• Join 4,250 industry professionals including bakers (retail, wholesale, commercial), grocery and foodservice outlets
• Visit the trade show - over 200 companies in 35,000 sq.ft. showcasing ingredients, equipment, services, technology and baked goods (fresh, proof & bake, par-baked, freezer-tooven, thaw & serve)
• Learn at the informative seminars and workshops
• Located in the Toronto area, the facility is easily accessible by public transportation (Mississauga Transit & GO Trains), major highways, 5 minutes from the Toronto International Airport and provides plenty of free parking
• NEW Show Features
Held every other year, it is the only baking specific event produced in Canada
FITTING: Do-it-yourself cake and cookie decorating is becoming a great way to attract customers.
George
ColuMns
DEPaRtMEnts
By BR i AN h ARTZ
OPEN FOR BuSiNESS
Who’s open to a little optimism? I sure am.
I’ve been invited to many grand openings this past year, and had the honour of attending a few, so despite being disinclined to believe the hype about the recession truly being over, I can’t help but acknowledge a sense of better days to come as we bid farewell to 2009 and welcome 2010.
The latest grand opening I had the privilege of experiencing was that of Twisted Bagel at 3500 Bathurst St., Toronto. Formerly the site of the Carousel, Toronto’s first drive-in restaurant, and then an arcade called Video Invasion, the location has seen its share of successful business ventures.
This newest enterprise, founded by entrepreneur and inventor Wayne Fromm, who started Video Invasion in 1980 and then bought the site and building in 1987, is a modern but comfortable bakery café specializing in the famous Toronto-style, handmade, braided bagel.
As legend has it, the Carousel is also where Tim Horton first honed his doughnut-making skills. I won’t delve anymore into the past, though – you can see that for yourself in the decades-spanning photos on the walls of the café – but suffice it to say that Fromm’s willingness to roll the dice on such a major investment is inspiring given the economic storm clouds we’ve been under.
And he’s done it the right way by taking hands-on courses at the American Institute of Baking in Kansas and hiring smart, experienced bakers – one of whom is himself a former bakery owner – who know the importance of using traditional ingredients and methods to create high-quality products that will keep customers coming back for more.
Prior to opening Twisted Bagel, Fromm says he experimented relentlessly with different formulations, going through about 4,000 samples before settling on the shop’s extensive menu, which, in addition to a wide range of baked goods, features foods for the lunch crowd, including custom salads, paninis and poutine.
}if you’re going to open a small business, a bakery café is a smart move. People still want to eat out, but they are avoiding full-service restaurants.
The emergence of Bakery cafés such as Twisted Bagel in the midst of a severe economic downturn is a welcome development and is further proof of the resilience we’re seeing in the Canadian small business environment. According to Industry Canada, the number of businesses rose by 0.4 per cent in 2008 to 2,314,563 – with small businesses accounting for 97.8 per cent of this seven-figure total. Small businesses with 20-99 employees also suffered the smallest drop in GDP (-0.4 per cent) from the fourth quarter of 2008 to the second quarter of 2009.
“Over the past 20 years,” Industry Canada reported, “the number of small businesses has been growing during periods of economic growth as well as during economic downturns.”
Furthermore, if you’re going to open a small business, a bakery café is a smart move. People still want to eat out, but they’re avoiding full-service restaurants. In fact, according to the Conference Board of Canada, sales at full-service restaurants dropped slightly from January 2008 to May 2009, while sales at their limited-service brethren – a category that would include bakery cafés – rose dramatically by 4.6 per cent.
“People need to eat, even during a recession,” the board reports. “But what and where they choose to eat are being influenced by economic conditions.”
However, says the board, 2009 profits in the foodservice industry are expected to fall to their lowest point since 2005 as cost appreciation outstrips revenue growth. Profitability should improve in 2010, but with tax harmonization just around the corner in B.C. and Ontario, and job losses continuing to be a problem – especially among small and medium-sized businesses – we’re not out of the woods just yet.
But in the spirit of the season, I feel good about the strength of the baking industry. There’s a lot to look forward to in 2010 – including Bakery Showcase in May – and we here at Bakers Journal wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year.
Happy reading,
DECEMBER 2009 | Vol. 69, no. 9
eDitor | Brian Hartz editor@bakersjournal.com 1-888-599-2228 ext. 250
teChniCal
eDitor | John McColl, Puratos Canada jmccoll@puratos.com
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iBA bakery show attracts more than 79,500 visitors
DUSSELDORF, Germany – More than 79,500 trade visitors, including Bakers Journal advertising manager Stephanie Jewell, came to the IBA bakery show from Oct. 3 to 9, where they found out about innovations and new developments presented by 1,059 exhibitors from 55 countries.
“Before the fair, the initial forecasts were somewhat subdued, but the quantity and quality of the visitors has far exceeded all our expectations. This fair has raised the bar,” said Peter Becker, president of the German Bakers’ Confederation.
“All through the event there [was] a definite air of confidence and a willingness to invest. IBA 2009 has reflected the unlimited dynamism that there is in the baking trades.”
Visitors came from all continents to this world market for baking. Around 55 per cent of the total number of visitors were from outside Germany. On the 123,000 square metres of exhibition space at IBA, baking businesses large and small were able to find everything and anything relevant to the sector, from sales concepts to take-away products, ice cream and coffee.
“The halls were huge and chock full of different types of exhibitors, from ingredient suppliers to large manufacturers of heavy equipment needed in bakeries the size of Canada Bread or Weston,” Jewell reported. “Each day at the show it was great to see bakers from Canada who had travelled to Germany for IBA. I also talked with many Canadian companies at the show and saw many of their representatives walking the halls.”
Also in the spotlight were energy-efficient oven and refrigeration technology and improved raw materials. Ninety-one per cent cent of those surveyed stated they thought this comprehensive product portfolio was “excellent to good.”
“The range on show at IBA covers the entire spectrum of products and services for bakers, confectioners, caterers and coffee-shop owners,” said Dieter Dohr, managing director of show organizer Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH (GHM).
“At this international platform visitors were able to gain in-depth orientation in the market and experience first hand the competition between the ideas that will shape tomorrow’s market. Everybody there was able to take home a wealth of new ideas to consider. A particularly fascinating part of the fair, for many visitors, was the machines for industrial production, fully assembled and in working order – each day there were live demonstrations of their capabilities. You don’t find this type of presentation anywhere else in the world.”
The next edition of IBA takes place Sept. 28-Oct. 3, 2012, in Munich. For more information, visit www.iba.de.
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briefly | lopez retires from DecoPac | Horizon Milling names new reps | SiAl show changes name | bagel shop revives historic recipe | for more news in the baking world, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com
Sponsors sought for L’Arche Cake Walk
CALGARY – Sponsors are needed for the fourth annual L’Arche Cake Walk, being held in conjunction with the fifth annual Lindt Chocolate Competition at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in March 2010.
The event “promises to be a culinary spectacle that Calgary has never seen,” says SAIT instructor Clark Adams. “We are forecasting upward of 2,500 people to attend.”
Competitors are asked to make edible
works of art, showstoppers and a pièce de résistance in a variety of mediums, including gum paste, fondant, chocolate and pulled sugar.
“Sponsors are what is going to help make this a day to remember in Calgary culinary history,” says Adams, “and we would like you to be involved, either financially or by a donated product for our reception, or door prizes.”
Funds raised at the event will benefit L’Arche Calgary and the Alberta Pastry Chefs Guild. L’Arche Calgary is part of the International Federation of L’Arche, founded in 1964 by Jean Vanier in response to the need of people with developmental disabilities to find a valid place in society.
Lopez retires from DecoPac
For more information, contact Adams at 403-284-8041 or clark.adams@sait.ca, or visit www.sait.ca/hospitalityandtourism.
Bagel shop revives historic recipe
TORONTO – The Toronto bagel is not as well known as other types of bagels, but inventor Wayne Fromm is determined to change that.
After canvassing bakers worldwide to share the secret technique and recipe of
the Toronto braided bagel, known locally as the twister, Fromm has launched Twisted Bagel bakery in Toronto to maintain the tradition.
Fromm says he “loves eating bagels” and set out in 2007 to appeal to retired European bakers to share their secrets to keep the treasured twister bagel alive. Starting at the American Institute of Baking to learn the science of bagel making, Fromm then ventured to sources stemming from Russia. After exhaustive research and more than 4,000 samples, the tradition has been secured and the braided bagel continues to be made by hand at Twisted Bagel as it was in Europe hundreds of years ago.
Twisted Bagel is housed in a historic building at 3500 Bathurst St. that was originally the Carousel, Toronto’s first drive-in restaurant, and later became the Video Invasion arcade. For more information, visit www.twistedbagel.com.
On Aug. 1, Mel Lopez officially retired from active involvement in the bakery industry. After a 15-year career with DecoPac as a sales director, he decided to ease into retirement by assuming a part-time role with the company. Most recently, Lopez was responsible for DecoPac’s Canadian market as an independent representative.
“Without Mel Lopez, DecoPac would not have become the world’s largest marketer and distributor of cake decorations and supplies,” said DecoPac CEO Mike McGlynn. “Mel’s industry experience, passion and high ethical standards gave DecoPac instant credibility in the marketplace and helped the company grow exponentially during his tenure.”
Dave Cohen is now representing DecoPac in the Canadian market. He has more than 20 years of marketing, sales and licensing experience in various industries throughout Canada. Cohen will be located in Toronto and can be contacted at 905-889-7969 or dave.cohen@decopac.com.
SiAL opts for name change
SIAL Montreal is now called SIAL Canada in order to reach the entire Canadian territory. This change confirms SIAL Canada’s unique positioning as one of the most important food trade shows in Canada and emphasizes its role as a creator of business opportunities between industry suppliers and buyers. For more information, visit www.sialmontreal.com.
Mel Lopez
Dave Cohen
Wayne Fromm, right, with his parents Moe Closs and Miki Fromm-Closs at Twisted Bagel’s grand opening on Nov. 1.
Starr Alliance vice-president Don Monforton, left, and president Brad Starr.
horizon Milling appoints Ontario foodservice reps
ETOBICOKE, Ont. – Horizon Milling has appointed Starr-Alliance Food Brokers Ltd. as its representatives in the foodservice channel in Ontario.
“Starr Alliance is recognized as one of the highest performing brokers in Canada and Horizon Milling is thrilled to have them as part of their team,” said regional sales manager Hugues Labrecque. “With Brad Starr as president and Don Monforton as vice-president, they will deliver services to your business that exceed the high standards of Horizon Milling.”
