Exhibitors including GB Plange, Bakels, Baker Perkins and Cereform unveiled details of recent corporate developments at Europe’s biggest bakery fair, IBA, last week.
A total of 23 bakery companies from the UK travelled to Germany for the show, joining the 965 exhibitors from around the world.
The exhibition gave international ingredients supplier Bakels the opportunity to unveil two new joint venture companies, Bakbel Asia (formerly DLA Inc) and Bakbel Europe, which will be operational from next March and based in Belgium. These companies will specialise in products including fillings, jams and glazes, extending Bakels reach into new markets, Bakels UK MD Paul Morrow said.
Ingredients company GB Plange was also at the show, alongside yeast operation GB Ingredients, which it split from following its purchase by German conglomerate Werhahn earlier this year (British Baker, July 14, pg 5).
General manager Marie Parnell told British Baker: "We want to be seen as the innovators, bringing novel products into the UK. We are under the ownership of a family company and that gives us the opportunity to invest in long term relationships and growth."
Equipment supplier Baker Perkins attended the show, following its acquisition by private investors earlier this year (British Baker, April 28, pg 5). The company is now much more reactive and focused on research and development, bakery sales manager Geoff Harley reported.
The restructured AB Mauri, a division of Associated British Foods which includes Cereform, used the show to highlight its international reach to visitors.
The trend towards health and speciality in bakery products was a theme for exhibitors from across the world, with numerous new speciality and convenience products launched at the show.
See next week’s British Baker for a report on the show.
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