AHDB is staging an International Baking Workshop, taking place from 12-14 April, to showcase the export potential of British milling wheat to international buyers.

Hosted by AHDB’s Cereals & Oilseeds Exports team, the inaugural event will build on the success of biscuit-making and bread-making workshops run by AHDB.

International delegates have been specially selected to present the course from key markets – Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Algeria and Morocco – which, so far this season, have imported a combined total of 800,000 tonnes of wheat, worth £99 million, to the UK cereals industry.

The four-day programme includes practical baking sessions, to provide the opportunity to bake with ‘ukp’ and ‘uks’ flour and assess the potential for its use in overseas biscuit and bread manufacturing. (Ukp is a hard wheat classification used in the making of bread, and uks is a soft wheat classification used for making biscuits).

Launched in 2004, ukp and uks are the UK’s wheat export classifications, developed by AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds to make it easier for overseas buyers to understand the potential of milling wheat.

The practical sessions will be combined with a series of technical presentations on ukp and uks wheat, and technical experts will be on-hand to provide training and advice.

The workshop will also highlight the value of UK farm and trade assurance. Crucially, the final day includes a visit to a local farm and grain store, which is accredited by the Trade Assurance Scheme for Combinable Crops (TASCC).

TASCC provides independent verification that the trade meets food safety laws, and delegates will be able to compare UK production standards to their own countries’ standards.

Really informative

Rachid Chetoui, a previous delegate from Morocco, said: “This workshop is really informative. It combines practical and theoretical sessions, which are both equally important for potential buyers.

“What is most important is that the lessons we learn can help reassure our clients that ukp and uks wheat can meet their requirements. We know that our clients are happy to pay a premium, if the product is right.”

The Baking Workshop will be held at Campden BRI, at its Chipping Campden site in Gloucestershire.

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