and cake products, is planning to diversify into the high-end catering market, after warning that its 7% rise in pre-tax profits for 2007 is unlikely to be repeated next year.

Icelandic company Bakkavör Group has said it will close its UK pasta plant in Scunthorpe by the end of the month. The closure may lead to the loss of 107 jobs, according to local press reports.

Lantmännen Unibake (LU) plans to expand Eurobuns' production into Danish pastry and croissants, following its purchase of the Milton Keynes frozen food specialist last week.

London-based café, Napket, has opened its third site in Vigo Street, Mayfair. Founded by French-born Christophe Moro, Napket aims to be a "dramatic and daring reinvention of the urban café".

A new company has been set up, which sources high-quality seeds for the baking industry.

The Handmade Cake Company in Maidenhead has moved to new premises in Gardner Road. The company specialises in round cakes and traybakes and is hoping to expand its enterprise at the new site.

The Scottish Association of Master Bakers (SAMB) took the momentous decision to change the whole set-up of its board at its conference last weekend.

Funding for bakery training in Scotland is "in dire straits" according to Arthur Rayer, head of skills training for the Scottish Association of Master Bakers (SAMB). It is in danger of losing all European funding.

Northern Foods has reported a strong performance in bakery sales for the year to 29 March.

The Richemont Club will again hold its annual competition at this year's Bakers' Fair on 19 October.

The Association of Bakery Ingredient Manufacturers (abim) 2008 forum, 'Growing A Sustainable Bakery Industry', is to take place on 6 June.

Belcolade's marketing executive Lydia Baines (pictured) holds aloft a chocolate dessert, made especially to celebrate the company's 20th birthday.

Solihull's Cooks the Bakery has completed the acquisition of 120 leasehold stores from the administrators of Three Cooks.

By Andrew Williams

Bakers, millers and sandwich makers are being urged to join a new commercial trade body, which has been set a remit to represent organic food processors' commercial interests.

United Biscuits UK (UBUK) has given the green light to a new advertising campaign for the go ahead! brand. The £1.2m spend will see a new TV commercial hit our screens in a bid to raise sales over the summer months. The ad will run from 2 June to 22 August and will focus on its Yoghurt Breaks range.

Food manufacturer Bakkavor is to close its pasta production site at Scunthorpe. The plant will close on May 30.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled in favour of Greggs after receiving a complaint about one of its TV ads.

Aldreds the Bakers has recalled its own-brand luxury muffins because of the presence of mould in the custard filling. The bakery has issued a food alert through the Food Standards Agency. The muffins affected are all in the Luxury two-pack range, in the following flavours; banoffee, carrot, chocolate, lemon and chocolate and orange. The recall affects all best before date codes up to and including May 29. No other Aldreds the Bakers products are known to be affected. Point-of-sale notices will be displayed in all shops that sell the products, explaining the reason for the recall. Customers should be offered a refund or replacement when they return the affected muffins to shops.

A new commercial team has been unveiled at Finsbury Food Group following a staff reshuffle. Four members of staff have been repositioned in an effort to strengthen the company’s sales and marketing teams.

The California Raisin Administrative Committee has teamed up with Waterfields bakers on a meal deal promotion.

The winners of the British Sandwich Industry Awards, the Sammies, were announced at a ceremony at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel on 15 May.

Richard and John Waterfield proved themselves every bit as handy on the golf course as they are in the bakery at the British Society of Baking's Golf Day.

Derby-based Birds the Confectioners was forced to temporarily suspend baking when a nearby factory caught fire.

A new pie company has launched in the UK. The Great Australian Pie company is manufacturing a range of eight pies, created by a leading Australian chef, Ben O'Donohue.

Don't miss your chance to be part of the Baking Industry Awards 2008, get those forms in before it's too late!

A bakery retailer in south-east London has been closed temporarily after a fatal stabbing.