Europain 2010 ideal for networking
PARIS – Every other year, tens of thousands of bakery professionals gather in Paris for the Europain exhibition, to be held next March 6-10, 2010. Visitors from around the world come to Paris to discover an event that focuses on traditional and industrial bakery, pastry, chocolate, confectionery, ice cream, biscuits, training and shop fittings. Europain is an event dedicated to professionals, a meeting place, a working tool, with every type of expertise represented.
“The visitor feels like they are centre stage at a party organized just for them,” says Maria Cristina Galibert of the Argentinian company Publitec SA. “International visitors feel inspired and more positive about their trade; they can make contact with other bakers and pastry chefs whom they see as models of expertise. Everyone can benefit from the expertise and technology on show.”
The 2008 edition of Europain, held over five days at the Paris-Nord Villepinte exhibition centre, attracted 642 exhibitors and 86,367 visitors. Sixty-four per cent were from France and 36 per cent were international visitors from 133 different countries.
CRFA meets with harper
OTTAWA – Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association executives met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Parliament Hill on Oct. 22, during the association’s fall board meetings in Ottawa. CRFA president and CEO Garth Whyte told the prime minister about the contributions the industry makes to the Canadian economy and social fabric.
“Restaurants make an important economic and social contribution to Canada. We are at the heart of every community,” Whyte told Harper.
From left: CRFA president and CEO Garth Whyte, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, CRFA chairwoman Brenda O’Reilly and first vice-chairman Gerard Curran.
“The business leaders in this room alone represent a combined $14 billion in sales and 300,000 employees. We’re not here to ask for money. We’re asking for recognition that the restaurant and foodservice industry is a valued industry in Canada.”
CRFA chairman Brenda O’Reilly of St. John’s and first vice chairman Gerard Curran of Calgary presented Mr. Harper with a personalized chef’s jacket from CRFA.
u.S. Bread Bakers guild
SONOMA, Calif. – King Arthur Flour Co. has pledged $60,000 to the Bread Bakers Guild of America’s 2010-2012 fundraising campaign.
King Arthur, a longtime supporter of the guild, has also demonstrated its support by contributing facilities,
gets boost
ingredients, resources and instruction time for guild master classes and other events. Donations fund master classes, baking education lectures, mill tours, Guildhall Gatherings, Bread Bakers Guild Team USA 2010, the international Louis Lesaffre Cup and Camp Bread 2011.
Not easy bei N g gree N – or si N -free
If you haven’t thought about greenwashing, it’s probably time you did. You might be greenwashing, or appear to be greenwashing, even if you don’t realize it. The best defence is to be clear and truthful about “green” claims – to say only what you do and do exactly what you say. But being green and avoiding greenwashing are not always as easy as that.
Consumers want to be green but they’re suspicious of green claims. However, sustainability is not just a trend; avoiding it is not an option for businesses. Green continues to sell and sustainability continues to concern consumers, businesses and governments. In its Best Global Brands 2009 report, U.S.-based Intrabrand states: “Sustainability will become ingrained in the fabric of how companies do business; they will not be able to do without it.”
“For consumers, greenwashing is about trust and credibility,” says Kathryn A. Cooper, president of the Ontario-based Sustainability Learning Centre. “Consumers want to believe that companies are doing a credible job at being green, but they just don’t believe it.
}“For companies, it is usually about marketing and sales being way ahead of the rest of the company,” Cooper adds. “Marketing and sales want to take advantage of the market growth in green products, but it takes time and expertise to really be authentically green. Also, companies often don’t know what “green” or “sustainable” is. It is not standardized, so it is easier to make claims without the risk of being taken to task on the matter.”
your reputation and brand name are all you have – protect them. if you want to implement a greening strategy, take the time to green your product, your process and your supply chain. Rethink everything.
Jay Westerveld in a 1986 essay about the hotel industry’s practice of placing cards in each room promoting reuse of guest towels to “save the environment” yet failing to demonstrate any other environmental initiatives.
mentally friendly, if they are not.”
PrOfiT referred to the Competition Bureau of Canada’s action against seven Canadian hot tub and spa retailers who had falsely claimed their spas were certified by the EnergyStar program. The sad consequence of such actions is that, every time an industry, or even just one company, gains notoriety – justified or not – as a greenwasher, the entire industry is “stained” and all sustainable activities appear even more questionable.
Greenwashing as a term is not new; it is believed to have been coined by New York-based biologist and environmentalist
In October, Canadian magazine PrOfiT reported, “The government’s recent crackdown on greenwashing – the practice of disingenuously marketing one’s products as green – is a good reminder that you shouldn’t market your products as environ-
tHE sIns of gREEnwasHIng
To measure greenwashing and help consumers and companies recognize and avoid it, Ottawa-based environmental marketing firm TerraChoice has created a
Seven Sins of Greenwashing list and publishes a Greenwashing report.
For its 2009 Seven Sins of Greenwashing report, TerraChoice researchers recorded every product making an environmental claim at category-leading big-box retailers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. In the United States and Canada, 2,219 products making 4,996 green claims were recorded.
The report revealed that the number of “green” products increased by an average of 79 per cent per store (ranging from 40 per cent to 176 per cent) in stores that were visited in 2007 and 2008-09. It also found that greenwashing is still abundant, with more than 98 per cent of “green” products committing at least one of the sins. Of the 2,219 products claiming to be green in the United States and Canada, only 25, or less than two per cent, were found to be sin-free.
Bakeries do not lack areas in which they can be green. These include ingredients, packaging, recycling, waste management, cleaning products, heating and air conditioning, use of electricity and the effects of transportation. Scrutinizing the practices of suppliers, and even the charities you
Sustainability Learning Centre president Kathryn A. Cooper.
support, will help ensure that you are not enabling or supporting their non-green practices, or that you at least are aware of what their practices are.
“Your reputation and brand name are all you have – protect them,” Cooper says. “If you want to implement a greening strategy, take the time to green your product, your process and your supply chain. Rethink everything – reduce your energy, water, waste and input footprint. You will save money and be able to call your product ‘green.’
“The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), and
Guelph Food Technology Centre have funding to provide food companies with a no-charge sustainability gap assessment. They also have some funding for sustainability consulting to help you authentically green your facility while increasing your profitability and expanding your markets.”
not Easy BEIng gREEn
One aspect that makes being green difficult for a consumer-facing business is that the customers who will pay the closest attention to green efforts are most likely also the most environmentally aware – and often better informed than anyone inside the business. In their view, recycling a few boxes does not make a green company. If you over-state or over-promote, such consumers are likely to take you to task.
Yet another reason to be cautious is that the entire lifecycle of a product is not necessarily in your control. For example, if a consumer discards a biodegradable bread bag in a regular plastic garbage bag and then throws that into the garbage bin, the biodegradable bag may never have a chance to biodegrade.
BRIan HaRtz
Can artisan bread baking be fast and easy? Recipe editor and baking instructor Judith Fertig thinks so. Her latest cookbook, 200 fast & easy Artisan breads, seeks to make this time-honoured form of baking more accessible and approachable (see sidebar).
Potential consumer trends aside, members of Canada’s Artisan Bakers Quality Alliance (ABQA) say “not so fast.” They have joined forces with George Brown College’s Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts in developing the new Artisan Baking Skills Certificate. Designed for those who are working for or pursuing employment with an artisan baking organization, the program includes a distance-learning course – Fundamental Theory of Artisan Baking – as well as some online and on-site courses.
According to the ABQA website: “ABQA artisans bake breads that are rich in nutrition and taste. They are made with a culture (sourdough or starter) and given an uncommon amount of time to rest. The result is bread that has a special combination of texture and complex flavour, and a moist crumb that is unique to sourdough bread. As with fine wine or cheese, the flavour and mouth-feel of bread comes from maturing the dough, and the natural fermentation process.”
}Remember when grocery store bread never used to be marked up? Now things have changed. you can spend $8 on a loaf of bread. g rocery stores are making a lot more profit on it.
staff in the industry than to try to promote and enforce a voluntary standard [for artisan baking].”
wHat Is aRtIsan BakIng?
In light of this development and the publication of Fertig’s book, a conference call with members of the Bakers Journal editorial advisory board included a spirited discussion about artisan baking, its future and how it is – or should be – defined.
EDuCatIng asPIRIng BakERs
At the launch of the new artisan-baking program on Sept. 24 at George Brown College, ABQA members spoke about what they’re trying to accomplish in this partnership with the college, which, coincidentally, remodelled its baking and pastry labs over the summer.
“ABQA formed five or six years ago, but changed its mandate about two years ago to be more involved in education, and we thank George Brown for helping us with that,” said ABQA president Shasha Navazesh. “We thought it would be better to get involved with the education of new
The Artisan Baking Skills Certificate will focus on the essential skills and theories required to take an active role in the artisan baking industry, including common baking practices, safety and sanitation skills, and cultural approaches to artisan baking.
“In this program, the lab sessions will be set up for small-batch baking of hearth-style breads,” said GBC instructor Jennifer Lakhan-D’Souza. “Students will learn a little bit of everything and get a sense of how different breads can be. The focus will be slow, fermented, old-fashioned baking – the basics.”
Vikram Chowdhury, marketing manager for Puratos, which produces a range of mixes and bases, indicated that the growth of artisan baking is being held back by its lack of definition.
“The small bakers on the street corners in Europe are using our products,” he said. “Does that make them not artisan?”
However, Chowdhury said, artisan baking’s strength lies in its emphasis on tradition – it’s simply a matter of educating the consumer about the benefits.
“In Belgium, they did a study in which they talked to a futurist, who said bakery’s future is in its past,” he said. “But the main problem we’re noting with
Artisan breads on display at the Europain bakery trade show in Paris (opposite); Roquefort and Walnut Fougasse, one of Judith Fertig’s recipes.
artisan bakeries here is the lack of time to go out and shop. The consumer would rather go to the supermarket and do all their shopping in one trip. The North American shopping model is based on convenience and quickness.”
Artisan Bakery Café head baker Richard Crossman reports strong growth in artisan breads, especially among companies that, due to the recession, are opting for on-site catering rather than going out for extravagant lunches.
“It’s really started to pick up. Our catering orders are up about 25 per cent since Sept. 1,” he says.
