“
FCC is key to our company
growing.”
When you talk financing with FCC, we’ll listen
Ready to expand? We learn how you want to grow, then create a financing package that helps you do it. Work with the leading lender to agriculture, agribusiness and agri-food in Canada Let’s talk business fccfinancing.ca
Meb Gilani, President, Gilani Group, Calgary, Alta
Rivi’s Guilt Free Cookies are fat-free while having
soft chew and sweet flavour.
BY Laura aI ke N
GeNuINeLY INGeNIous
If the recent trends at IBIE are any indication of where the bakery industry is headed – and I believe they are – then I have high hopes for the next frontier of baking.
The biggest observation I drew from this international exposition of all things baking was the gravitation towards genuine nutrition, sustainability and simpler solutions.
By genuine nutrition, I mean a cold-hard-facts approach to the nutrition table. Numerous times exhibitors pointed to the features of their products that elevate their nutritional profile and satiety, while reducing calories and bad-for-you elements. The consumer has a need for truly better food, and bakeries have a need for the ingredients to make it. Many of our industry suppliers have stepped up to the plate, invested heavily in research and development during these recent years of health information chaos, and brought products to the market that are genuinely healthier and can greatly improve the quality of our food supply.
There were also oodles of robotics at IBIE, pointing to a future of increased automation. I witnessed a machine put together a hamburger – bun, patty, lettuce, tomato, ketchup and mustard – lickety split. However, the technologies most thrilling from my perspective were those that repurposed energy from the baking process or reduced the equipment’s carbon footprint in some way. There seems to be a genuine commitment to a sustainable future in the industry.
I also was introduced to more one-stop-shop solutions: products that eliminated steps for bakers and saved storage space in their bakeries. The industry is looking to make things easier for bakers without sacrificing quality, and that’s always pretty exciting.
}The job of nourishing and delighting Canada’s children is no small one, and Bakers Journal is proud to be part of an industry that has risen so passionately to the task.
All in all, much of what I saw at IBIE was genuinely ingenious: there was no shortage of innovation. The show’s timing fits in wonderfully with the close of our Innovator of the Year awards, gold sponsored by Fuller Landau chartered accountants and business advisors, silver sponsored by Paragon Glaze Consulting, and bronze sponsored by Speedo flavours. Bakers Journal would like to congratulate Rivi Horwitz of Rivi’s Guilt Free Cookies on earning this year’s title, and Antonella Cellini of Artsy Baker on being named runner-up.
Ironically, these two bakers share similarities in their logo that could not go unnoticed. However, their businesses are quite different in their pursuits. Horwitz is a longtime champion of a healthier cookie through no added fats that still tastes good. Cellini is an artist extraordinaire who turned a search for better fondant into her own brand for grocery shelves and bakeries that also suits people with ingredient concerns.
Both innovators share a passion for children. Horwitz wants to provide kids with a better cookie, a sweet treat that is healthier – an “everyday cookie,” as she calls it. Cellini’s endeavours symbolize the delight of a child’s birthday cake and the assurance that all children, regardless of diet sensitivities, can enjoy that thrill. Kids need both of these bakers; and they need the suppliers who take seriously their role of providing for the next generation. The job of nourishing and delighting Canada’s children is no small one, and Bakers Journal is proud to be part of an industry that has risen so passionately to the task.
As we close out another year in baking, I’d like to thank our readers and industry partners for allowing us to be part of your decadently exciting world. We wish you all the best in the busy holiday season, and we’re looking forward to seeing you in the New Year. / BJ
December | Vol. 73, no. 10
eDitor | laura aiken editor@bakersjournal.com 416-522-1595 1-888-599-2228 ext. 250
assistant eDitor | karly o’brien kobrien@annexweb.com 905-713-4358
technicaL eDitor | John mccoll Puratos canada jmccoll@puratos.com
nationaL aDvertising Manager | stephanie Jewell sjewell@annexweb.com 705-826-2254 1-888-599-2228 ext. 268
saLes assistant | Jarah stefek jstefek@annexweb.com 519-429-5176 1-888-599-2228 ext. 219
MeDia Designer | Gerry Wiebe group pubLisher | martin mcanulty mmcanulty@annexweb.com
presiDent | mike fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com
Mailing address p o box 530, 105 Donly Dr. s., simcoe, on n3y 4n5
pubLication MaiL agreeMent no. 40065710. return unDeLiverabLe canaDian aDDresses to: circuLation DepartMent, p o box 530, siMcoe, on n3y 4n5 e-mail: subscribe@bakersjournal.com
Issn 0005-4097
published ten times per year (Jan/Feb, Mar, apr, May, Jun, Jul, aug/sept, oct, nov, Dec) by annex publishing & printing inc.
subscrIPtIon rates canada — 1 year $ 30.00 (with gst $31.50 #867172652rt0001, with hst/ Qst $33.90) usa — 1 year $ 45.00 usD best pricing is available online at www.bakersjournal.com
Send your subscription request to: bakers Journal p o box 530, simcoe, on n3y 4n5 tel: 1-866-790-6070 ext. 206 Fax: 1-877-624-1940 e-mail: subscribe@bakersjournal.com
occasionally, bakers Journal will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. if you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.
opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. no liability is assumed for errors or omissions. all advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of the publication.
no part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission.
© 2013 annex publishing & printing inc. all rights reserved. printed in canada.
briefly | Maple Leaf considering sale stake in Canada Bread | Survey finds institutions supporting local foods | for more news in the baking world, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com
New technology fortifies grain food products
The federal government is investing more than $155,000 in Everspring Farms for the production of flour and sprouted seed products ingrained with DHA/EPA omega 3.
