Seen in the Innovations section of Europain, the latest flaky idea from France Bread Flakes! France’s five-day bakery show, for bread, confectionery and chocolate closed on Wednesday, 10 March. So could flakes catch on? Well, if it is a toss-up between toast or bread flakes, at least bread is the winner, say makers Paillasse International.

What was impressive about the show? Lots, actually. The fabulous, fresh-made crusty bread that assuaged the senses as you entered the door and lived up to its promise. But also the Rue des Ecoles the street of schools where different colleges that teach bakery and patisserie took booths. Manned by teachers and pupils from the present, they welcomed potential pupils of the future. Career advisors turned up with interested students. Oh! if only we planned that more over here. But let’s not forget that France has 33,000 boulangers and just as many patissiers so the colleges and organisations that represent them have much greater resources for promoting and organising such publicity and events.

And the trends? Well, health is much to the fore, even on the indulgence front, with fruits and fillings becoming more ’natural’. Back in the Innovations section, Puratos was pushing a mini-loaf and mini-brioche with a large dried fruit in the middle for kids to eat as soon as they rush home from school, so that they reach for something nutritious and filling instead of sweets or unhealthy snacks.

On the family day on Sunday, parents walked around with their young children or explained to the older ones how machinery worked. They showed them young students competing in the bakery, confectionery and chocolate competitions and the children’s expressions said it all magic! Ireland produced a lovely green sugar sculpture, applauded by the crowds. And business was even busier on the Monday than the Sunday.