The future of County Durham bakers Tindale & Stanton (T&S) hangs in the balance, as admini-strator PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) seeks a buyer for the business.

Sign up now for British Baker's free weekly news alert service by e-mail. The service, which is now up and running, includes a weekly news update plus top stories as they break, allowing you to stay ahead of the game. Senior members of the baking industry have already signed up - don't miss out! More details at http://www.bakeryinfo.co.uk. Don't forget to check the website for daily news updates, the latest jobs, features and opinion plus a searchable archive.

Using ancient grains is the latest trend in food manufacture, according to a recent report.

Dave Whelan, owner and MD of Pooles of Wigan pie business, is spending a massive £12m expanding his pie factory.

Lyme Regis Foods has expanded its Fruitus organic fruit and oat bar range, packaging for which features bold, clear branding and rich fruit colours on a natural cream background.

Fox's has added a new flavour to its Crunch Cream range. The new Lemon Crunch Creams consists of smooth lemon cream, sandwiched by crunchy biscuits.

Crips has unveiled five new flavours in its range of snacks. The oven-baked wheat and potato snacks have been designed for the health-conscious consumer. They contain almost four times less fat than traditional fried potato crisps.

United Biscuits is relaunching its McCoy's Tortillas snack range with two new flavours in time to capitalise on the male snack buying market for the Euro 2008 tournament. The ridged snacks will be available in 50g bags in Hot Chilli and Nachos Cheese flavours. The Tortillas range was previously sold in premium flavours and marketed as a 'posh crisp', but United Biscuits hopes the relaunch in more accessible flavours will re-establish McCoy's position as "men's crisp of choice". McCoy's will be stepping up the advertising on its core range to whet the appetites of those snack-loving football fans.

Packaging company Huhtamaki has launched a range of bio-coated paper cups for hot and cold drinks. The BioWare range is manufactured using materials from sustainably-managed forests and the cup's cartonboard material has the Forestry Stewardship Council's chain of custody certificate. The cups can be composted in industrial composting facilities.

Foodtools of Ongar, Essex exhibited at BIE showing its extensive range of cutting and portioning equipment for all size bakery manufacturers.

Instanta has launched a range of counter-top value boilers.

Hatco has launched a pull-up slot toaster, which is available in two-slot, four-slot and six-slot variants.

Lainox Heart has launched a combi-oven range with three key functions.

At the Baking Industry Exhibition, Ireks launched Avena Vital mix. With more than 60% of oats in the mix, it is designed to offer a healthy-looking and tasting loaf.

Specialist soft drinks company Metro Drinks has added a lemon and ginger variant to its Qu4ttro Stagioni soft drinks range.

Pudding Lane's new Chocolate & Orange Log and Chocolate Rum & Raisin Pudding Log, launched earlier this year, will feature at the 2008 Speciality & Fine Food Fair.

Peter's Food Service and London brewer Fuller's have teamed up to launch a steak and ale pie a new addition to Peter's Regency range. The pie, which features a blend of Peter's pastry and Fuller's London Pride ale, has been development over the past few months and was launched at the Fuller's brewery in London last week. It will be available from delis and major retailers throughout the south of England and Wales.

Solo Cup Europe has launched DeliLite, a range of lightweight PET containers and lids, which it says "offer superb strength, durability and clarity".

The English Cheesecake Company has added new summer flavours to its range of cheesecakes. Summer Berry, Mango Passion Fruit and Blackcurrant with White Chocolate Shavings are new for summer 2008.

Starbucks will turn its focus away from the US by opening more stores internationally from 2009 until 2011.

The American Bakers Asso- ciation (ABA) has called on the US government to take action to halt above-average food price inflation.

Lantmannen Unibake, Europe's leading supplier of frozen bakery products, has established its first production facility in the USA, following the purchase of bakery Euro-Bake, based in Florida.

Patisserie Valerie is to franchise its offering to overseas markets, following a deal that has established an undisclosed franchise agent in the Middle East.