“This is a great example of how innovation is helping our producers stay competitive,” said MP Ben Lobb, in a news release. “Fortifying grains with essential fatty acids provides Canadians with a product that meets their health and wellness concerns, while boosting the bottom line of farmers through an increased demand for agricultural commodities.”
Located in Seaforth, Ont., Everspring Farms worked with Sharp Ingrained Functional Foods to develop a technology to fortify grains and seeds with essential fatty acids DHA and EPA under the brand Smartgrain Complete Omega 3.
The investment, which comes via the AgriInnovation Program (AIP), helped Everspring Farms improve their manufacturing facility. It also allowed the company to purchase new equipment to produce DHA/EPA omega 3-enhanced ingrained flour and sprouted seed products such as flax, wheat, oats, rice and barley.
The AIP is a $50-million initiative announced under Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2011.
The Growing Forward 2 policy framework, which took effect on Apr. 1, includes a new AIP valued at up to $698 million over five years. It is designed to serve as a catalyst for innovation by supporting research, development and commercialization of new ideas that result in new products and technologies. For more information on this agreement, please visit www.agr.gc.ca/ growingforward2.
Maple Leaf considering sale of stake in Canada Bread
Maple Leaf Foods is exploring alternatives for its bakery business, including a potential sale of the company’s 90 per cent ownership of Canada Bread.
Maple Leaf embarked on a strategy seven years ago to increase scale, productivity and profitability in its protein operations. The company is now in the final phase of executing this strategy, which is on track to be completed by 2015 and is expected to deliver significant returns to shareholders.
Maple Leaf has recently completed a comprehensive review of opportunities to accelerate profitable growth across its global bakery business, which it currently conducts through Canada Bread.
Before committing organizational focus, investment and resources to implement this strategy, Maple Leaf’s Board and management have decided to explore other alternatives that will come to a close in early 2014.
There are significant growth opportunities in the baked goods sector that may be pursued, either as part of Maple Leaf or under new ownership. Maple Leaf believes that either outcome would result in a strong commitment to realizing the full potential of this business.
This process gives us the opportunity to determine the best path forward for Maple Leaf, our shareholders and our bakery business.”
Maple Leaf has established a committee of independent directors to oversee the process and recommend the use of proceeds in the event of a sale, which may include a combination of debt repayment, reinvestment in the business and returning capital to shareholders.
There can be no assurance that the process being undertaken by Maple Leaf will result in the consummation of any transaction. No decision to sell Maple Leaf’s interest in Canada Bread has been made and Maple Leaf may ultimately conclude that it will not sell its interest in Canada Bread.
¦
North african lamb sandwich takes top prize
Montreal’s Jean Émond takes homes the national title in ACE Bakery’s Canada’s Best Sandwich Contest.
Along with the national title, Émond is the winner of a $10,000 prize and $10,000 donation towards his charity of choice, World Wildlife Fund Canada. Canada’s four regional finalists faced off in a Sandwich Showdown in the Cooking School at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, where they created sandwiches in front of a judging panel and live audience.
After tasting each of the creations, Bob Blumer, Julie Van Rosendaal, Calgarybased blogger behind DinnerWithJulie. com, and Marcus Mariathas, ACE Bakery’s master baker, evaluated each recipe based on taste appeal, creativity, innovation and originality in order to select a winner.
“All four finalists inspired us with their culinary skills and imagination in the kitchen, and it was a challenge to decide on just one winner,” said Bob Blumer, host of Food Network Canada’s World’s Weirdest Restaurants, in a press statement. “Émond’s unique mix of ingredients created a delicious flavour combination that danced off our taste buds. Along with the beautiful presentation, the recipe really stood out to the judges and was a notch above the others.”
Émond developed this recipe through a step-by-step process starting with his chosen protein, lamb. From there, he layered on various ingredients and spices to create the perfect balance of flavours. “I really wasn’t expecting this, but I’m so excited my recipe has earned the title of Canada’s Best Sandwich!” said Émond in a media statement. “I love being adventurous in the kitchen and it’s so rewarding to know my creativity is paying off.”
The other three finalists included Ashley Seely from Rothesay, N.B.; Meghan Légère from Toronto; and, Linh Huynh from Calgary. The four finalists were chosen from hundreds of recipes that were submitted to Canada’s Best Sandwich Contest: Anniversary Edition from across Canada. Each entry was reviewed and scored by Blumer, Van Rosendaal and Mariathas, and four finalists were chosen.
survey finds institutions supporting local foods
A recent report found that activity to bring healthy, local and sustainable foods into public agencies is gearing up in almost every province and territory.
Local Foods: Canadian Schools, Campuses, and Health Care Facilities Speak Up is a pan-Canadian survey. In total, 239 food and nutrition specialists working within schools, campuses and health-care facilities, answered questions about efforts to bring local food into their institutions. The responses show that a significant number of public agencies in Canada are working along multiple fronts to put more local foods on patient and student plates.
“I was surprised to discover that institutional food system transformation is occurring in urban, rural and remote communities right across the country,” said Joanne Bays, national manager of Farm to Cafeteria Canada, in a news release. “Greenhouses, gardens and farms are sprouting up in schoolyards and on campus and hospital grounds. New food supply chains are being developed, resulting in the purchase and delivery of local foods from non-traditional sources such as farmer’s markets and food co-operatives. These foods – from salmon to strawberries – are finding their way to canteens, dining halls, and to the patient’s bedside.”
