Warburtons profits

Warburtons has announced its pre-tax profit is up £5.2m to £62.7m for the 52 weeks to 26 September 2009, according to its latest accounts. Sales rose by 6% to £510.8m. The firm said it had achieved a "solid operating performance in a difficult economic environment", and remained focused on growing its share of the bakery market in Great Britain.

New Hovis ad

Hovis is to launch a new TV advertisement as part of a £5m marketing campaign to support its most recent addition Hearty Oats. The advert will run for one week from 4 June, before returning for five weeks in August, after the World Cup. The loaf, launched in March, is the first to be baked with 50% wholegrain oats and 50% Wheatflour.

Raisin bread deadline

California Raisins has extended the deadline for its 2010 bread competition to 30 June. Craft/artisan bakers are invited to take part for the chance to win a trip to IBIE in Las Vegas, followed by two days in Fresno to tour the California Raisin industry and a further two-day visit to the Culinary Institute of America in the Napa Valley. Send your two samples to Bake Northern by midday on 30 June. For full details call 020 8741 8513 or email info@ukraisins.com.

Bread heart risk

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has suggested that replacing saturated fats in the diet with easily absorbable carbohydrates, such as white bread, actually increases the risk of heart ailments, while eating whole wheat or rye bread was said to decrease the risk. The study of 53,000 Danes has not yet led to a change in position by the Danish health authorities, which currently maintains white bread is not an unhealthy food.