The amount of money and effort behind the new launch of Kingsmill is the biggest I can remember (pg 4). But it needs to be. When you have lost market share against big brands such as Hovis and Warburtons you need an enormous comeback, and you need it nationally.

It has been a huge challenge to get the new Kingsmill breads targeted precisely, packaged dramatically, advertised memorably. There have been slogans to think of - in this case: Love Bread, Love Kingsmill, fleet vehicles to re-brand, retailers to be kept informed. Plus, of course, a £14 million consumer marketing campaign.

This is Kingsmill’s chance to get it right - it’s dog eat dog in the battle for shelf space. Allied Bakeries has revamped the recipes, improved the wheat, reduced the salt, taken out the artificial preservatives.

So is it set for success? Supermarket directors and category managers tell me they are keen to support the relaunch. But so much hinges on the advertising campaign and consumer reaction.

Success at the cinema is measured by ’bums on seats’. Success at the check-out will be measured not by initial purchase but by repeat purchase. So it is an exciting but tense time as Project 180 - the three year plan put in place by Allied’s Australian CEO Brian Robinson - takes off.

"It’s time to turn the business on its head," he says. Hence the 180-degree turn. Marketing director Jon Wilson reveals that ’family, fun and liveliness’ were the attributes most mentioned in consumer research for the relaunch and we can look forward to seeing them reflected in the ad campaign. Further ahead relaunches are afoot with Burgen and Allinson. With so much talk about ’healthy’ the timing could be most apt.

Supplying the supermarkets needs more than the right products. Helen Colley’s attitude is a key to Farmhouse Fare’s success. Acknowledging how hard the buyers work she says: "I don’t do jargon, I don’t do PowerPoint presentations. I explain what we do and prepare immaculately" (See pg 16). On the craft side, bakers in Devon are due to be visited by EHO’s to learn more about asthma prevention (pg 6). And debate rages about the NA closing its training arm (pg 13). Would you run any part of your business at a loss?

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