The survey also reveals that there is significant variation in the type of activity undertaken by public agencies. The schools and campuses represented in the survey are more likely to provide local food than their health-care counterparts (76 per cent and 92 per cent, respectively, versus 66 per cent for health-care facilities). They are also more likely to provide educational activities regarding local food (90 per cent and 86 per cent, respectively, versus 38 per cent for health-care facilities). Campuses and health-care facilities are more likely to have contracts with local providers (33 per cent and 29 per cent, respectively, versus 14 per cent for schools).
Why are public agencies embracing the local food movement? The survey says that a key motivational factor is “improved quality, freshness, taste or nutrition of the food.”
“Local food can be an excellent means of providing appealing and healthy food that benefits local communities, rural economies, and the environment. Everyone can feel good about eating local food,” said Dr. Mary McKenna, a professor of nutrition at the University of New Brunswick and one of the authors of the report, in a press release.
Top barriers to buying local goods for larger-scale operations are “lack of policies that address local food” and “existing contracts that prevent use of local food.”
The report concludes the time is ripe for Farm to Cafeteria Canada – the national organization devoted to promoting healthy, local and sustainable foods in all Canadian public institutions – to further advance the efforts of local and regional programs. Key strategic directions include conducting further research, sharing information and resources, supporting the replication of promising practices, and advocating supportive policies.
“We came into this project as individuals representing various groups and organizations, and have come out with not only data to show what institutions are doing to get more local food into their settings, but also with a strengthened national Farm to Cafeteria Canada network and an abundance of ideas and resources that will help to further farm to cafeteria activities in Canada,” said Roxana Atkinson, a researcher for Farm to Cafeteria Canada, in a media statement.
■ 770 exhibitors from 24 countries
■ 82 700 professional visitors from 143 countries
■ All the innovations you need to boost your business!
7 trends to get a better understanding of the market and reinvent your offering
Rivi Horwitz is on a mission to make the perfect “everyday” cookie | by laura aIken
Rivi’s innovations
Ifirst met Rivi Horwitz and her son Omri at the Grocery Innovations Canada show just after they had been shortlisted for the Bakers Journal Innovator of the Year award. Rivi was buzzing around outside their Rivi’s Guilt Free Cookies booth, encouraging me to sample and chatting up a blue streak about having her photo taken with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne that morning; Omri played the friendly son holding down the fort inside the booth while his mother’s energy ran circles around us.
I walked away from the introduction and thought, “Boy, those folks have the magnetism of motivational speakers for what they do.” I often think this after speaking to bakers, a passionate bunch by nature, and two more meetings later I was all the more convinced.
The thought has made this story a pleasure to write, and Bakers Journal would like to offer a heartfelt congratulations to the Horwitz family of Rivi’s Guilt Free Cookies for winning this year’s Innovator of the Year award gold sponsored by Fuller Landau chartered accountants and business advisors, silver sponsored by Paragon Glaze Consulting, and bronze sponsored by Speedo flavours.
}“You can do a nice cookie without it,” she says firmly of the fat missing from her cookies. “No, it’s not the same, and maybe you miss the others, but like everything else it’s about choices.
Rivi and Omri may work day and night together in their Toronto based business, but they are not night and day about their united mission to give people a healthier cookie. Their bakery products are at the heart of their innovation.
The cause is that of a healthier carbohydrate snack. Rivi has accomplished this in a number of ways. She uses no oil, butter or margarine. Her products are either fat-free or low in naturally occurring fat, such as that found in her dark chocolate granola. She doesn’t use artificial colours or flavours. She has created a product that is safe for kids to take to school by having a nut-free facility. She extended the specialty nature of her products to include being dairyfree, and certified kosher. She chose to
use all non-GMO ingredients in her baking as well.
The special nature of her cookies, and their availability in Toronto hospitals (including SickKids), has led to some very rewarding customer moments. Rivi and Omri shared a story from their Facebook page about Casper, who was born at 26 weeks weighing only 1 lb. 8 oz. Amy Lewis (Casper’s mother) uploaded a video of her son excitedly devouring Rivi’s Guilt Free Cookies she purchased from the cafeteria while he was in SickKids hospital’s intensive feeding therapy program. Lewis sent Rivi an update at Thanksgiving showing Casper, now 18.5 lbs, and still over-the-moon for his favourite cookies. Both videos spur a priceless swell of the heart, and judging
by the smitten faces of Rivi and Omri as they shared the videos with me, their cause brings much in the way of reward. Rivi makes five different kinds of cookies: oats and raisin, chocolate, ginger and spice, lemon, and the recently launched vegan Chunky Monkey that is made with banana and chocolate. The relative lack of fat means these are not the decadent melt in your mouth cookie that most people are accustomed too. They have a soft chew, offer a full flavour and are sweetened with organic cane sugar. She typically uses egg whites or banana puree to add moisture. She also makes use of not often heard of cookie ingredients such as the barley listed as the second ingredient in her Chunky Monkeys.
“You can do a nice cookie without it,” she says firmly of the fat missing from her cookies. “No, it’s not the same, and maybe you miss the others, but like
The Horwitz family recently launched new packaging for its granola that lets customers easily shake the granola on various foods through two different sized openings.
everything else it’s about choices.”
She also makes an oats and raisin biscotti and five different kinds of granola: 70 per cent dark chocolate chunk, dried fruits and seeds, blueberry and green tea, ginger and ginseng, and kale, lime and pineapple. The granola has no added fats and 20 per cent less sugar than traditional granola, she says. One of her latest launches was a packaging innovation, whereby they decided to retail the granola in sleek, easy-to-grip shakers with two different size openings at the top. Users can shake a little or a lot onto yogurt, ice cream or whatever they wish.
