All British Baker articles in February 2008 – Page 5
-
News
Cool cupcakes
Mirroring developments in the US, cupcakes are attaining a cult status in the UK with an explosion of flavours, colours and frostings. Consumers, particularly baby boomers and generation X-ers, tend to be sentimental about foods that evoke childhood memories. For the younger generation, the concept of retro eating brings a ...
-
News
Consumer watch
Despite consumers making active attempts to eat more healthily, the threat of obesity shows no sign of slowing down, according to a new report.In the survey, entitled Obesity, Dieting, Exercise And The Future Of Food And Drink - understanding consumer attitudes and behaviours, independent market analyst Datamonitor found that consumers ...
-
News
Premier under City fire as share price takes a tumble
Investment bank and stockbroker group Shore Capital announced early this week that since its initial assessment of Premier Foods, the situation for the Hovis manufacturer had become "more dire".Analyst Clive Black at Shore Capital told British Baker that bread brands were suffering as pressure from supermarkets continued to ...
-
News
Cooks fined for mouldy chicken
A branch of Cooks the Bakery in Rustington, near Littlehampton, Sussex, has been fined £5,000 in a food hygiene prosecution brought by Arun District Council after a customer complained.A senior food safety officer from the council visited the shop and found mould on a chicken sandwich.Chichester magistrates were told ...
-
News
Sweet charity
Most of us would like to make a small difference to the planet or leave the world a little bit better off than we found it.Few of us dreamt, some years ago, that we might be able to do just that. Or that we could relieve some of the worst ...
-
News
On treating cavities
Here’s some more medical wisdom from back in the days when a certain Colombian marching powder was still considered a not unreasonable remedy for toothache. If only the kids of today would stop shoving it up their noses, the nation’s oral health would not be in such a parlous state. ...
-
News
Cafédirect profits on the rise
Fairtrade hot drinks company Cafédirect has announced pre-tax profits of £705,000, up from £48,000 in 2006.For the year ended 30 September, 2007, total turnover rose by 3% to £22.3 million. In the retail sector, sales slowed by 4% to £17m. Profits were driven by 33% growth in foodservice sales, which ...
-
News
Briefs
n FAS Productions, a manufacturer of savoury pastry products, has recently been purchased by Scottish entrepreneur David Orr.Orr has experience of running bakeries in Scotland, having owned UCB and part-owned California Cake Company, which were sold to Finsbury Food Group in October 2005. Orr already owns the Aberdeen Buttery Company ...
-
News
Seeded breads on a high
Continuing the Swiss theme this week, a Swiss man was reportedly detained by airport authorities in Dubai after poppy seeds were discovered on his clothing. Officials, following a hardline on drug smuggling in the United Arab Emirates, took issue with the seeds, which apparently came from a sandwich he bought ...
-
News
The big issue
What will be the biggest issue your business faces in 2008?That was the question posed by British Baker in its last online poll at [http://www.bakeryinfo.co.uk]. Between 10 December 2007 and 5 February, when it closed, 39% of respondents believed that skills shortages would be the biggest issue to face their ...
-
News
The importance of Being Ernst
A bit of a baking industry legend to say the least, Ernst Bachmann has been nominated as a finalist at the Baking Industry Awards no fewer than 15 times, and last year was the fifth time he walked away with a gong. Readers of BB will also know him for ...
-
News
Rich hosts BCA
Fareham-based Rich Products recently hosted a visit from members of the British Confectioners’ Association (BCA).Forty-six members, who attended the two-day trip, were taken on a tour around the bakery site and were offered tastings and technical presentations."It’s a lot to organise for so many people to come to visit ...
-
News
Lightbody to expand Chinese operation with new bakery
Lightbody, the celebration cake manufacturer, is planning to build a bakery in China."We’re looking for a site at the moment," Lightbody’s MD Martin Lightbody told British Baker. "It seemed like a natural progression for us and it’s where all the growth is going to be."At the moment, the company subcontracts ...
-
News
US bakers march over failing wheat supplies
The American Bakers Association (ABA) is calling on all US bakers to descend on Washington in protest against critically low wheat reserves."Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures," said ABA president and CEO Robb MacKie.With "critically" low reserves and severe conditions in the wheat markets, ABA is demanding that the United ...
-
News
Bachmann’s Patisserie at a glance
Established: 1989Address: Criterion Buildings, Portsmouth Road, Thames Ditton, Surrey, KT7 0SS; tel: 020 8398 1988Products: Authentic Swiss patisserieInnovation: Individual desserts with accompanying tubs of sauces. "The concept is simple," says Ernst. "It allows our customers to dish up the kind of dessert you would normally only get at a ...
-
News
Aulds disputes press reports
Alan Marr, MD of Aulds (Food) of Greenock, Scotland, was scathing about press reports that profits at the company were down when he spoke to British Baker.Scotland’s largest independent baker and frozen foods company, Aulds Holdings, filed returns to Companies House for the year ending March 2007 showing turnover was ...
-
News
Allergy alert
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) revealed on Wednesday, 16 January, its new voluntary guidelines to warn consumers about possible allergens in food from food retail outlets, such as bakeries, cafés and restaurants, as well as food that is not prepacked. Two weeks later, on Wednesday, 30 January, the EU ...
-
News
International activity
Danish ingredients firm Danisco has signed an agreement for the acquisition of shares in UK-based emulsifiers producer Abitec. The acquisition is conditional upon the approval of the appropriate competition authorities. A spokesman for Abitec said this could take anywhere from eight weeks to several months.Abitec, which is based in Northampton, ...
-
News
Apr–May 1933: Mottos of the week
* Things that are not of value singly are useful collectively * How often things happen by chance, which you would not dare to hope for * He cracks the nut, but who wishes to have the kernel out of the nut? * What is there of beauty in the ...