Caramelised biscuit manufacturer Lotus Bakeries is targeting the UK ingredients sector for the first time with a new crumb-based product.

The Belgium-based firm is to transform its Lotus Original Caramelised Biscuit product, often found accompanying hot beverages in cafes and coffee shops, into a bakery ingredient product this year.

Ian Lucas, sales manager at Lotus Bakeries UK, told British Baker at this year’s Caffè Culture show: “We wanted to launch the crumb-based format as a way to offer bakers an upmarket alternative to digestive biscuit varieties. The product can be used as a base for cakes and desserts, or toppings for bakery products.”

Lotus Bakeries also produces cakes, gingerbread, waffles and pepparkakor biscuits for European and North American markets. In 2011, the company recorded a 4.1% growth in consolidated turnover to €275.6m (£221.3m), and a 6% rise on a like-for-like basis on 2010.