“Since the beginning of production, we have always been changing for the better,” says Rivi. She counts the move from regular to untreated flour and doing away with corn syrup in favour of organic cane sugar as being among the improvements. Omri credits experience working with businesses like The Big Carrot, a well-known natural foods market in Toronto, with opening her eyes to the fine-tuning she would need to do develop the products into their vision of health.
}bricks and mortar) stretch of units that has a peacefully residential feel. The bakery has been in its current location for four years of its 17 years in business. Rivi started the company when she was 40 years old and her youngest of three children, daughter Yarden, hit grade 3. Her husband is also an entrepreneur, and she had always been “busy” so she knew she needed something purposeful to do now that her kids were all in school full time.
The desire to start a specialty bakery arose from Rivi’s own health woes and modified diet at home. In 1988, Rivi watched a member of a local soccer team collapse and die one afternoon of a heart attack. The tragedy spurred Rivi to visit her doctor for an overdue exam. She was shocked to learn she had a perilously high cholesterol level that was four times what was acceptable. She immediately began a fat-free
The cookies were healthy enough to pass the dietitian’s litmus test for the Breakfast Club of Canada, and now the company donates 300 cookies a week locally to the program.
Mind you, she does not view her cookies as stalks of celery.
“This is a cookie, it shouldn’t have fat but it definitely should have sugar or people won’t eat it,” says Rivi.
“It’s a snack to be eaten in moderation,” clarifies Omri, who is young, free of health problems and eats as he pleases but credits his upbringing with the ingrained knowledge and awareness of what a healthy label should look like.
The cookies were healthy enough to pass the dietitian’s litmus test for the Breakfast Club of Canada, and now the company donates 300 cookies a week locally to the program.
“Lots of mothers buy it for themselves and the day they go to buy it for the kids I’ll be happy,” says Rivi.
t he mak I n G of rIVI ’s Gu I lt f ree cook I es Rivi’s Guilt Free Cookies bakes and breathes in an industrial area along the winding strip of Chesswood Drive in Toronto. It is an older (quite literally
diet that brought her cholesterol levels down, but they were still abnormal. On Oct. 23, 1989, the family moved from Israel to Canada. She became determined to manage her condition through diet, and her passion for baking inspired her to create a cookie that would be healthy enough for her to enjoy.
“I’m not saying that oil or butter isn’t healthy, I’m saying it’s not healthy for me, and you can make a nice cookie without it,” says Rivi.
People started tell her she should sell her baking, and her first lab-tested fat-free treat was her original oats and raisins cookie that remains a classic staple of the bakery today.
Omri, who was in Grade 7 when his mum started the bakery, remembers when he and his brother Yoni helped out with packaging cookies and stacking trays to be washed. By the time Omri reached high school, Rivi was deep in the trenches of growing the bakery and would be gone before he even got up for school. But he always knew where to find her and spent a lot of time at the bakery growing up.
Her first client was a local Second Cup, where her cookies were offered at
first as an unlisted product to customers, then later became a part of the menu as the healthier alternative cookie. Whole Foods in the Yorkville neighbourhood of Toronto took 10 years to come on as a customer, she says, and now they order weekly. The brand has established itself in a number of grocers and specialty Greater Toronto Area stores, such as Pusateri’s Fine Foods, McEwan’s and Fiesta Farms.
t he roa D ahea D
The bakery has grown for 17 years without a loan by putting “everything back into the business,” says Omri, who handles much of the distribution, bookeeping and multipurpose activities at Rivi’s Guilt Free Cookies.
“We are always looking to innovate,” says Omri. “Like any small company, we are limited by financial means but it’s something you need to do to stay afloat, to stay relevant and to be open to change.”
For mother and son, it isn’t just an investment for a personal return, it’s a dedication to the cause they believe in and it’s a lifestyle, as many entrepreneurs know. They are working the kind of day and night hours that could make the 9-to-5 set straight out squeamish.
“I don’t mind coming to the office after a full day [on the road], I’d almost rather do that than go home and veg out. As appealing as it sounds, it gets boring,” says Omri with a flicker of excitement in his eye that makes obvious the passion he has for the job. “There’s dreams at the end of the day and drive.”
Rivi has put her heart and soul into a genuine passion for lowering cholesterol not just for herself, but also for others and for the next generation. In doing so, she has discovered what makes it all worthwhile.
“People in the food business know you don’t become rich doing this,” she says. “You put so many hours in. We have really invested a lifetime and you just never know what’s going to happen. You have to enjoy the journey.” / BJ
DIRecTDRIve™ SYSTem
Protect your products. Increase profitability. Perfect orientation. Discover how Intralox’s DirectDrive™ System completely eliminates overdrive and operates with zero slip, transforming our customers spiral systems.
Visit us at intralox.com.
GeT IT IN WrITING
A shareholders’ agreement is worth the legal fee to avert potential disasters down the road
Five years ago, two friends who had known each other for many years decided to establish a business. Their focus was on establishing and growing the company. Contemplating a shareholders’ agreement and incurring the related legal fees was not high on the priority list. What could go wrong?
The two shareholders decided that each would be responsible for different functional areas of the company. After years of hard work, the business was profitable and further growth was anticipated. The business required additional working capital for operations. A shareholders’ meeting was called.
