All British Baker articles in February 2009 – Page 6
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News
West Cornwall Pasty Co sets out 2009 expansion
The West Cornwall Pasty Co is to open a further 15 outlets in the next 12 months, as well as refurbishing 25 of its existing shops.The firm now has 57 company-owned shops across the UK, from Brighton to Glasgow, and is hoping to grow the brand to make it "more ...
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’Traditional bread’ sales break £200m in ISBs
Last year saw the revival of traditional bread and rolls selling through supermarket in-store bakeries (ISBs), with sales of traditional breads breaking through the £200m barrier.The latest IRI sales data, (52 w/e 27 December 2008), shows that traditional rolls soared by 23%, while traditional bread was up 15%. Growth outstripped ...
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News
Directors consider future of Patisserie UK
The future of Patisserie UK’s place within Lees Foods’ group of companies has been put into question by directors, following a “disappointing” performance in 2008. According to a trading update, Patisserie UK suffered, due to the loss of “a major customer” last year. Directors were said to be considering Patisserie UK’s future within the Lees Group and will make an announcement regarding its future in due course.
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Roy Flint passes away
Roy Flint, craft baker, plant baker and former president and treasurer of the National Association of Master Bakers has died. He had been ill for some time with lung cancer. His wife Elisabeth, to whom he had been married for almost 40 years, told British Baker: “The baking industry was his life. He knew so many people. He would be in raptures over a loaf of bread, its taste, crust, colour and texture.”
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News
Wall’s launches new pastry products
Sausage brand Wall’s is to take on Ginsters with the launch of its new savoury pastries. Its Full of Filling range will compete directly with the West country brand and target male snackers shopping in convenience stores.Valerie Kubala, Wall’s pastry senior brand manager, said: “There is a huge opportunity for ...
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News
National Cupcake Week sees dates changed
British Baker has moved the date of National Cupcake Week to the week commencing 14 September, in order to give bakery retailers more time to prepare. The remit for the week has also been expanded to include everyone from craft bakeries to cafés and supermarkets – so make sure you ...
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News
Costa tops coffee chain poll
Costa Coffee has been voted the best coffee chain by customers who rate its friendly staff and tidy stores more highly than its main rivals.Costa beat Caffe Nero into second place and Starbucks and Coffee Republic, in third and fourth respectively, to the title, as a result of consultancy firm ...
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M&S wins tax battle over teacakes
Marks & Spencer has won a 13-year tax battle over the status of its chocolate-covered teacakes, although there is still confusion around the legal ruling.The Law Lords upheld a decision made by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) last year, which ordered the Treasury to refund £3.5m VAT on the ...
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Biscuit baker cuts sat fats
Paterson Arran has been named the first company to be part of the HGCA’s Supply Chain Partnership Innovation Showcase. The initative has been devised to help promote best practice in the cereals supply chain in innovation, cost and price, transport, materials testing and communication and collaboration. The Scottish biscuit manufacturer, based in Livingstone, was chosen for reducing the saturated fat content in its products by replacing the previously used palm oil with rapeseed oil.
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News
Bako MD David Armstrong exits
David Armstrong, MD of Bako UK for the last year, left the company at the end of January. Armstrong, who formerly worked for Threshers and Unwins, has been recruited by supermarket Asda to work in a senior position within the retailer’s wine and spirit buying team.Bako chairman Michael Bell, of ...
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News
Wall’s launches new pastry products
Sausage brand Wall’s is to take on Ginsters with the launch of its new savoury pastries. Its Full of Filling range will compete directly with the West country brand and target male snackers shopping in convenience stores. Valerie Kubala, Wall’s pastry senior brand manager, said: “There is a huge opportunity for Wall’s to use its meat, quality and value credentials to reinvigorate the pastry sector with this new range.
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News
Costa tops coffee chain poll
Costa Coffee has been voted the best coffee chain by customers who rate its friendly staff and tidy stores more highly than its main rivals. Costa beat Caffè Nero into second place and Starbucks and Coffee Republic, in third and fourth respectively, to the title, as a result of consultancy firm him!’s Coffee Chain Customer Tracking Programme. This asks customers to rate their experience, after visiting a particular branch, on topics such as quality of drinks, choice of food, time spent queuing, atmosphere and overall value for money.
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News
My Career
What is your job and what are your main responsibilities?I’m the commercial controller at Irwin’s Bakery in Northern Ireland, heading up marketing and new product development.Our core business is dedicated to a range of brands, such as the Rankin Selection of speciality breads, which are on sale across Ireland and ...
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News
Wine emporium Vinopolis’ bakery plans get green light
Wine business Vinopolis has been given the go-ahead to open a bakery, restaurant and shops by London’s celebrated food market, Borough Market. The development will house a combined 24-hour bakery and retail unit, which will supply products sold in the new retail units as well as to the St John group, which operates the Cantina, Brew Wharf and Wine Wharf outlets at Vinopolis, together with two restaurants in Clerkenwell. Southwark council’s planning committee has backed the plans, which involve the reuse of existing railway arches on Park Street.
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Appointments
IGDSainsbury’s chief executive Justin King has become president of international food and grocery research company IGD, while Booker Group chief executive Charles Wilson has been appointed vice-president.King, who has been Sainsbury’s chief since 2004, will chair the Policy Issues Council, a forum of executives in the food and grocery industry, ...
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Starbucks’ woes continue with further store closures
Starbucks has announced plans to close a further 300 underperforming stores - 200 in the US and 100 internationally - however details have yet to be released on whether UK stores will be affected.Starbucks is the fourth biggest bakery retailer in the UK behind Greggs, Subway and Costa, according to ...
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Esquires coffee chain expands in UK
Esquires Coffee Houses UK has announced plans to open another eight franchised stores in the UK, by summer 2009. The company, now in its tenth year of trading, currently has 25 outlets in the UK.Peter Kirton, managing director of Esquires Coffee Houses UK, said he had identified a number of ...
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Allied Bakeries Ireland MD retires
Alan Hempton, managing director of Allied Bakeries Ireland (ABI), has retired after 45 years in the trade. He joined the business as a 16-year-old apprentice engineer in 1964 and was named Apprentice of the Year in 1966 and 1967. He was appointed general manager in 1979 and went on to become managing director in 1987. During his time as MD, ABI began exporting to the Republic of Ireland in ‘91 and to Great Britain in ‘98. Exports now account for around 30% of the bakery’s total output. Hempton also notes the success of Kingsmill as one of his career highlights.
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News
Allied Bakeries Ireland MD retires
Alan Hempton, managing director of Allied Bakeries Ireland (ABI), has retired after 45 years in the trade. He joined the business as a 16-year-old apprentice engineer in 1964 and was named Apprentice of the Year in 1966 and 1967. He was appointed general manager in 1979 and went on to ...
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News
The Bagel Group bought out of administration
London-based manufacturer The Bagel Group, which filed for administration earlier this month, has been sold to a new company, Mr Bagel’s Limited, as a going concern. The business has been acquired by the Mansouri family for an undisclosed sum. According to a statement released by the new company, the purchase ...