All British Baker articles in August 2007 – Page 3

  • News

    International activity

    2007-08-24T00:00:00Z

    Sara Lee Corporation announced last week that its international bakery sales were up 7.8% and its North American retail bakery sales were up 6.8% for the 12-month period ending 30 June, 2007.The company revealed in a statement that North American retail bakery performed well, due to increased prices, procurement and ...

  • News

    viewpoint

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    Some of the phone calls I take in this job can be heart-rending. People I have known for some time suddenly lose their jobs. Not only are they worried about finding another job, but also about being able to stay in an industry that they love - and have often ...

  • News

    O’Briens’ overhaul

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    W e were very much trying to target the young female professional," says O’Briens’ retail and operations director Andrew Moyes, recalling the sandwich and coffee chain’s old look. Then, with exquisite timing, he gives a cheeky nod in the direction of the walking embodiment of the Irish franchise firm’s broadening ...

  • News

    Let’s take training to task

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    Several readers have commented that they have little or no faith in NVQs. Others say they wouldn’t ask if a candidate for a job had one. In fact, I have not yet found anyone to sing their praises.Colleges, as well as industry, have had the joy of trying to make ...

  • News

    Legislation watch

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    New rules come into force on 30 October that will require bakeries to reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill.A business can comply with the Landfill Directive by either reducing the amount of waste it produces or by increasing its recycling rates. All non-hazardous waste liquids will ...

  • News

    Industry needs a single voice

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    I am writing to support John Gillespie’s idea, outlined in a recent issue of British Baker, for an industry that speaks with one voice.The National Association of Master Bakers, which is the association for craft bakers in England and Wales, would be delighted to give its backing.There are currently various ...

  • News

    Too hot to handle

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    In today’s competitive baking environment, the pressure for higher throughput and maximum yield is unrelenting. Handling and transfer of the product during production is especially critical, and with target yields in the upper-90s percentage-wise, there is minimal room for error.Batch baking processes, which rely on manual handling, involve numerous steps ...

  • News

    Supplier survey rates supermarkets on fairness

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    A new report sets out to highlight what it calls "bully-boy tactics" used by some of the supermarkets when dealing with suppliers.Published last week, the research carried out by Grant Thornton, financial and business advisers, claims that eight out of 10 UK food suppliers, including bakery suppliers, expect to see ...

  • News

    Face to face...

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    Q How did you come to be involved in the baking industry? A I joined the baking industry in 1948, when I was 15 years old. I left school on a Friday afternoon and started work on the Friday evening! I come from a long line of bakers. My ...

  • News

    EC’s foot-and-mouth rules hinder exports

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    Bakery ingredients suppliers are being hit by export restrictions designed to counter the recent foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.On 6 August, the European Commission imposed a restriction on exports of animals susceptible to foot and mouth, as well as derived meat products, milk and by-products, to EU member states and third countries.Association ...

  • News

    Curriculum vitae

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    1948 Joined the baking industry at just 15 years of age1963 Along with a lawyer partner, opened Dainty Cakes in Kirkintilloch1965 Parted company with original partner and baked for himself and for another baker, who lent him the use of a van1966 Set up his own shop in Glasgow1972 to ...

  • News

    Commodities tracker

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    With such a big crop (estimated to be at least 603,000 tonnes), almonds are attractively priced compared to other tree nuts, said RM Curtis’ trading director Mark Setterfield in the firm’s new report, Edible Nuts & Dried Fruit, June-July 2007."With this in mind, we would expect demand to increase, so ...

  • News

    Briefs

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    n Three drug addicts were jailed this month after threatening a baker with a sawn-off shotgun and an axe. In April last year, the burglars forced baker Royston Owen - who was working at Mr Bunn the Baker in Long Stratton, Norfolk - to hand over £500 in cash. Owen ...

  • News

    Clean-label breads launched by Tesco

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    Tesco has launched its first range of breads made using no artificial additives. The range of eight products goes on sale across Britain this month.The breads are made by two key Tesco suppliers from single sites, said Tesco’s technical manager James Markie. They have removed emulsifiers, flavouring and preservatives.Three ...

  • News

    Zimbabwe runs out of bread as wheat supplies falter

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    Zimbabwe’s Grain Marketing Board ran out of wheat last week, with the impact likely to be felt by bakers this week.Reports from Zimbabwe suggest the Board had not supplied millers with wheat for the whole of last week, the result of which was that millers could not supply bakers with ...

  • News

    More suppliers sign up for BIE

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    Firms are flocking to join the Baking Industry Exhibition (BIE), organised by William Reed Events.The latest firms to come on board are Autobake, Martins Conveyor Belts, Mono Equipment, Tromp Bakeries, Par Pak and Ziegra Ice Machines and Ennis Engineering.They join companies including Orbital Food Machinery, Abacus Aquameter, Pillopak and Oliver ...

  • News

    Denise Crane, technical director, BCCCA

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    In May, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) board voted unanimously that the mandatory fortification of baked goods with folic acid should be recommended to UK health ministers, to help prevent birth defects. The options were either to add folic acid to flour or bread. The BCCCA proposes that it should ...

  • News

    Wheat crop in balance

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    The quality and yield for the rest of the UK wheat harvest now depends on the weather during the next two to three weeks, says the Home Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA).The improved weather since the July downpours has meant that 13% of the UK’s harvest is now complete, although it ...

  • News

    Community bakery hailed as local hero

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    An Aberdeen bakery, which provides work for adults with learning disabilities, has been nominated for a national award.Newton Dee bakery in Bieldside has been nominated in the Local Hero 2007 awards. Run by the UKTV Food channel, the awards aim to honour Britain’s best independent shops, farm stalls, artisan producers ...

  • News

    European Bakeries deal investigated

    2007-08-17T00:00:00Z

    Suppliers and creditors have raised serious concerns about London wholesale bakery European Bakeries, which recently spent a week in administration.European Bakeries, which supplies discounter Aldi and catering giant Compass, through Enterprise Foods, called in administrators Deloitte on June 8. It had debts of over £576,000 at the time, with over ...