At the individual retail level, Crossman says, “People are willing to pay for about anything if they know they’re getting a wholesome product. For example, our new chia bread is taking off like gangbusters. We bake 500-600 loaves per week and I’d estimate about 75-80 of those are chia bread.”
}Artisan breads on display at the Europain bakery trade show in Paris.
The main problem we’re noting with artisan bakeries here is the lack of time to go out and shop. The consumer would rather go to the supermarket and do all their shopping in one trip.
Navazesh, the ABQA president and founder and CEO of Shasha Bread Co., in Toronto, is not surprised by the
growth of the artisan bread market – or the wrangling over its definition. What Fertig is doing, he explains, “Looks artisanal, but it’s not. If you don’t ferment for at least four hours, the gluten won’t form properly and the bread won’t be as digestible – you won’t
have the lactic acid that contributes to digestibility, and complex flavour will only develop partially after four hours. If you want to have the slightest difference between artisan and regular bread, you must have four hours.”
BEyonD tHE nICHE
Navazesh’s bakery was incorporated in 1999, when, according to the Toronto Star, its sales reached $1 million. In the years since, that figure has more than doubled, despite his loaves of bread taking up to 18 hours to produce – as opposed to 60 minutes for standard, commercially made bread.
“We have our niche and we perfect what we do,” Navazesh told the Star.
But is it really still a niche product?
“Artisan bread has gained so much market share recently,” Navazesh says. “In the past four years, one grocery category that has grown more than any other is artisan bread and specialty bread. I think it’s somewhere around 25 per cent. Remember when grocery store bread never used to be marked up? Now things have changed. You can spend $8 on a loaf of bread. Grocery stores are making a lot more profit on it.”
JuDiTh FERTig ExPLAiNS ‘FAST AND EASy’ METhOD
Judith Fertig has formulated a basic dough that can be used in dozens of different recipes, but whether it’s a consumer approach that will affect a profitable niche among industrial bakers is yet to be seen. Unlike the complex process required for traditional artisan bread, the dough requires only one bowl, basic utensils and equipment, and no kneading.
The ingredients are equally simple: unbleached, all-purpose or bread flour; instant or bread machine yeast; fine table or kosher salt; and lukewarm water. In this and other recipes that call for such flour, she courteously includes reminders about the difference in protein content between the Canadian and U.S. varieties.
“I started with that one template dough and went from there. If you can master this one simple recipe, a whole huge door of baking opens up for you.”
But doesn’t the “fast and easy” mindset go against the essence of artisan baking? Not really, says Fertig.
Recipe editor, baking instructor and cookbook author Judith Fertig.
“This new method for artisan bread is fast when you consider the hands-on part of the process,” she replied. “You don’t have to sprinkle yeast over water to proof it – you just stir instant or bread machine yeast into the flour, so you save a step there. You stir the ingredients together in
a bowl and this takes – if you’re very, very slow – about two minutes. Then the dough rises for two hours, but you’re free to do other things. Then, you have nine days to shape and bake it. (You could also shape and bake the same day.)”
With Fertig’s methods, “You’re in charge of the bread; the bread’s not in charge of you,” she says. “The dough can sit for up to nine days, and it can be frozen.”
During her Toronto appearance, Fertig exhorted the aspiring bakers in attendance to “make these breads look rustic. If they look too professional, nobody will believe you made them!”
At the risk of stirring up a hornet’s nest of opinions on the subject, Fertig’s perspective begs the question: Just what is artisan baking? Is it the look of the bread? The taste and texture? The process and ingredients? There are any number of answers – probably as many as there are bakers in this country. Stay tuned …
The ABQA can claim some credit for that, as member businesses such as Shasha, Fred’s Bread, Future Bakery and Backerhaus Veit have willingly shared formulas among fellow artisan bakeries.
“He feels that as the public appetite grows for artisan bread, everyone in the industry will profit,” the Star wrote.
What the ABQA aims to do, Navazesh says, is recreate and nurture “the ancient techniques of traditional sourdough
baking – that is, baking without commercial yeast using a natural sourdough culture: the unique combination of bacteria and fungus.
“Sourdough techniques have existed for thousands of years and nowadays attract more attention from consumers than ever before because of their wholesome process, with clean raw materials, great nutritional profile and unique aroma and texture.
“But if you keep it a niche market the price will be so high that it won’t grow. It has to be pushed into the mainstream to bring the price down. If we can educate the public through government and the manufacturers through venues like Bakers Journal, they’ll pick it up and people will buy it.” / BJ
8
On the web: Artisan bakers Quality Alliance: www.abqa.com
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A range of artisan breads made by students at George Brown College in Toronto.
George Brown College baking and pastry arts instructor Erica McClellan works with student Ricky Lam.
Judith Fertig’s Buttermilk Chive Rolls.
hyDROCOLLOiDS iN BAkiNg
Continuing our series on the basic ingredients for baking, what are the different hydrocolloids used in bakery applications, what are their functions and challenges of incorporation in baked goods?
Hydrocolloids, commonly called gums, are a group of complex hydrophilic compounds or biopolymers. Among these, the hydrocolloids include polysaccharides extracted from plants, algae (mainly seaweeds) and microbes, as well as plant exudates and chemically modified cellulose compounds.
Hydrocolloids used in the food industry include the polysaccharides: algin from the giant kelp and its salts such as sodium, ammonium and calcium alginates; gum arabic or acacia gum from the acacia tree (exudate); gum tragacanth, an exudate from the Astragalus shrub; Karaya gum from a similar plant; locust bean gum from the seeds of the carob fruit; guar gum extracted from the seeds of guar tree; carrageenan, an extract of red seaweed, and Xanthan gum produced by the fermentation of the bacterium Xanthomonas. Also included are the animal protein gelatin, and pectin, which is extracted from fruits.
}flavour of the icing or filling. Often they need to be heat-stable and have freezethaw stability and irreversible gelling properties. For example, cellulose gum produces gels that are thermally reversible as the solution is heated and cooled.
Some hydrocolloids are affected by the pH of the food system. Selecting a gum that is functional in the pH range of the food product to which it is applied is very important. For example, carrageenan gels are stable in the pH range of 3.5 to 6 and guar gum is resistant to acidic environment as low as pH 3.2. Selecting a gum that is functional in low pH formulations such as those of fruit fillings is important.
Another important property is their ability to bind and hold water. In baked good formulations they need to perform in such a way as to minimize the release of water, reducing its negative effect on the interface between the baked good or pie shell and the icing or filling. Hydrocolloids
Researchers have shown that the addition of gums in dough formulations results in an increase of water absorption and improved viscoelastic properties.
are effective in doing this because of their high water retention capacity.
Hydrocolloids, or gums, are mainly used in baking to stabilize icings and fillings.
Hydrocolloids’ mechanism of action in food systems, especially in dough formulations, is not well understood. However, in general it is considered that their presence has a weakening effect on the structure of the starch, resulting in better water distribution and retention in the system.
Although hydrocolloids are used extensively in the formulation of many foods and beverages, in the baking industry the main applications are stabilization of icings and various fillings. Stable icings are must retain their structural characteristics through the shelf life of the baked goods. Commercial icings and fillings applied to cakes and sweet dough products normally contain a balanced blend of starches and gums. Gelling agents such as agar, locust bean gum, carrageenan, pectin, carboxymethylcellulose and others are commonly used.
The required properties of hydrocolloids used in icings and fillings are quite extensive. They need to produce clear gels with no interference with the specific
Selection of the proper gum is essential. Although gums have been used extensively in icings and fillings, their use in dough and batter systems has been limited. However the use of hydrocolloids as bread improvers has been more extensively studied of late. Indeed, several researchers have shown that the addition of gums in dough formulations results in an increase of water absorption and improved viscoelastic properties, while the addition of hydrocolloids such as carrageenan, xanthan gum, cellulose and sodium alginate results in an improved dough stability during proofing.
In addition, the overall quality of bread is improved by an increase of the specific loaf volume and reduction of crumb elasticity during storage. In some cases the combination of gums with various surfactants may result in further improvement of dough rheological characteristics as well as an increase in the specific volume of bread and reduced crumb elasticity.
One of the food categories that is becoming more and more in demand lately is the gluten-free market. Formulating baked goods and especially bread without gluten is a challenging task. However, hydrocolloids can play a very important role in the formulation of these products, providing structure and viscoelastic properties that are normally accommodated by the wheat gluten in the baked goods.
Hydrocolloids are also able to interact with the starch and gluten, limiting the retrogradation (re-crystallization) of starch, which in turn slows down the staling of bread and other baked goods, thus extending the shelf life of these products.
Hydrocolloids, because of their structure-building capabilities and texture modification, can also act as fat replacers. Some of these gums – such as guaiac, an exudate from a tropical tree – exhibit antioxidant activities due to the complex phenolic compounds they contain. In addition, many of these compounds due to their structure and fermentability in the colon, may act as prebiotics, which have been shown to play a very important role in the healthy gut function by providing food for probiotics, the beneficial bacteria of the gut.
Hydrocolloids are highly functional ingredients and thus in great demand. Their availability in certain cases may be
affected by climatic conditions and political situations in various geographic regions. These issues exert great fluctuations in pricing of such sensitive ingredients. When we formulate products with these ingredients we need to keep this in mind and consider alternative hydrocolloids with similar functions and properties.
REgulatoRy IssuEs
As formulators of functional food products we should always use ingredients that are permitted in Canada and, in the case of exports, adhere to regulations of the targeted country. We should also always adhere to Health Canada regulations with regard to making any health claims relating to these functional foods. More information about functional ingredient regulatory aspects can be found on the CFIA website: www.inspection.gc.ca. / BJ
Funding for this report was provided in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Adaptation Council’s CanAdvance Program.
Dr. John Michaelides is Guelph Food Technology Institute’s director of research and technology. For more information, or fee-for-service help with product or process development needs, please contact GFTC at 519-821-1246 or gftc@gftc.ca.
We’re celebrating our 70th anniversary in March 2010, and we need your help. Send your memories and photos to editor@ bakersjournal.com, and together we’ll commemorate the baking industry’s contributions to Canada over the past seven decades.
For more information, contact editor Brian Hartz at 416-209-7830.
Your baking masters on call. Fiera Foods is a market leading manufacturer of frozen baked goods. We craft top quality artisan breads & rolls, croissants, bagels, danishes, puff pastry, and more. All kosher and trans-fat free. Choose your format: proof & bake, freezer to oven, or fully baked products. Let us partner with you today.
