In Short

== Spanish firm invests ==

Spanish manufacturer Europasty has invested E18m (£16.6m) to increase its production capacity for doughnuts. The firm, which specialises in par-baked bread and frozen pastries, has installed a new production plant and freezing warehouse, giving it a total capacity of 300 million units per year. In 2008, Europasty’s doughnut sales represented approximately 25% of the total Spanish market.

== Costa turns to ads ==

Costa has launched its first advertising campaign this month, in an effort to draw customers away from Starbucks. According to claims made following a recent blind tasting by research company Tangible Branding, seven out of 10 people who saw themselves as ’coffee lovers’ preferred Costa’s cappuccino to that of its leading competitors.

== Panera recognised ==

US magazine Health recently voted the US’ largest bakery chain, Panera Bread, as the healthiest restaurant in the fast food category in the country, due to its wide menu offering and healthy choices, the use of healthy fats and preparations and healthy sodium counts.

== Pennant purchase ==

US company Pennant Foods, a provider of speciality bakery products to the foodservice and retail industry, is to purchase a portion of the General Mills Bakeries and Food Service frozen bread dough business. The deal includes four US manufacturing facilities.

== Israel for McDonald’s ==

McDonald’s is reported to be opening a number of its McCafé coffee houses in Israel. They will sell pastries produced in a factory in France, which also supplies a number of its European McCafé outlets, as well as sandwiches and cakes.