}One shareholder believed that the company should increase its credit line, as the company simply didn’t have the funds available. The other shareholder disagreed, preferring that the shareholders provide the necessary funds, as it would be in the best interest of the corporation not to take on the additional risk of increased bank debt. The shareholders were deadlocked.
may be limits on the amount of expenditure that can be incurred without obtaining prior approval.
The terms of a shareholders’ agreement may address unequal shareholder contributions by requiring shareholders to pay interest on any excess contributions or possibly giving each shareholder the right to require a defaulting shareholder to sell his or her shares.
It also may be prudent for the terms of the shareholders’ agreement to allow the shares of any shareholder who is in default to be bought. A shareholders’ agreement could provide a “shotgun clause” whereby one shareholder could offer his shares to the other shareholder at a specified price. If the other shareholder does not agree to buy the shares at the offered price, the other shareholder must then sell his interest at the same price. In certain circumstances, it may be more appropriate to have an auction whereby sealed bids are received
It is important to have a shareholders’ agreement to ensure the business will have effective governance and be able to address unanticipated disputes and events.
from the shareholders and the person offering the highest price will be the buyer.
the business is sold
• a determination that the selling shareholder (or his representative) continue to be a director until the entire balance has been repaid
Having a shareholders’ agreement will not resolve all shareholder differences, but it will determine the structure that will assist in resolving disputes.
Every ship needs a captain. One of the most important elements of a shareholders’ agreement is that it sets out a framework for governance. The agreement should outline who is going to be in charge of key decisions that need to be made on a daily basis. The agreement also should stipulate how this person is appointed and replaced. The agreement would provide guidance for matters that require unanimity (such as major acquisitions or disposal of the business) and a mechanism to break stalemates. Normally there would be an approved annual budget that would authorize certain expenditures outside the normal day-to-day expenses. There also
Some shareholders’ agreements provide a formula describing how shares are valued in various circumstances. A chartered business valuator would determine the valuation. Alternatively, the shareholders may meet annually to set a value for any transaction that takes place from one year to the next. Often provision is made for the value of shares to be discounted in the case of default.
There are numerous factors to consider on a buyout of a departing shareholder, including:
• the period of time during which an acquiring shareholder (or the corporation) can pay any balance owing to a selling shareholder
• a provision for interest to be paid on any unpaid balance
• a stipulation for certain restrictions on the payment of dividends and increases to the remuneration of shareholders while there is an unpaid balance
• a provision for the entire outstanding balance to become immediately due if
Shareholders’ agreements also should address what happens in the event of the disability, retirement or death of a shareholder. It is important to define “disability.” It is common to have an automatic buyout after a specified period and for the determination of remuneration as to amount and period. If there is no shareholders’ agreement outlining the buyout of a shareholder experiencing a prolonged disability, difficult issues may arise such as how to determine the remuneration of the working shareholders and the appropriate compensation to the non-active shareholder so that he receives an appropriate return on his investment. A shareholders’ agreement will stipulate whether or not it is intended to insure the lives of the shareholders to provide funds in the event of death. Further, the agreement will usually mandate an automatic buyout on death and provide for the terms of payment of the balance not covered by insurance.
Our experience has shown that the shareholders’ agreement is one of the most neglected documents in business.
Failure to make one leaves the door open to unnecessary problems. / BJ
This article is co-authored by Bruce Roher and Howard Joffe. Bruce Roher is a partner in the business valuations practice at the Toronto office of Fuller Landau LLP, Chartered Accountants. He can be reached at broher@ fullerlandau.com or at 416-645-6526. Howard Joffe is a principal at Fuller Landau LLP, providing advice in the areas of shareholders’ agreements, income tax, insurance and estate planning. He can be reached at hjoffe@ fullerlandau.com or at 416-645-6534.
Wheat sense and sensibility
These days, it’s not uncommon to hear such claims as “wheat is bad for you” and “gluten makes you sick,” which are made in the popular book Wheat Belly.
Why is it that suddenly so many people are frightened to eat wheat? Let’s take a look at the history of wheat, the glutenfree trend, and where bread stands today. Here is an overview of information that you could use to educate your customers about your wheat based products.
Until 1870 wheat was milled between two stones. This type of milling made it virtually impossible to separate the bran and germ from the endosperm. Then French engineer Joseph Perrigault
invented the first milling purifier that was able to separate the bran and germ. His mill system was made up of several sets of steel rollers. Wheat was sent through the rollers, and as the rollers got closer together, the wheat would break apart. Through several sets of sieves and fans Perrigault was able mill pure white flour. But without the germ and bran, the nutritional value of bread went down. Through continuing modernization, bread could be made faster, more easily and more cheaply. In 1927, Wonder Bread came to Canada. People didn’t want the hearty, thick, brown bread anymore. This new white bread was 250 per cent sweeter than traditional bread. It could be sliced thinner than normal bread and didn’t stale
as quickly. Wonder Bread was light and soft. People liked it, and it was affordable.
Beginning in the early 1900s, bakers began adding various vitamins to make up for nutrition lost in the milling. During the Great Depression, the government made it mandatory to add thiamine, riboflavin and niacin. These vitamins helped by providing some essentials that people weren’t getting. In 1998, Health Canada required that folate, an essential B vitamin, also be added. Since folate was added to flour, there has been a reduction in neural tube brain defects of about 50 per cent across Canada.
Today’s bread labels carry many different claims, such as “new and improved,” “whole wheat,” “whole grain,”
One
The Can-do Condo.