70 years of Bakers Journal
from pea fibre and robotic bakery lines to emulsifier boosters, Bakers Journal keeps you “in the know.” for more on new products for the baking industry, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com
SunOpta Ingredients Group has entered a distribution agreement with Best
gluten-free and contains up to 90 per cent dietary fibre. It is approved by Health Canada as a
flavour, light colour and smooth texture, making it an excellent choice for fibre fortification. Its moisture binding properties provide improved shelf life in baked goods. For more information, call 781-276-5171 or visit www.sunopta. com/ingredients.
BI offering aBB robotic bakery line
TORONTO – ABI, a manufacturer of bakery automation equipment, now offers integrated robotic bakery lines in collaboration with ABB Robotics, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of robots. The company’s integration of ABB’s advanced robotic technology increases the efficiency and accuracy for all ABI bakery equipment solutions. For more information, visit www. abiltd.com or www.abb.com/robotics.
Mühlenchemie emulsifier booster
Mühlenchemie GmbH & Co. KG has developed a new flour improvement enzyme that makes use of the natural potential of emulsifying substances in wheat flours. Alphamalt EFX Mega increases fermentation tolerance and the stability of the dough and achieves improved volume in the baked goods. Optimizing the emulsifiers and lipids naturally present in the flour makes it possible to reduce the amount of synthetic products added. Fluctuations in flour quality are made up for nevertheless, and production costs are reduced. Alphamalt EFX Mega achieves similar results to DATEM. But because of their synergistic effects a combination of DATEM and Alphamalt EFX Mega results in even larger baked volumes. For more information, contact North American distributor Vernon Walden Inc. at 973-5438300 or jborkan@venonwalden.com.
sunopta Pea fiber
December 2007 Baking Association of Canada Newsletter
Surviving 2009 – what will 2010 have in store?
BAC to participate on Health Canada Sodium Working Group
When I wrote this column last year it was titled “C is for Crisis”. We had as an industry gone through the commodity crisis in early ’08 followed by the credit crisis and when we left off the year we were in the midst of the economic crisis – soon to be renamed economic downturn. The hope then was that 2009 would soon show the bottom of the economic problems with a rebound starting in the second half of the year.
BAC has been requested to participate on the expert Sodium Working Group announced by Hon. Tony Clement, Minister of Health, in late October. The Sodium Working Group has been established to explore options for reducing sodium intake and cardiovascular disease among Canadians. Key among the Working Group’s focus will be to put forward recommendations on how the food industry may voluntarily reduce sodium levels in food. While bakery foods use only very minor amounts of salt, they have been identified as a significant contributor to overall salt consumption as a result of the number of servings consumers have each day.
Well we hope we found the bottom of the financial markets in March of this year and since that time we have seen rebounds and what are often called “green shoots” of economic growth. Yet the manufacturing sector still is facing significant challenges, unemployment is still a problem and of course the US economy (the baking industry’s largest export market) remains fragile. Overall 2009 probably turned out about as the experts expected. Let’s hope that 2010 turns out a better year than some of the forecasts.
With the macro view now out of the way I am pleased to say that the baking industry has on whole along with BAC, navigated the economic storm of the past 18 months.
Recent estimates indicate that over half of Canadians have high sodium intakes, mainly from commercially prepared foods, putting them at risk for high blood pressure. High blood pressure is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. According
to data from the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, as many as 90% of men over the age of 19, and 65% of women, exceed the level of sodium at which potential risk of adverse effects increase. Similar high intakes are seen in young children and adolescents: more than 90% of children aged 4-8 and 97% of adolescent boys and more than 80% of adolescent girls exceed the UL for sodium.
In a mid year update I reported that the first six months of the year had been strong for BAC and the hard work of many volunteers and staff team have continued that success. Just to recap, Congress ’09 held in Vancouver at the end of April was a great example of industry support. Congress ’09 had 50% more exhibitors and +20% attendees than the last time the event was held in BC. A big tip of the hat goes to the BC Chapter in making that event so successful.
We also launched a number of new programs in 2009 in our continuing effort to increase value to members. These included:
E-Bulletin Email News Service: Designed to keep members current on time sensitive issues affecting the industry and the association!
Salt in baking plays a role in the development of flavour; it also has a critical functional role including fermentation control and dough conditioning. As a result, there are limits to salt reduction bakers can make without compromising the finished product.
Natural Gas and Electricity Discount Program: Providing members (where allowed) to potentially save thousands of $$ in energy costs. (QC, ON and BC only)
Free Member Job Board and Classified ad Postings on BAC Website
Similar to the Trans Fat Task Force BAC will be providing to the Sodium Working Group technical information along with potential options for bakers. The Working Group is expected to begin its work in December 2007.
Group Liability Insurance Program for Bakers: Currently being test marketed in ON this program has specifically designed coverage to save bakers $$$.
Continued on page 2
E-mail and Contact Info
General enquiries: info@baking.ca
Website:
www.bakingassoccanada.com 7895 Tranmere Drive, Suite 202 Mississauga, Ontario L5S 1V9
1-888-674-2253
In education we have been working with the Canadian Food Industry Council to develop training materials for in-store bakers and cake decorators. That project is now complete and new training modules will be introduced next year. In addition we have been contracted to develop instructor schedules for these courses so that they may be taught in community colleges throughout the county.
Our signature event, Bakery Showcase will also be undergoing some big changes which members will get to experience in 2010. First the location of the event has been changed to the Toronto International Centre, a new Cake Decorator Competition has been added and the Decorative Bread Competition – produced by the Ontario Chapter has been expanded to include a new student component.
Chapters have also been very active over the past year. Social events and education programs are the key focus of Chapters and they managed ’09 very well. A couple of highlights and acknowledgments, the Island Committee in BC was very active in its support of the new brick oven at Vancouver Island University, the BC Committee on whole is big supporters of baking schools with annual support of Vancouver Community College and Vancouver Island University in the thousands of dollars.
Alberta Chapter has also continued with its tradition of supporting baking schools through revenues generated from its golf tournament going to SAIT and NAIT. I must also mention the new volunteer team that has been elected to manage the Chapter. Randy McDonald is the new Chapter Chair and his team is committed to reinvigorating regional programming. Stay tuned for more on what they have in store.
Amongst its multiple social events, Ontario as I already have noted is planning significant changes to the Decorative Bread Competition at Bakery Showcase 2010 and Atlantic Canada reported the strongest attendance ever at it’s September golf tournament.
On the government side, 2009 has once again been very active with numerous issues impacting the baking sector. Currently BAC is working on some 12 issues ranging from tax
credits for bakery apprentices to national sodium reduction in processed foods including baked goods. A list of the issues is below.
•
Whole Grain and Folic Acid Health Claims
• Bakers
•
•
•
Expansion of the ON Apprenticeship Tax Credit to
Food Processing Environment Strategy
New Mycotoxin Guidelines for Wheat/Flour
Acrylamide in Bakery Products
• Monitoring Program
•
•
•
•
•
•
Trans Fats: New BC regulations and National
National Sodium Working Group
ON Toxic Reporting and Reduction Initiatives
Allergen Labelling
Enzyme Labelling
Name Change to Whole Wheat Bread Category
Biotech Wheat
I would like to focus briefly on the sodium issue as it will involve and impact all members. Health Canada has begun consultations on voluntary reduction of sodium used in foods. These consultations will include the baking industry with a particular focus on breads (the highest single food source of sodium), not because breads are necessarily high in sodium but because while they are modest in sodium they are consumed in multiple daily servings. These consultations will take place through the first half of next year with the objective of establishing voluntary sodium limits. BAC has written numerous times about this initiative and encourages all members to get engaged and make their views known.
Finally, on behalf of the BAC team I would like to extend the best of the holiday season to everyone and a most Happy New Year.
Paul Hetherington President & CEO Baking Association of Canada
BC Chapter Chair Review 2009
The BC Chapter was proud to host the 2009 Congress this year in Vancouver. The BC Chapter volunteer committee worked alongside staff from the National Office to ensure the presentations ran smoothly, the wedding cake competition went off without a hitch, and new members joined the Association. A deep appreciation goes out to the judges of the competition, and to the moderators for the technical sessions. The Chapter was very proud and thankful to see the Congress well attended from people across the country and to receive financial support from generous donors throughout the Association – Thank You Very Much! A great time was had on the boat cruise of the inner harbour of Vancouver – the evening was perfect for trolling in the different inlets and bays – the sunset was spectacular and the night was festive. Former CFL football player, “Pinball” Clemens, led the group in a discussion about our priorities, about life, and about whom we are beyond what we do. There is intrinsic value in all of us regardless of what we do for a living.
This past year it seemed like everyone was looking at their budgets a bit more closely and making more careful decisions about how they spent money. The support for our annual fundraising golf tournament was not adversely affected. The golf course was a bit damp to say the least, yet spirits were jovial and a great time was had. The vast majority of the money from the tournament, and earnings from Congress, goes directly back into supporting industry initiatives within BC.
Money is given directly to the different colleges with baking and pastry art programs. For instance, this year Vancouver Island University finished building a brick oven that is wood fired. Students in the baking program now have the opportunity to learn more about artisan baking and working with whole grain products. Vancouver Community College has been able
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to use funds to support their students with bursaries so they can spend extra time training for international baking competitions and learning to perform at a world-class level. Lastly, we are excited to see continuing education and apprentice programs being initiated for employees of bakeries to raise their skill sets and allow them to advance in their careers and for bakeries to produce superior products. Education is a foundational way to continue to strengthen this Association and industry.
The autumn education sessions brought celebration as Vancouver Island University fired up their brick oven. A weekend baking workshop, tours, panel discussions, and of course great food were offered. This year we celebrated Festive Night at the Races in November. Coming together as a group to share stores, dance, eat, drink, and watch the horses was a great way to wind up 2009. Thanks for a terrific turn out and support.
Looking forward to next year, there are a couple of educational sessions in the works where we plan on discussing food safety topics, as well as learning about new ingredients and innovative products.
Personally, I’d like to thank the volunteers that are on the BC Chapter board as we were busy with Congress planning, fund-raising, and communications. Extra helped was solicited and received during this busy year from many other association members. We’ve got a great group of people working together and I’m very glad to be a part of this Association.
All the best to you and yours as the time of year approaches where family and friends come together to celebrate life, hope, and health.
