All British Baker articles in December 2007
View all stories from this issue.
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News
viewpoint
It has been quite a momentous year. Flour and other commodity prices have seen very steep increases. Big names such as Inter Link have been sold to McCambridge while Lightbodys of Hamilton and Finsbury Foods forged a partnership that took many by surprise.Economy breads and private-label are often hardly worth ...
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Walkers reshuffles at the top
Walkers Shortbread chairman Peter Simpson has stepped down to be replaced by new non-executive chairman Michael Walker of financial public relations company Broadgate Marketing. He is not related to the Walker family that owns the business. Simpson stays on as non-executive director.The move comes as part of succession planning at ...
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Roberts team scales peaks
A team from Roberts Bakery has completed the Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for a children’s charity.The team, composed of Rob Newton, Dave Clark, Gary Chrimes and Ray Agnew of Roberts, helped raise £2,500 for Hope House Children’s hospice. Chester-based Roberts Bakery matched this donation, bringing the total to ...
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Health watch
With salt levels in bread and bakery products in the UK ever under scrutiny, a new global study claims that efforts to cut down on salt intake will prevent millions of deaths each year. By reducing salt around the world by 15%, the study claimed, this could prevent almost nine ...
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Gingerbread Houses
Gingerbread houses are very common throughout Europe, particularly at Christmas time. They are relatively simple to make, and will look fabulous in your shop during the festive season. Children adore them. Ingredients Gingerbread, royal icing, baker’s chocolate, décor. Method 1 First, prepare your gingerbread ...
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FoB spins new web
The Federation of Bakers (FoB) is set to relaunch its website in a bid to reach more consumers."It’s very important that we stay in touch with our consumers and make information easily accessible to them," Gordon Polson, director of the FoB told British Baker.From this month, the new-look site ...
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KK sales down
In the US, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, reported an 11.7% revenue decreased to $103.4m for the third quarter ended 28 October, 2007, despite the closure of 17 factory stores, 12 US domestic stores and 25 franchises. Third-quarter sales decreased approximately 2.6% from the third quarter of last year, while the net ...
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Student wins Kenwood crown
Francesa Tomkins, a Level 2 Bakery Student from the Birmingham College of Food, has been crowned winner of the recent Kenwood ’Let Them Eat Cake’ competition.Regional heats took place at cookery schools across the UK, where students were challenged to bake and decorate a special commemorative cake. Each ...
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Coveney to head Greencore
Food group Greencore has announced that its chief executive, David Dilger, will retire in March and Patrick Coveney, currently chief financial officer, will succeed him from that date.Greencore chairman Ned Sullivan said Dilger, who is aged 51 and has been chief executive for 12 years, had successfully transformed Greencore into ...
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HGCA conference
The Home-Grown Cereals Autho-rity (HGCA) will hold its annual Processor Conference in March, entitled ’Food for Thought: Future Challenges’.Speakers will include Asda’s head of ethical and sustainable sourcing Chris Brown.Chris Longbottom from TNS Superpanel will discuss the impact of price increases across the supply chain.The conference will be held ...
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Commodities watch
]Since May, prices for Argentine and Mexican honey have continued to decline, despite a weak US Dollar, according to Fuerst Day Lawson’s (FDL) Market Report: 30 October 2007 on honey.The specialist ingredients supplier addressed the question of how long prices for honey will continue this trend. Demand from Europe and ...
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Tea break stabbing
A man was stabbed through the heart at Warburtons’ bakery in Bellshill after a row over tea breaks, a court was told this week.The High Court in Glasgow heard how Steven McArdle died of a stab wound through the heart during a 12-hour night shift on 8 March. Colleague Paul ...
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Bakery Services to see management buyout
Troubled bakery group Bakery Services is set to sell its two operating divisons, Inbake and Don Millers, to current directors Keith Bentley and David Drury for £50,000.The in-store bakery and café franchise company, which has has not reported a profit since 31 March, 2000, had previously told shareholders it was ...
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Warburtons averts strike with new offer
A two-day strike by staff at Warburtons, due to take place this week, was called off after an improved pay deal was offered.Up to 1,400 employees across the country had been due to walk out on December 13 and 14, after a 3.2% increase on hourly pay was rejected ...
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Mike Holling, president, National Association of Master Bakers
The past year has seen plenty of highs and lows. Chairman Peter Freeman of the Competition Commission reported back its latest findings, which didn’t promise anything positive to give a level playing field on the high street or protect the independents from the domination of the big four in a ...
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A family affair
But for the intervention of one of its customers, Stuart’s of Buckhaven would probably have been making a note in the diary to celebrate its 150th anniversary some time in the year 2020. In the event, the company has been marking this milestone in 2007.The confusion arose when, unsure of ...
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International markets offer growth prospects for ABF
Associated British Foods (ABF) said the proportion of its profits earned by its UK-based operations now accounted for less than half of the total, compared to almost three-quarters at the turn of the century.Speaking at the firm’s AGM, chairman Martin Adamson (pictured) told shareholders that the business was now spread ...
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Bakery price rises fail to reflect 2007 cost increases
Latest pricing data shows how own-label and budget breads have seen minimal price increases over 2007, with the big brands also slow to increase prices, despite steep rises in the cost of ingredients.Budget lines have been affected most. For example, comparing prices from January 2007 with those gathered last week ...
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News round up 2007
Januaryl With 1,327 shops, bakery giant Greggs dwarfs its rivals on the high street, both in the takeaway and fast food sectors, topping British Baker’s first Top 50 Bakery Retailers league table.l Private equity firm Vision Capital’s purchase of the assets of Northern Foods’ bakery businesses is approved by shareholders.l ...