No mumbo jumbo – just the MIWE condo: • The real hearth baking oven for all types of baked goods such as breads, rolls, muffins, cakes and pies, can even be used for cooking
• Standard digital controls with 30 baking programs, 8 of which are direct preset keys • 5 baking phases per program
• Separate top and bottom temperature controls with heat intensity controls for each • Intense steam for excellent crust formulation for all artisan hearth baked breads • Available in so many sizes and deck configurations that for sure we have the right oven for your operation. Sounds charming? That’s what it is! Call us today. www.miwe.com
Toronto, ON M8X 1Y4
Phone 6473468603
canada@miwe.com
“bran added,” “germ added” and “enriched.” But nowadays it seems many people think any product containing wheat is harmful to your health. The wheat-free/gluten-free movement is very popular. There is a constant stream of new gluten-free/wheat-free product released. What exactly is gluten? Gluten comprises two proteins: glutenin and gliadin. Gluten is found in wheat, spelt, einkorn and kamut as well as many other cereal grains. Gluten gives dough its stretchy and elastic quality. It allows bread to rise by holding in all the gases created by fermentation. Some of the challenges with gluten-free formulation are products becoming frail and crumbly.
People who have celiac disease are highly sensitive to gluten and even the smallest amount can make them deathly ill. The condition was once considered extremely rare in the U.S., but about 20 years ago scientists began exploring why celiac disease was less common in North America than in Europe. They concluded that it wasn’t less common; it was under-diagnosed. Recently, a research team led by the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Joseph Murray looked at blood samples taken from Americans in the 1950s and compared them with samples taken today. They determined it wasn’t just better diagnosis driving up the numbers. Celiac disease is actually increasing. Indeed, the research confirms that about one per cent of American adults have it today, making it four times more common now than it was 50 years ago.
However, the gluten-free movement is not just about celiac disease. It has gained popular attention with celebrities like Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus and Kim Kardashian claiming that gluten-free diets will make you thin and beautiful. Many people attribute weight loss to the gluten-free diet. But consider this: when you take gluten out of your diet, you might also take most of the processed, on-the-go, high-fructose foods out of your diet. Instead of eating pizza pockets or mac and cheese, a person on a glutenfree diet is forced to make food choices that could often include lower-calorie foods. However, in response to greater demand for gluten-free products, many companies have come out with gluten-free cookies, pies and cakes. What used to be completely off limits for a gluten-free diet is now available ready-made and full of sugar. Too much wheat may not be good for a person, but the same is true of many foods. When going on a gluten-free diet, a person must be careful to get enough fibre in their diet. Generally speaking, it is a less convenient and more expensive diet. Its richness and flavour soar and so do its health benefits. During the long proofing of sourdough, the cellulose is broken down and nutrients are released into the dough, a process that makes it easier for the body to absorb them. Professer Terry Graham and his team from the University of Guelph studied how subjects reacted to different breads they ate. They studied whole wheat, white, rye and sourdough bread. Graham writes: “With the sourdough, the subjects’ blood sugar levels were lower for a similar rise in blood insulin . . . . What was even more interesting was that this positive effect remained during their second meal and lasted even hours after.”
From ancient flatbreads to industrialized white bread, there is no denying that bread has been, and will continue to be, an important part of our lives. Although the way we mill our wheat today is different from processes used in ancient times, bread is still a healthy food staple. Wheat germ is full of vitamins and minerals, which are essential to a healthy life. The bran in wheat is full of fibre. Even the white, fluffy bread we buy in stores is nutritional and vitamin enriched. / BJ
Helen Siemens is a bakery and pastry arts student at Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, B.C.
BAC Making a Difference in 2013
Each year in November, the Board of Directors reviews BAC’s performance to objectives to ensure that association is meeting its agreed upon goals. On November 4th the Board met in a day-long meeting and the following is a summary of the reports presented on BAC’s activities for the 2013 year.
As a result of a BAC Strategic Review conducted in 2012, the Board identified and prioritized two strategic objectives for BAC:
• Develop an industry led, consumer focused program to respond to negative media regarding bakery and wheat products.
• Improve BAC’s capacity to respond to nutrition and food policy advocacy while expanding outreach with government and health professionals.
Everyone in the baking industry has been impacted by the constant negative media and consumer perception of bakery products and other wheat based foods. From celebrities to medical professionals, there has been a barrage of unfounded and negative accusations regarding the consumption of wheat and wheat based foods. These accusations had gone unchallenged, resulting in a growing number of consumers either reducing or eliminating the consumption of gluten based foods for non-therapeutic reasons (celiac disease or gluten sensitivity). These consumers were buying into the accusations that wheat is “a perfect poison,” according to one source, and responsible for everything from obesity to ADD to dementia.
In order to help set the record straight, BAC was an early supporter in the creation of the Healthy Grains Institute (HGI), which was launched in late 2012 and really came into its stride in 2013. The Healthy Grains Institute’s mission is to inform and enhance Canadians’ knowledge and understanding of whole grains and how they contribute to health and weight management, and to dispel myths around whole grains such as wheat, oats and barley, and the gluten-free diet. The Healthy Grains Institute
is guided by an independent and multidisciplinary Scientific Advisory Council consisting of recognized plant science and nutritional experts from across Canada and is dedicated to providing Canadians with science-backed information on the benefits of whole grains as an important part of a healthy, balanced diet.