Yours Truly, John MacKenzie
Anita’s Organic Grain & Flour Mill
BC Chapter Chair
Dawn Food Products
Ellison Milling Co
Max’s Donuts (1964) Ltd
MIWE Canada
Monte Cristo Bakery
National Starch Food Innovation
Puratos West
Quadra Chemicals
Richardson Foods Group
Superior Energy
Alberta Chapter 2009 Year in Review
In the last year things have changed in Alberta, along with the economy, engine, oil and gas prices have impacted the Baking Industry. Many Bakers are experiencing a sales slump causing many to pause and re-evaluate their business.
Meanwhile the Alberta Chapter of BAC held a meeting to elect a new slate of officers in October. After some years with just social events defining the Association chapter, new faces and fresh ideas are looking to invigorate the baking scene.
Apprenticeship Board, I attended the last provincial committee meeting for the Baker Trade. Many challenges remain to be solved in Bakery Education in the Province while each Institute continues to expand courses for Baking and Pastry Arts. The strength of the industry remains in the hands of those engaged in it, new trends are emerging, communication to the educators keeps the industry alive and vibrant.
The Value of Membership
Keeping on top of the latest production techniques, newest consumer trends, emerging promotion ideas, as well as ways to operate your business more efficiently, is always a challenge. And that is where membership in BAC provides value – to make sure you are kept abreast of what’s going on.
Your membership in BAC provides both free and low-cost means to train employees. Through the video training library, you are able to borrow, free of charge, a variety of tapes on topics ranging from production techniques, to customer service and means to increase sales. Through our correspondence courses, BAC helps by providing home learning theory for new employees. BAC’s tollfree member hotline also allows you to search beyond your own store walls on how to better handle those day-to-day problems. BAC’s newsletter, The Bulletin, provides you with training articles as well as what’s happening within the industry.
For me personally it means I have stepped down after 30 years having been active for most of that time with SABA (Southern Alberta Bakers Association) which was formed by small retail bakers who set up shop during the 60s and 70s. The baking scene has changed significantly since then. SABA hosted many events including the Breadfest campaign, a week long promotion of bread, with the message of Double up on Bread. In 1997 after considerable negotiation SABA and other Bakery Associations in Canada joined to form one national body. I was privileged to be elected the first Retail Co-chair and served on the board of BAC for 4 years. The Calgary Chapter went on to host the 1999 Congress show, with great success.
The Golf tournament was a great success again this year and thanks go out to the organizing committee who volunteered their time. So thanks for the memories and the happy times spent with bakers across Canada during my term of office.
I now pass the local chapter reins to Randy MacDonald.
opportunities for industry members to gather and share both educational as well as social programming. BAC also nationally produces a variety of seminars and conventions/trade shows, offering more formal training applications for Canada’s bakers.
The following officers were elected on October 22nd to represent the Alberta Chapter for a two year term:
Chapter Chair: • Randy MacDonald, P&H Milling Group
Vice Chair: • Scott deBoer, Kinetic Sales & Marketing
Your BAC membership also provides value by offering a range of cost-saving opportunities. Whether it be retirement savings or group health and life insurance, discounts and a variety of travel locations, your BAC membership provides ways to reduce your costs of doing business, therefore putting more money back into your pocket.
Membership Director:
Past Chair:
Another role of BAC is as your “protector” when it comes to government. BAC is out there fighting your battles with the bureaucracy, whether it be over allergens, nutrition labelling, or the price of ingredients such as dairy, BAC is at the vanguard in keeping government out of your store.
Ken Tynan, Dawn Food Products
Brian Hinton, Lakeview Bakery
Members of the local chapter have attended advisory board meetings at both SAIT and NAIT. As a member of the Alberta
Your BAC membership introduces you to a variety of formal and informal occasions to share your challenges with bakers from across the country. BAC’s provincial Chapter meetings are ideal
All of this value is available for only $75 (retail baker introductory rate). Don’t delay, join today, and begin taking advantage of the vast resources and assistance membership provides.
Brian Hinton Lakeview Bakery Alberta Chapter Past Chair
Enhanced Small Business Commercial Insurance
Atlantic Canada Chapter Recap for 2009
• package which includes Commercial Property, Crime, Transit, Equipment Breakdown, Liability and additional coverage extensions
A customized commercial insurance package
Testing for Melamine Contamination Continues
As of June 2006 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is continuing to hold and test shipments of wheat, rice, soy and corn gluten and protein concentrates of Chinese origin entering Canada for both melamine and cyanuric acid. Neither substance is considered to be particularly toxic by itself; however, their potency appears to be increased when present together. As of late May, one shipment of corn gluten had tested positive for melamine and cyanuric acid.
Dedicated 1-800-267-6670 number to contact a Small
For 2009, the Atlantic Chapter produced two social events for the industry both of which were well attended. Highlights from both events are listed below.
• Business broker specialist to obtain an insurance quote
Easy over the phone quote in 5 business days. •
• card and earn Air Miles reward miles
Full payment options, including monthly and credit
The BAC Atlantic golf tournament took place at the Magnetic Hills Golf Course in Moncton NB on Monday September 14th. Forty-four golfers representing various bakeries and suppliers took place in the scramble tournament, on a windy but warm fall day. This was the largest field of players in the event’s history.
Optional coverage and benefits include: Automobile
Over $2000 in prizes were up for grabs and lots of fun was had by all eleven teams. Special awards went to Most Honest Team: Mary Dunn and Greg McLeod, Mrs Dunster’s and John Whitely, ADM. The Championship Team this year Bill Martin and Dave Gallant, Water Street Bakery, Eric Carroll, Carroll’s Bakery and Jim Bonner P&H Milling Group. All in attendance enjoyed a great steak dinner and went home with a special
• uniquely designed for small businesses, Life Insurance, VIP Homeowners, Automobile and Cottage Insurance
Free consultation for Employee Benefits Insurance,
In response to melamine concerns it has been reported that new measures have been put in place by China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) to address the contamination issue. According to a FLEXNEWS release, 124 feed and food products and raw materials are covered by a new regulation (2007/70) which became effective on 15 May
gift from the draw. Next year’s tournament is scheduled for Monday September 13th 2010 at the Magnetic Hills Golf Course.
• depending on your bakeries needs. Coverage includes commercial property, crime, transit, equipment breakdown, liability and additional coverage extensions include: negative publicity, infestation, product contamination, stock spoilage, product recall expenses, and failure to manufacture according to specifications.
2007. Under the new regulation certain goods will be released by the Chinese customs department only upon presentation of an “export/import goods release document,” which requires mandatory inspections.
•colour additives and dyes
•emulsifiers (lecithin, etc)
The Atlantic BAC Hockey night took place back on Thursday, February 26th at the Halifax Mooseheads game versus PEI Rockets. Association members and guests enjoyed a great hockey game in a private VIP Box. The hometown Mooseheads won the game. A scoring pool took place during the game at the end of each period and a number of lucky attendees went home with a little extra cash. The event will take place again on February 17, 2010.
We look forward to new opportunities to serve the industry in 2010 through our continued events and thank all the local members for their support of the Atlantic Chapter.
A number of food ingredients and additives come under the new regulations and include the following:
•preservatives (tocopherols, sodium nitrate, etc)
•sweeteners (sugar, fructose, etc)
•anti-caking agents (silicon dioxide, etc)
•dough strengtheners (ammonium sulphate, etc)
Dave Bryson P&H Milling Group
Dover Flour Mills, Halifax Atlantic Chapter Chair
•yeast nutrients (ammonium phosphate, etc)
•enzyme preparations (enzymes, rennet, etc)
Bakery Showcase 2010 Registration Fees: Bakers down, Non Exhibiting Suppliers Way Up
There are some significant changes to registration fees coming for Bakery Showcase 2010. Registration fees for bakers have been reduced by more than 50% for both pre-event along with on-site registrations.
Industry suppliers (not bakers) who aren’t exhibiting at Bakery Showcase 2010 will experience significant registration fee increases compared to the ’08 event. These higher fees, approved by the BAC Board of Directors, are in response to a small but growing segment of industry suppliers who rather then paying for an exhibit booth, are instead “suit casing” the event by selling their services or products in the aisle.
The increase in non exhibiting allied registration fees is being done to protect hundreds of paying exhibitors who invest thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in the event from interference or unfair competition on the trade show floor.
The higher fee policy for non exhibiting suppliers was first approved and implemented in 2006. However the fee differential has previously been insufficient to deter the problem behaviour. Suppliers not respecting show rules which include no selling in the aisles should expect a more aggressive response from Show Management in 2010.
As of November 2, 2009
AB Mauri Fleischmann’s
ADM Milling
Alfa Cappuccino
All Gold Imports
AMF Bakery System
BakeMark Canada
Bakers Journal Magazine
Bakery Crafts
Baking Association of Canada
Bonnie & Don Flavours
Bridor Inc
Bunge (Canada)
Burnbrae Farms
Burt Lewis Canada
Canada Bread
Carmi Flavors
Chemroy Canada (Food Ingredients Div)
CIS Group
City of Brantford
Compass Food Sales
Contemar Silo Systems
CSB-System International
Dawn Foods
Dealers Ingredients
DecoPac
Donini Chocolate
Drader Manufacturing
Eckert Machines
Embassy Flavours
Farinart Inc
Exhibitor List
Flavor Right Foods
Fox Run Craftsmen
France Decor Canada
G Cinelli-Esperia
Gay Lea Foods
Genpak
Global Farms Commodities
Global Egg
Gluten Free Gourmet
Gourmet Baker
H Moore Printing Services
Handtmann Canada
Harvest Corporation
Hobart FEG Canada
Horizon Milling
Hospitality Cleaning Services
HPDS – Halal Product Development Services
Intersteam Technologies
Italian Home Bakery
Ivanhoe Cheese
J J Marshall
JBNT Marketing
KL Products
L & M Bakers Supply
L.V. Lomas
La Danoiserie
Label Systems
Lallemand
Lapaco Paper Products
Lentia Enterprises
Lesaffre yeast
Lockwood Manufacturing
Margarine Golden Gate-Michca
Marsia
Almost 60% of exhibit space sold with 10 NEW companies
Megart Systems
Metro Label Company Ltd
MIWE Canada
ML Packaging
Natunola Health
Nealanders International
Novelis Foil Products
Nutrasun Foods
Oakrun Farm Bakery
One-Way Disposable
Piping Bags
Ordan Thermal Products
P&H Milling Group
Packaging Machinery Concepts
Par-Pak
Pemberton & Associates
Petra International
Polar Technologies
Prime Pastries
Reiser (Canada)
Rich Products of Canada
Richardson Oilseed
Satin Fine Foods
Signature Fine Foods
SunOpta Grains & Food Group
SunOpta Ingredients Group
Systemes KLR Systems
The CG&B Group
ToolBox Software North America
Trenton Cold Storage
Tri-City Packaging
Weston Bakeries Limited/Ready
Bake Foods Ltd
indicates New Exhibitor (did not participate in previous 2 events)
Ontario Chapter 2009 Recap
On behalf of the Baking Association of Canada – Ontario Chapter I would like to take this opportunity to introduce the volunteers individually and recognize their assistance with chapter activities throughout 2009.
