RedBlack Software has divided its business in two with the creation of BakePlan Software Ltd.

BakePlan will focus on retail and convenience stores while RedBlack continues to serve the independent craft bakery sector with its Cybake bakery management solutions.

The restructure had been prompted by “a fork” in the development of its software, which became apparent during a project to improve availability and reduce waste at Marks & Spencer’s in-store bakeries.

“It became plain that the needs of the large modern retail grocer diverged considerably from that of RedBlack’s core craft bakery customers,” said Jane Tyler (pictured above), managing director of BakePlan and RedBlack.

“We therefore decided to give our BakePlan supermarket solution a life of its own. As well as attracting interest from outside investors, BakePlan is already undergoing trials with potential new users in this sector.”

BakePlan will focus on retail and convenience sectors across Europe with its production forecasting system that tells in-store bakery supermarket staff the best combination of products to bake at the right times during the day, via tablets or mobiles. Using advanced data analytics and machine learning, BakePlan adjusts its suggestions according to the day’s trading patterns.