In 2013 the HGI efforts included the developing of variety of proactive and reactive communications activities in response to the latest attack on all things grain in the book Grain Brain. These efforts included registered dietitian engagement via proactive positive grain communications, and delivery of HGI materials, the creation of toolkit materials (available on the HGI website www. healthygrains.ca) and tailored briefing sessions. In addition, HGI has been proactive in social messaging through its dietician spokespeople. The results of these efforts have been numerous positive statements and media messages about the need to have grains in the diet for those who do not have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
In recognition of its strong start and expanding efforts, BAC has recently agreed to renew its $50,000 funding of HGI for the coming year. BAC would encourage members to visit the HGI website to access materials that will assist them in responding to customers asking questions about the impact of wheat based foods in the diet.
The other strategic initiative identified by the Board for 2013 was for BAC to improve its nutrition and food policy advocacy and outreach. There has been no shortage of issues affecting bakers arising from concerns associated with the nutrition content of our foods (trans fat, sodium, sugar) or initiatives surrounding food safety such as allergens and CFIA enforcement. BAC has recognized that with continuing focus in these areas it needed to reposition itself in order to better respond to what is seen as an ever increasing involvement by governments in the production of its members’ products.
The beginning of BAC’s response to this challenge was the addition to the BAC team of Laura Pasut, RD at the beginning of the year in the position of Director, Food & Nutrition Policy. In addition to Laura joining the team, BAC’s Technical Committee has been reorganized and renamed to
the Technical and Nutrition Policy Committee with a renewed focus on development of industry positions associated with food regulatory issues.
With that reorganization in place, BAC has addressed a number of industry priority issues in 2013. The following is a brief summary of just of few of these issues:
Sodium Reduction:
BAC has completed a 2013 analysis of sodium values in pantry breads to complement similar reports in 2009 and 2011. The 2013 report shows bakers continue to voluntarily reduce sodium levels with white bread down 11% and wheat bread down 14%. BAC has provided these results to Health Canada and as a result the work of the baking industry in sodium reduction is often quoted by federal bureaucrats and politicians. BAC has also been at the centre of discussions surrounding potential changes relating to sodium’s daily value on the Nutrition Facts Table.
unintended PReSence of AlleRgenS:
BAC became extremely concerned regarding CFIA’s enforcement actions when wheat and wheat flour were found to contain soy as a result of it being an “adventitious presence.” BAC has worked with Health Canada to avoid further enforcement action and is currently engaged in a two-year program to determine appropriate tolerance levels.
cfiA RegulAtoRy modeRnizAtion:
The regulatory changes currently being proposed by CFIA as part of the 2012 Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA) will have a dramatic effect on those making or importing food in Canada, especially bakers. The proposed regulations will require licensing of all companies who export internationally or interprovincially along with importers into Canada. A key requirement of the licence will be the need to have a Preventative Control Plan that sets out how food safety and other and other regulatory requirements (e.g., those related to labelling, product composition, and allergens) will be achieved. BAC has recently been appointed to the CFIA Industry Ad Hoc Committee, which is consulting with CFIA on its regulatory proposal prior to its release later next year.
Biotech WheAt:
BAC has been an active participant with the Cereal Value Chain’s Biotech Wheat Sub Committee as it reviews concerns and barriers to the possible introduction of biotech wheat.
oBeSity in childRen:
BAC is providing industry input to both the British Columbia and Ontario governments regarding their consultations to identify means to reduce current obesity rates in children.
AlBeRtA occuPAtionAl exPoSuRe RAteS foR flouR:
In 2012, the province proposed to introduce new limits on occupational exposure to flour dust that would require expensive and unrealistic measures by bakers. BAC was successful in having the AB Human Services undertake a flour dust exposure monitoring study and compliance cost estimates prior to any final decision.
cAnAdiAn dAiRy commiSSion PRoPoSAl to eliminAte SPeciAl PRicing foR ButteR:
Earlier this year the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) proposed to remove fresh baked good access to its Special Class Program. Left unchallenged, this action would have resulted in a 40% increase ($10 million total impact to bakers) in the cost of butter used in the production of fresh baked goods. BAC’s strong intervention on behalf of bakers resulted in the CDC withdrawing its proposal.
BAC on behalf of bakers has been actively engaged in numerous other public policy areas. In addition, your Association continues to provide a range of business to business and educational opportunities through its many Chapter, Bakery Showcase and Bakery Congress Events.
It is anticipated that 2014 will offer special challenges for the baking industry as many members will experience the full force of the CFIA’s licensing under its regulatory modernization effort. BAC is planning a number of educational initiatives in 2014 in order to assist members in understanding their obligations under the new regulations and to ensure their compliance. More on this will be forthcoming early in the new year.
BAC Board at the November 4th Meeting
Front row (left to right):
Arthur Gunn, Michel Dion, Pete Plaizier, Glenn Wilde, Paul Hetherington, Dominic Bohec, Tom Mattes.
Second row (left to right):
Steven Buckler, Phil Robinson, Christian Mitzel, Martin Barnett, Summit Luthra, Louis Bontorin, Don Wilcox.
Baking Association of Canada Ontario Chapter Presents …
Gluten Free,
Trans-Fat, Omega Fatty Acids, Vitamins, Wholegrain, Fibre, Non GMO…
Come and join our panel of experts as they demystify these familiar topics.
BAC is offering an educational seminar for Retail and Wholesale Bakers, Allied Suppliers, Retail, R&D Departments & Distributors.
Plan to learn about the nutritional values of consuming baked goods.
Participate in a Q&A with our esteemed panel.
Panel:
JENNIFER SYGO : M.SC., R.D. Registered Dietician and Sport Nutritionist, Cleveland Clinic of Canada.Nutrition Columnist, National Post.