Frank Safian - Chapter Chair •
Maurice Corsi - Vice Chair, • Caravan Ingredients
Dieter Claassen - Treasurer, Del’s Pastry
This year we also hosted the Annual Holiday Social on December 4th, an evening of great food and prizes for all. Included in this year’s social was a dinner-dance with music provided by the Par 3’s, an Irish band, singing past and present hits for all ages.
• Stephanie Jewell, Secretary, Bakers Journal
•
•
Frank Lucente - Education, Metro
Tom Nowak – Social, Lallemand Inc
In 2010 the Ontario Chapter is already planning a few evening programs that will have guest speakers discuss general and industry specific topics along with a themed table-top event. In 2010 the Ontario Chapter will once again sponsor the Decorative Bread Competition, a national competition for all bread bakers, at Bakery Showcase. Plans are in place to award cash prizes well over $5,000 to both professional and students within the industry.
• Phil Robinson - Membership, Dawn Foods
•
• Development Group
•
Dr. Phillip Lee Wing - Member-At-Large, The Food
Ira Day - Member-At-Large, Prosperity Foods
• Wholesale Ltd
Dan Peroff - Committee Member, Olympic
Each and every year we kick off the year with a sold out and very successful social with the Annual Night at the Races held at Woodbine Racetrack, members enjoy a fabulous dinner and wager a few dollars on the ponies. Tom Nowak our Social Chair once again executed a well planned and organized our spring 4-Man Scramble Golf Tournament. This event is sold out every year yet Tom finds a way to squeeze a few more in year after year. Our fall golf classic held in September at Glen Eagles Golf Club allows players to play their own ball while also submitting a team score. Thanks as well to Dan Peroff for the many years he has organized this tournament. Funds generated from both golf tournaments will support the chapters many initiatives including financial awards for academic achievement in the field of baking at many Ontario based community colleges.
On a sad note this past year we lost Matt Tatham from Nealanders while competing in a Triathlon event in Northern Ontario. A great friend to many and a true industry professional who volunteered for many years on the former Bakery Production Club of Ontario (BPCO) before it joined forces nationally with the Baking Association of Canada. I had the pleasure of working with Matt on many industry initiatives while volunteering and was motivated by his excellent work ethic and fresh perspective. Matt always had a genuinely friendly smile and made everyone feel welcome. Matt you will be missed.
In closing I would like to especially thank Dieter Claassen for keeping our finances in order and the entire executive for their well thought out contributions at every meeting toward the betterment of our industry. The Baking Association of Canada – Ontario Chapter would like to thank Paul Hetherington, BAC President, Rosemary Dexter & Gillian Blakey for their assistance with chapter activities and all those industry professionals who attended this year’s activities, we look forward to your support in 2010.
Frank Safian Ontario Chapter Chair
This program carries top of the line news on what’s happening in the industry with governments, services, BAC activities, etc. The E-Bulletin is ONLY available to BAC Member companies and their employees. Don’t miss out on receiving time sensitive news - if you’re not currently receiving the E-Bulletinplease email info@baking.ca to be added.
Bakery Showcase 2010
May 16-18
International Centre, Hall 3 Toronto (Mississauga), ON
Ontario Chapter Dec 4
Annual Holiday Social Rizzo Hall Toronto, ON
Atlantic Chapter
February 17, 2010
Hockey Night in Halifax Halifax Metro Centre Halifax, NS
September 13, 2010
Annual Golf Tournament
Magnetic Hills Golf Course Moncton, NB
Jaap Verbeke Portofino Bakery
FRugAL iS ThE NEW BLACk
Has the recession permanently changed the way consumers spend their money?
If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us are hoping this “recession thing” will just go away so we can get back to the good old days.
For a generation reared on designer duds and imported water, the thought of being on a budget is almost too much to bear. We’re the generation who coined the phrase, “Those who say money doesn’t buy happiness simply don’t know where to shop.”
That was until investments plummeted in value, housing softened and companies started piling the bodies up in the back 40. The financial meltdown of 2008 was intense, deep and widespread. Even those who hung onto their jobs lost money in the markets or perhaps lived with a partner who became unemployed.
}Just another recession? Not by a long shot, and consumers are undoubtedly different now. It’s time to face facts and examine just how much retailing has changed in this new economic climate – and what it means to your business.
fRugal Is tREnDy
Americans say they’re wearing clothes several times between washes to cut cleaning costs. And 72 per cent say they now haggle before they buy some items, up from 56 per cent two years ago.
Paco Underhill, the father of retail science, stated in an interview with PBS that, “One of the fundamental issues we’re trying to discover as consumers is that there are no acquisitions that are transformational. Acquiring that iPod or that tube of lipstick or that Maserati doesn’t change us into anyone other than what we were to start out with; therefore, our relationship to consumption here has to be more real.”
As a retailer you might want to consider bundling products together and offering them at a slight discount for short periods of time. The consumer saves by buying them together and you secure a higher sale. Smaller portions may be a way for people to save while you stay profitable. Customers are keen to acquire experiences instead of
With this recession touching every age group and business sector, so many people tightened their financial belts at the same time that it’s actually become trendy to be frugal.
stuff. Help them use your products to create memorable meals.
BlInk onCE anD It’s gonE
For many consumers, acquiring more stuff was their raison d’être. With this recession touching every age group and business sector, so many people tightened their financial belts at the same time that it’s actually become trendy to be frugal.
According to a July 2009 article in the Financial Post, “The percentage of disposable income saved by U.S. consumers shot to 6.9 per cent in May, the highest level since December 1993. The rapid increase in the rate, which stood at zero in April 2008, has caused a historical anomaly by surging ahead of the savings rate of cautious Canadians. Canada’s savings rate stood at 4.7 per cent in the first quarter.”
Catchphrases such as “Recessionista” and “Frugalista” are popping up everywhere. According to Business Week, 60 per cent of
If you admired a shirt in a store two years ago, you were often assured that if you came back a month later they would still have your size and at least a 50 per cent discount. As retailers continue to cut costs, they’re keeping inventories low, which means consumers are realizing there may not be more in the back room. Capitalize on this trend by introducing limited edition items. Starbucks offers its pumpkin spice latte only in the fall – then it’s gone. This makes it special and creates a sense of urgency for the consumer.
BuyER’s REMoRsE
Researchers are noticing that merchandise consumers pick up and intend to purchase is being abandoned more frequently throughout stores. There’s actually a term that’s been coined to describe this phenomenon: “de-shopping.” For some consumers, 15 minutes of ownership as they push it
around in their cart will be enough and then they’ll dump it.
As a result, retailers need to do a better job of telling the story of their products. The “if you build it, they will come” approach to selling won’t do the trick anymore. Focus on origin of ingredients, serving suggestions, folklore, tasting notes. The seduction has never been more important.
gRowtH wIll CoME
fRoM nEw faCEs
The research is suggesting that consumers are still buying the same brands as before – just less of them. Instead of three pairs of jeans, you’ll now make do with two. That salon hairstyle now gets stretched longer between appointments but you haven’t gone to a discount salon just yet.
If your growth strategy relied on up-selling to existing customers before, you’ll need to amend that now. Advertise in local papers. Invest in the creation and mailing of a direct mail piece to promote your store and a compelling offer that screams “get in here now!” Many big companies have slashed their marketing budgets, so those mailboxes that used to be filled with flyers aren’t so much anymore. Here’s your chance to get noticed.
lookIng aHEaD
Will every customer continue their frugal ways when the recession ends? Probably not. It’s estimated that 10 per cent of consumers will make these new shopping habits permanent. Consumer spending has driven our economic growth in recent years and that simply can’t continue. As grandma used to say, “It’s not how much money you make that counts. It’s how much money you keep.” / BJ
Michelle Brisebois is a marketing professional with experience in the food, pharmaceutical and financial services industries. She can be reached at briseboismichelle@sympatico.ca.
Pizzey’s Whole-Milled BevGradTM and SelectGradTM flaxseed is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acid (22%). Also a good source of dietary fiber and protein, Pizzey's flaxseed does not require refrigeration and is gluten free.
b espoke sweet N ess
The trend of transporting customers back to sweeter, simpler days through nostalgic desserts continues around the country, but recently it’s received a modern makeover.
Today’s consumer culture demands choice for patrons of bake shops or dessert purveyors, and savvy shop owners are offering customization in everything from cookies to funnel cakes with a side of homespun charm.
Leading the way in bespoke treats is Kim Gans, owner of Sweet Flour Bake Shop in Toronto’s High Park neighbourhood. Upon entering the robin’s-egg blue and chocolatebrown shop, customers catch the scent of melting chocolate in freshly baked cookie dough as it gently wafts through the air.
And when Gans says freshly baked, she means it: Customers can select their dough (three types: classic, oatmeal or peanut butter) and choose up to three decadent mix-ins from a list of 20. Dried fruits; white, dark or milk chocolate chunks; nuts; sprinkles and other whimsical options vie for patrons’ attention.
But here’s the distinguishing feature that allows everyone from grandma to grandchild to enjoy his or her own cookie creation in mere moments: “Our signature baking process prepares made-to-order
cookies in two minutes,” says Gans. “Customers choose their dough, mix-ins, and get warm and delicious cookies baked on the spot.”
Served toasty warm from the oven, muffin tops or customized cookie sandwiches are also at the ready in case you want something different. Oh, and don’t forget your glass of ice cold, organic milk to wash it all down.
This isn’t just clever marketing savvy on Gans’ part, either, even though she has an MBA and worked in brand management and new product development. She genuinely loves cookies and the whole warmth-of-home ambience baking and sharing them engenders.
“As a child, my mother always had fresh baked goods in the house. When I was older, my best friend would bring me cookies to make me smile, and today, each night after dinner I bake a warm cookie for me and my husband,” she says.
