April - British Baker

Mixed picture for Premier’s Hovis division

Non-branded bakery sales were down 16.5% on the same period last year for Hovis, according to Premier Foods’ financial statement for the three months to 31 March 2011.

Operating profit turnaround for Uniq

Chilled prepared food group Uniq has announced continued strong growth in its food-to-go operation, with overall group revenue up 6.8% for the year ended 31 December 2010.

Kingsmill boosts Allied’s profits

Kingsmill’s Great Everyday medium sliced white loaf contributed to the brand’s volume and market share increases across the UK in the 24 weeks to 5 March 2011.

Pidy to sell pastry into foodservice via Amazon

Pidy said it has become the first company in the bakery sector to sell a range of pastry and catering lines targeted at foodservice on internet retailer Amazon.

Doughnut Week targets £50k goal

The organisers of National Doughnut Week hope to celebrate its 20th anniversary by involving a bumper number of bakers.

Royal wedding inspires bakers to be creative

Bakers up and down the UK have been publicising their Royal Wedding-themed products in the run-up to the big day.

UK bakers embrace energy-saving projects

Bakers around the country are working on energy-saving projects backed by the Carbon Trust, with funding from the Regional Growth Fund.

Burton's considers union proposal on Moreton site

Burton's is to press ahead with plans to end biscuit manufacture at its Moreton factory and move production to Edinburgh and Llantarnam resulting in 109 job losses.

Irish bakery is secured

Thirty jobs have been saved at O'Donnell's Bakery in Ireland after two employees bought it out of liquidation.

BIA Lifetime Award sponsored

Delifrance is to sponsor The Life-time Achievement Award at this year's Baking Industry Awards.

Two companies come to the rescue for Woodhead

Woodhead Bakery workers are celebrating after nearly all the firm's shops and factory were saved by two separate deals.

Suppliers are playing clever in a bid to minimise price increases by sourcing fruit, nuts and seeds from alternative, cheaper, countries of origin. Meanwhile, some bakers are substituting and reformulating in a way that does not impair quality and taste. And most are intent on minimising the knock-on effect of commodity price increases on their own margins and want to minimise what is passed on to shoppers.

Foreign affair

In her book Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour, the anthropologist author Kate Fox talks of the "white bread" British, with our culture of reserve. "We are the most repressed and inhibited people on earth," she argues.

Chewing the fat

Will the issue of fat as an ingredient become even more regulated at UK government and EU levels. And if so, what can bakers do? Our latest BB Round Table debates the issues involved. Andrew Williams reports.

Walkers puts faith in crinkle-cut launch

Walkers expects its new crinkle-cut crisps to be the biggest category launch of the last five years.

From health to indulgence

Yum Yum Bros Food Company has launched two new bakery brands, targeting both the healthy eating and indulgent snacking sectors.

Moul-bie's salt solution

Moul-bie has launched a clean-label solution that can achieve a 25% reduction in salt without losing flavour or affecting crust formation, it is claimed.

Table-top sealer uses electronic wizardry

Select Bag Sealers launched its new TS3-EP Table Top Sealer at the recent Bakers' Fair Spring. Exhibiting for the first time at a Bakers' Fair event, the firm unveiled the new unit a manually operated Tape Sealer that incorporates a Thermal Electronic Printer. This allows complex print formats to be applied to the seal as it performs a tape seal around the neck of a bag.

Muffin time for McVitie's

United Biscuits (UBUK) has launched a whole host of new McVitie's NPD this spring. McVitie's Cake Company has introduced a Breakfast Muffin and 'Time For Tea' Fruit Loaves. Available this month, the muffin contains cranberries, sultanas, apricots, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, as well as cinnamon and spices, and will be sold in single packs. The fruit loaf cakes will be available in two varieties mixed berry (raspberries, cranberries and strawberries) and lemon & ginger.

Response to responsibility

CSM (United Kingdom) has launched a new cake margarine Craigmillar Marvello RSF Blend. The firm claims that not only can it help bakers meet the government's guidelines for a 10% reduction in saturated fat, but also responds to the Department of Health's new Responsibility Deal, which in part focuses on lowing calorie content.

Bizerba kit is a cut above

A new precision bread-cutting machine from Bizerba cuts hygienically without the need for oil, helping to prevent mould build-up and the spread of germs.

Callebaut lowers fat

Cocoa and chocolate products manufacturer Barry Callebaut can now offer an extensive portfolio of products that are low in both saturated fats and trans-fatty acids.

Best of British

Bakery manufacturer and foodservice provider Delice de France has launched its new spring/summer catalogue, featuring several new additions.

Spring show success

Crowds of visitors from across the country made the trip to Newbury Racecourse on Sunday 10 April, for what was a very successful Bakers' Fair Spring. Despite the sunny weather outside, the exhibition hall was packed, with The Stage drawing a large audience for its programme of talks and demonstrations.

Report Do consumers check labels on baked goods?

More than half of consumers check the labelling of products such as bread, cakes and biscuits, according to research by Harris Interactive, unveiled at the BCCC conference earlier this month. Yet despite this, only 12-15% admitted they read it thoroughly.

Dried fruit pricing

Coconut: Prices have remained extremely volatile, due to strong demand coupled with the disaster in Japan delaying some shipping of coconut from Asia.

Reporting in Fuel stabiliser needed in UK

Phil Orford,

Cocoa prices down as Ivory Coast troubles ease

Pressure on cocoa supply looks set to ease after violence in key cocoa-producing country Ivory Coast has calmed, and exports are set to resume, according to global commodities analysis source The Public Ledger (TPL).

In Short

Krispy Kreme growth

In Short

Help from a brewer

Chef headlines Scottish event

Marks & Spencer's bakery technologist Jim Hawkridge and top baker and chef Nick Nairn aim to inspire delegates at the Scottish Bakers' 120th anniversary conference from 14-15 May.

In Short

Family fun day

Tameside hosts BSB event

The British Society of Baking Spring Conference scored a first last week. Instead of being held at a hotel, 70 delegates descended on Tameside College, near Manchester to hear topical presentations and to see and taste what the students are achieving.