For Gans, it’s all about creating that special “mmmmm” moment that comes from biting into something wonderful. But the same could be said about digging into the nostalgic, tasty fun of a funnel cake.
Paul Jafar Pour thinks funnel cakes are, in fact, so much fun that he named his shop in Toronto’s north end FunlFun, with a second location in Thornhill opening soon.
Email: sales@pizzeys.com www.pizzeys.com
“Funnel cakes have always been a crowd pleaser,” Pour says. “They’re hugely popular in the United States, and although just as popular here, there were not as many retail locations offering this popular treat. We saw this as an amazing opportunity to expand on a great product. By offering the amusement park favourite in a sit-down environment combined with service and quality, we’ve hit on a real niche that people are embracing.”
He investigated which batter to use and came upon U.S.-based The World’s Best Funnel Cakes. He chose this product for his shop in part because of how it tastes – it delivers crisp ribbons of cake that Pour says are made with “high-quality ingredients that produce cakes lower in fat and cholesterol but still high in flavour.”
But what customers love most is their ability to mix and match all of the toppings for their six- or eight-inch cakes. Pour, a former real estate and mortgage industry professional, knows that the customization edge is one way of staying ahead in the competitive food industry.
“In order to stay afloat, you must be able to offer your consumer what they want, not what you want to make for them,” he says.
From various soft-serve to hard-scoop ice cream flavours; or fruit, chocolate or caramel toppings; young and old alike are being drawn into the joy of having their very own funnel cake prepared to their taste. FunlFun’s best sellers include funnel cakes topped with vanilla ice cream and strawberry, and vanilla soft-serve drizzled with hot fudge.
“The amazing thing about dessert is that people of all ages enjoy it,” Pour says. “The younger kids obviously have a more vocal way of expressing their excitement when the plates are brought to their tables, but adults have had a hugely positive response as well.”
FunlFun and Sweet Flour Bake Shop indeed cover all the bases by offering gourmet coffees, teas and other treats meant to keep every sweet tooth satisfied until the next nostalgic pang hits home.
Both businesses have hit on the notion of offering something unique and made to order in neighbourhoods full of families that want an alternative to their local coffee or bake shop. Even during economically challenging times, Gans and Pour know that, on occasion, something as simple as a cookie or a cake can give people something to feel good about. / BJ
Mary Luz Mejia is a freelance writer specializing in food and culture. E-mail her at mluzy@ hotmail.com or read her online food column at http://cookingresources.suite101.com.
The Best Ingredients Produce The Best Products
How good are Dunford Bakers’ Double Fudge Chocolate Cake Donuts? Good enough for special request deliveries to the sky boxes at Mile High Stadium during Denver Broncos games. Good enough for private jets to make special stops to pick them up from the bakery. Now known as Dunford Bakers, the company began as the Dunford Bread Company in 1931 in Salt Lake City, Utah. John Stevens, the president of Dunford Bakers, oversees one of the largest wholesale bakeries in the Salt Lake City area. Dunford is in production 365 days of the year. This popular bakery has one retail location, and supplies baked goods to area grocery stores. In addition, it produces many private label brands. While Double Fudge Chocolate Cake Donuts are Dunford Bakers’ most famous product, the Pumpkin Chocolate Cookies have many fans. Mr. Stevens is proud that Dunford Bakers provides 100 people with employment, many of whom are long-time employees.
The secret of Dunford Bakers’ success over the years is the reputation it has built for taking care of its customers by supplying a quality product at a reasonable price. “We put quality into everything we do. We don’t cut corners and we use the best ingredients in order to produce the best product for our customers,” said John Stevens. To that end, Dunford Bakers uses International® Bakers Services’ flavors such as BLO&V®, B&V®, Raspberry and Pumpkin Pie. “I have known of International® Bakers Services’ flavors my whole life,” said Mr. Stevens. “We are always experimenting with new flavors in order to offer a variety of tasty treats to our customers.”
Whether you are looking for consistent quality in your products or new flavors, turn to International Bakers Services to reach your goals. Contact us toll-free at (800) 345-7175, by fax at (574) 287-7161, or in writing at 1902 North Sheridan Ave., South Bend, Indiana 46628. We have the flavors your customers deserve. ®
b aki N g with wood si N ce 1885
Every morning at 7:30, Rick Grahame lights the cedar in the firebox of his wood-burning brick oven. It’s thick, measuring 18 feet by 18 feet inside. The sidewalls are six bricks deep, while the arches that form its roof are also made of brick. They’re stacked on end, one mortared against the other, in a single layer.
“By 9 a.m., the oven is hot enough to bake in,” Grahame says. “The fire is allowed to go out, because the heat captured by the brick is enough to keep me baking all day.”
Along with his sister Debbie Wilson, Grahame is the third generation to work at Grahame’s Bakery, a circa-1885 two-storey building in the former lumber town of Kemptville, Ont. – now a bedroom community south of Ottawa. The Grahames have been part of the business since 1939, when their grandfather started working for owner Bert Frisby.
“Mr. Frisby’s son was supposed to have taken over the business, but he went off to war as a pilot,” Grahame says. “So my grandfather worked there instead. In 1960, he bought the bakery, and we’ve owned it ever since.”
Grahame and Wilson use the same brick oven as their forerunners in 1885. The cedar that fires it is still piled in a shed at the back of the property. The bakery is in a residential neighbourhood, close to downtown Kemptville – all three or four blocks of it – but nestled among established older homes.
}Rick Grahame removes loaves of bread from his historic bakery’s wood-burning oven.
it is this original brick oven that sets the tone for our bakery and the products we make. That’s why we still use the original recipes … [and] make everything the old way, because here at grahame’s Bakery the old ways have never changed.
MoRE
tHan
a HIstoRIC sItE
“It is this original brick oven that sets the tone for our bakery and the products we make,” Grahame says. “That’s why we still use the original recipes to make breads, butter tarts, apple fritters and cookies. We make everything the old way, because here at Grahame’s Bakery the old ways have never changed.”
Grahame’s Bakery has one of the oldest commercial wood-fired ovens in operation. So the town council and historical society placed a commemorative plaque on the shop’s white clapboard exterior. The Heritage Canada Foundation also spotlighted the bakery during Heritage Day 2009. Wilson and Grahame treasure the bakery’s legacy. To preserve it, she gave up her career as a fashion designer with
Nygard’s and he stopped managing a hay plant out west.
“When our father [Ken Grahame] died in October 2005, we wanted to keep this baking heritage alive,” Wilson says. “That’s why we came back to the bakery, and took over where he left off.”
Grahame’s Bakery might be a throwback, but it’s not a museum. It’s a living, working bakery doing things the way they were done decades ago.
The bakery’s star is the wood-burning oven. It’s built into a brick wall with a big silver rectangular oven door. Marked with the words “MARSH TORONTO,” it’s constantly being opened and closed as Grahame checks the progress of his bread, cinnamon rolls and croissants.
“Things brown up real fast in this oven,” he says. “You have to keep a close eye on it.”
Despite its age and depth, the oven is easy to see into thanks to electric lighting. Inside, it looks like a warm, inviting but low-ceilinged brick room. The firebox and firebox door are on the oven’s right side, with cedar stacked up on an adjacent wall.
While Grahame deftly moves baked goods in and out of the oven using a wooden paddle, Wilson works on cinnamon rolls. When they’re ready, she puts them in the big double-doored wooden proofing cupboard where all the doughs are left to rise.
The sinks, tables and shelves are old but clean. The vintage bread pans are stacked on the left side of the oven, waiting to be filled. And at the other end of the bakery, where customers enter through a side door, the finished products sit in trays with hand-lettered signs, ready to be bought. And bought they are – Grahame’s, a legend in these parts, is not a place where you can find day-old bread; it doesn’t stay in stock that long.
oVERCoMIng CatastRoPHE
It’s amazing that life is progressing as it has for more than a century at Grahame’s, considering what happened on March 17. On that day, Grahame came to work and looked inside the oven, only to discover that part of the brick arch had collapsed.
“If Dad had been here to see how bad it was, I think he would have said, ‘Shut the doors; it’s over,” Grahame recalls. “It seems that years of freezing at night and heating up in the day, plus ground tamping on the site next door last autumn, had finally loosened the mortar to the point that it didn’t hold anymore.”
But Grahame and Wilson were not going to give up. Instead, they managed to clear up the wreckage and patch the hole in the
arch temporarily, until they could find skilled help to rebuild the oven properly. It wasn’t easy; brick oven builders aren’t common in Canada these days. After much searching, Grahame found an elderly Italian mason who had rebuilt the oven in Ken Grahame’s day. Working together, they went into the shed that covers the oven and removed 30 to 60 buckets of sooty sand that insulated the arched roof.
“We then removed three inches of insulation and the got through to where the hole was,” Grahame says.
Using a home-built wooden arch form – similar to those that raised cathedral arches in medieval Europe – they rebuilt the arches, one section at a time.
“It took 700 bricks to fix the oven,” Grahame says. “Still, considering that we had thought it could take up to 1,200, that’s not bad.” By the end of April 2009, Grahame’s Bakery was back in business.
lookIng aHEaD
Barring catastrophe, the existence of Grahame’s Bakery is likely ensured into the 2030s, at least. But what about the longterm future?
“My son Wesley started bringing in the firewood when my father died,” says Grahame. “He’s learning his way around the business, so with any luck he’ll take over from us.”
In an age where people have multiple jobs, and tradition counts for little, the Grahames’ commitment to their bakery goes beyond employment: It’s their gift to the community and Canada’s baking history. Here, the past not only lives on, but still has a place in the present. / BJ
James Careless is an experienced freelance writer with credits at Canadian Grocer, Food in Canada and Western Grocer magazines.
“The CRFA Show provides a great opportunity to meet with suppliers and see what new ideas they are bringing to market.”
Three days. Thousands of new ideas.
March 7 - 9, 2010
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For
Debbie Wilson glazes some cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven at Grahame’s Bakery.
Mark Pacinda President, Boston Pizza International
MONTREAL – Batter Blaster, the first ready-to-use organic pancake and waffle batter in a whipped cream-style can, is now available in grocery stores across Canada. Batter Blaster was named Brandweek’s Convenience Product of the Year and one of Good Housekeeping’s 100 Best Convenience Foods. Lower in fat, calories and sodium per serving than competitive pancake mix brands, Batter Blaster is certified Canada Organic and made from the highest quality ingredients, including organic eggs from humane, cage-free hens. The pressurized cans are made of recyclable steel. For more information, visit www.batterblaster.ca.
sMP gourmet empanadas
TORONTO – Six years ago, Martha Preston took her family on a one-year sabbatical back to her birth country of Colombia to explore the nuances of flavour in South American cuisine. Since then, she and husband Sam Preston have realized their vision of creating delicious, nutritious empanadas under the brand name Preston Empanadas. Their signature pastry is made with a touch of Ontario creamery butter. The empanadas are then filled with local, organically raised meats, fresh Ontario vegetables and organic, local cheese. For more information, call 416-579-6771 or visit www.smpfoods.com.
sonoCoat Pan system
MILTON, N.Y. – Sono-Tek Corp. has launched SonoCoat PAN, an industrial ultrasonic coating system for de-panning and other baked good manufacturing applications, replacing conventional spraying technologies. Based on high-frequency sound waves, Sono-Tek’s unique patented nozzle systems create atomized spray patterns capable of unlimited widths and median drop sizes as low as 18 microns, with many advantages over traditional spraying systems, such as superior transfer efficiency. For more information, call 845-795-2020 or visit www.sono-tek.com.
Call our Canadian Distributors to request our catalog:
BakeMark of Canada
3202 - 9th Street S.E. Calgary, Alberta T2G 3C3 (800) 663-CAKE (604) 303-1700
The new LDx Delta robot platform from Sigpack Systems is made up of compact cells with integrated Delta robots, which can be adapted easily and flexibly to suit a variety of applications. The platform is manufactured in two versions – standard steel and stainless steel. The stainless steel versions meet the latest EU hygiene standards and consist of food-compatible materials. The bearings in the arms are made of ceramic and are non-wearing, like all other major drive components of the Delta robots. The exposed structure of the robot cells means that there are no enclosed spaces. For more information, visit www.boschpackaging.com.
Mettler-toledo process weighing terminals
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Metter-Toledo has introduced a new family of industrial process weighing terminals that provides maximum connectivity with smaller footprints. The IND131/331 terminals are available in multiple enclosure styles to match any process environment. They are well suited to applications requiring fast data exchange with a process controller, and improved speed and efficiency by executing simple process control from the terminal. These terminals are compact and easy to integrate and set up. Their versatile form factors make them an economical solution for quick, accurate, high-performance weighing for analog scales. For more information, visit www.mt.com/industrial.
Batter Blaster
lDx Delta robot platform
ThE SEvEN SiNS OF gREENWAShiNg
sIn of tHE HIDDEn tRaDE-off
A claim suggesting a product is ‘green’ based on a narrow set of attributes without attention to other important environmental issues. Paper, for example, is not necessarily environmentally preferable just because it comes from a sustainably harvested forest. Other important environmental issues in the papermaking process, such as greenhouse gas emissions, or chlorine use in bleaching, may be equally important.
sIn of no PRoof
An environmental claim that cannot be substantiated by easily accessible supporting information or by a reliable third-party certification. Common examples include facial tissues or toilet tissue products that claim they contain various percentages of post-consumer recycled content without providing evidence.
sIn of VaguEnEss
A claim that is so poorly defined or broad that its real meaning is likely to be misunderstood by the consumer.
‘All-natural’ is an example. Arsenic, uranium, mercury, and formaldehyde are all naturally occurring, and poisonous.
‘All natural’ isn’t necessarily ‘green’.
Knowing this, when European Breads Bakery in Vancouver introduced biodegradable bread bags in October 2008, its media release clearly stated that the move will “prevent approximately 200,000 plastic bags from potentially hitting the landfills each year.”
Similarly, when Silver Hills Bakery in Abbotsford, B.C., recently re-branded its breads and wrapped them in biodegradable bags by Oxobioplast Inc., it made practically no noise about the biodegradability of the bag, although the re-branding was big news. In a small font on the bag, Silver Hills notes: “When discarded in the presence of oxygen, light, heat and micro-organisms, this bag will ultimately oxo-biodegrade into the naturally occurring components.”
Frustrated by decades of unsubstantiated and confusing claims about eco this and green that, consumers are not going to start trusting green claims overnight. But this should not deter bakeries from striving to make their products and operations more sustainable. What the prevailing and seemingly permanent cynicism does mean is that being informed and completely transparent will work to your advantage. / BJ
8See BakersJournal.com for tips on how to avoid the Seven Sins of Greenwashing, plus a list of other sustainability resources for businesses.
Source: www.sinsofgreenwashing.org
sIn of woRsHIPPIng falsE laBEls
A product that, through either words or images, gives the impression of third-party endorsement where no such endorsement exists; fake labels, in other words.
sIn of IRRElEVanCE
A claim that may be truthful but is unimportant or unhelpful for consumers seeking environmentally preferable products. “CFC-free” is a good example as it’s a frequent claim despite CFCs being banned by law.
A claim that may be true within the product category, but that risks distracting the consumer from the greater environmental effects of the category as a whole. Examples: organic cigarettes and fuel-efficient sport-utility vehicles.
Environmental claims that are simply false. A common example is products falsely claiming to be Energy Star certified or registered.
sIn of lEssER of two EVIls
sIn of fIBBIng
tHE RECIPE wRItER’s HanDBook
Offering comprehensive guidance on the essential elements of the recipe-writing art, this useful reference provides complete and proven guidelines for recipe testing and writing, from format, syntax, spelling, and terminology to weights and measurements, and presentation.
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• BAG CLOSURES & LABELS • BAG CLOSING EQUIPMENT • KWIK LOK TAGS
RICHARD RUNTE
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Manufacturers of: Depositors, Transfer Pumps, Metal Detector Conveyors, Conveying Systems, Custom Built Equipment, Baking and Proofing Racks and Used Equipment. Sales and Service 381 Bradwick Drive, Unit #1
(DIVISION OF A & L FOOD DISTRIBUTORS INC.) SUPPLIER OF FROZEN AND RAW INGREDIENTS FOR THE BAKING INDUSTRY Tel: (416) 252-4660 Fax: (416) 252-9993 25 - 8 Connell Ct., Toronto, ON M8Z 1E8
Atlantic Bakery Expo 16 www.abe2010.com
Baking Association of Canada IFC www.bakingassoccanada.com
International Bakers 27 Lallemand 15 www.lallemand.com
MIWE Canada Inc. 5 www.miwe.com
Mimac Glaze Limited 37 www.mimacglaze.com
Pizzey’s Milling 26 www.pizzeys.com
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AN OBLigATiON, NOT AN OPTiON
With supply chains more complex than ever before, it’s time to re-emphasize food safety training and education.
Foodborne illness outbreaks and other incidents involving tainted food have received much media attention in the past few years. Can you take the chance that one of your food handlers who hasn’t been properly trained in food safety causes someone to become ill or die?
Given the risks, all businesses in the food industry must understand that food safety education and training is nothing less than a necessity.
Why are foodborne illnesses still occurring that are linked to employees’ improper practices? For a variety of reasons, including human behaviour and human error.
}“Food safety training is not an option; it is an obligation,” says Georgina Atkinson, food industry consultant for the GCP Consulting Group. “There are too many risks associated with not training employees, including causing consumers to become ill plus the company’s reputation and loss of market share.”
and package handling.”
The American Institute of Baking has been traditionally linked with North American wholesale and retail baking. AIB offers a variety of food safety courses via online, correspondence and traditional classroom/lab settings. The Guelph Food Technology Centre (GFTC) is another source of food safety training.
“With ingredients coming from all over the world, the end-user must recognize the complexity of the supply chain,” says GFTC vice-president of food safety and quality Frank Schreurs. “They must understand the importance of addressing and controlling all food safety risks throughout the chain.”
Schreurs notes that hands-on training seems to be the most effective in terms of food safety management and long-term cost in the baking industry. He says it’s vital for the industry to recognize the cost to their businesses if food safety risks are not identified and controlled.
The end-user must recognize the complexity of the supply chain. They must understand the importance of addressing and controlling all food safety risks throughout the chain.
In addition to specialized companies, food safety training and education is available through other channels such as universities, local public health units and industry associations.
of its members, a joint CFIG-CCGD Food Safety Committee created the Canadian Retail Food Safety Manual, which offers a retail-focused, HACCP-based food safety standard to work from to implement food safety program and training.
But “are bakers being taught a curriculum that encompasses food safety?” asks TrainCan Inc. vice-president Jim Kostuch. His company offers food safety training (certification courses approved by most municipalities with food safety bylaws) online as well as in classroom, mostly for retail, foodservice and small food companies.
“It is important to develop a ‘food safety culture’ to maintain the importance of the knowledge learned in the certification courses, so that implementation of the practices at store level are a day-to-day function,” Kostuch says.
She adds: “Ongoing management commitment and leading by example helps reinforce food safety behaviour and minimize human error. We find on-site, customized training to be most effective. We complete a needs assessment of the facility’s food safety requirements, implement peer educators with facilities that have a variety of spoken and written languages and observe the day-to-day functions such as the sanitation procedures in bakeries using nuts (and other allergens) as an ingredient.
“In small- to medium-sized bakeries, a lot of the employee practices are with ready-to-eat product, so handling and packaging of the product is critical. Therefore, much of the food safety training focuses on employee procedures, including handwashing, personal hygiene behaviour
“The second-year distance education course – Introduction to Food Microbiology – is very popular among the food industry (non-degree students),” says associate professor Dr. Keith Warriner, of the University of Guelph’s food science department. “This course offers basic food safety information plus a general overview of HACCP.”
Warriner adds: “For the degree students, the fourth-year Food Microbiology course offers a more detailed curriculum to prepare the students for their jobs in industry. An example includes the use of relevant case studies, where students role play as industry QA, the media and CFIA to problem solve foodborne illness outbreaks.”
As an industry association, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers recognizes the importance of food safety education. To address the food safety needs
Now what about the consumer? “Food safety awareness is there, but the concern is still with the level of implementation,” says Canadian Partnership for Food Safety Education executive director Brenda Watson.
“Occasionally, daily habits and behaviours are not practised, leading to improper food safety practices in the home. The partnership is helping the consumer understand their role in keeping the food safe – what people can do in their homes to decrease the risk of microbial foodborne illness.”
To reiterate, food safety training is a priority, an obligation and not an option. Depending on whether you are a large-scale manufacturer or a small bakery that supplies products to local restaurants, there are a variety of ways to train your employees. Full implementation of food safety practices on a daily basis is the proof that such training is a success. / BJ