CHRISTINE LOWRY: M.SC.,R.D. Nutrition and Policy Advisor for the Healthy Grains Institute.
ROBERT KOWAL : President, Kriscor and Associates.
SUE NEWELL : Education and Communications Consultant, Canadian Celiac Association.
LYNN GARISON : MHSc.RD Public Health Nutritionist, Chronic Disease Prevention. Halton Region Health Department.
Getting Nutrition From Baked Goods!
Each company attending the Myth Busting Seminar will be surveyed in advance to identify specific questions which will be incorporated into the Panel presentation and debate.
Tuesday January 21st, 2014
Panel Discussion: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Q&A: 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
+ HST per BAC Member $85 + HST per non-member Chapter
FEES:
MYTH BUSTING SEMINAR REGISTRATION
Tuesday,January21st2014
FourPointsbySheraton,6257 Airport Road, Mississauga, ON
PanelDiscussionFrom: 1:00pmto3:00pm Q&AFrom3.00pmto5.00pm
ATTENDEE INFORMATION
PleasenoteallregistrationsreceivedafterJanuary13th willrequireacreditcardpayment. Norefundswillbegiven.
Please list names of all attendees: (attach separate sheet if necessary)
Name _________________________________________________ Company ____________________________________________________
Main Contact Information: Address _______________________________________________City, Prov._____________________ Postal Code_________________ Tel: ______________________ Fax: ________________________ Email: _____________________
NOTE: The above email address will be sent a survey for your company’s allergen questions to be incorporated into the presentations. Deadline for submissions is January13 th .
PAYMENT INFORMATION
# of attendees X $75 per member
# of attendees X $ 85 per non-member
$___________ = Sub Total
$___________ X 13% HST
$___________ = Total Enclosed
se of Mississauga,
Please make all cheques payable to: Baking Association of Canada Baking Association of Canada only accepts: Visa Mastercard AMEX Card #: _______________________________________ Name on Card: ________________________________
Expiry Date: __________________________________
Signature: ____________________________________
Send completed form with payment to: Baking Association of Canada, 7895 Tranmere Drive, Suite #202, Mississauga, ON L5S 1V9 Tel: 905-405-0288 Toll Free: 1-888-674-2253 Fax: 905-405-0993 Email: info@baking.ca www.baking.ca
Wednesday February 12th, 2014
Halifax Metro Centre
Wiser’s Lounge Private Box
Halifax Nova Scotia
Come out and watch the Halifax Mooseheads; defending Memorial Cup Champions as they play host to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Space is limited to 32 seats, please register early!
Agenda
6:00 p.m. Pre Game reception with Hors D’oeuvres
7.00 p.m. Game time
Please fill in the registration form below and return it before January 31st, 2014
giorgio calorio Food Hazard Control: Sanitation
Brandon currell Bakery Technology Unit I
david evans Bakery Technology Unit I
Julie Vachon Bakery Technology Unit III
for information on correspondence courses for baking industry employees and the certified Bakery Specialist (cBS) program, please contact ext. 21 at the BAc office or check out our website at www.baking.ca.
Baking Association of Canada
Upcoming Events
Bakery Showcase 2014
Canada’s national baking industry trade show and convention held every other year in the International Centre, Toronto (Mississauga) Ontario
Atlantic chapter
February 12
Hockey Night In Halifax
Halifax Metro Centre
Halifax NS
January 21 Myth Busting! Health & Nutrition Seminar
Four Points Sheraton Airport Mississauga ON
Woodbine Race Track, Toronto ON ontario chapter
March 20
Night at the Races
Andree Bouchard nutriart inc.
Carolyn Cooper food in canada
Fabio Iantorno Supreme egg Products inc.
Jeff Kennedy Bizerba canada inc.
Mike Lothian carlyle Bakery
PreveNTaBLe ILLNess
Is your supply chain protected against foodborne illnesses spread by pests?
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, there is an estimated four million cases of foodborne illness in the country each year. This means roughly one in eight Canadians annually is subjected to preventable illnesses that in severe cases can be fatal. Pathogens, allergens and irritants that spread to food by pests such as flies, rodents and cockroaches are typically the causes of foodborne illnesses. For those along the supply chain, a contaminated food product can mean loss of revenue, a damaged reputation and potential disciplinary action from regulatory agencies.
Pests can cause your business more than a headache:
}• Flies transmit more than 100 known pathogens, including escherichia coli (E. coli), salmonella, staphylococcus, clostridium, bacillus and shingles. Flies leave behind pathogens every time they touch a surface and are a major threat to food safety.
friendly approach to preventing pest issues. IPM employs sanitation and facility maintenance processes to eliminate the potential for pest issues. The goal of this approach is to restrict pests’ access to the three elements they need to survive – food, water and shelter. An IPM approach uses least toxic and environmentally friendly treatment methods to protect your customers and reduce the risk of food contamination. It is the responsibility of everyone involved in the process to make sure shipments are pest-free. If you receive a shipment with signs or evidence of pest activity such as webbing, live or dead insects/pests, droppings, and gnawing, quarantine the shipment, follow internal company communication and corrective action procedures and alert your supplier immediately. Do your part to maintain a pest-free supply chain by following these tips:
Proactive pest management is an important part of ensuring that pathogens and other pest-related contaminants stay out of food products.
• Inspect all incoming products. Follow good storage practices by keeping all inventory labelled and dated.
Flies transmit more than 100 known pathogens, including escherichia coli (E. coli), salmonella, staphylococcus, clostridium, bacillus and shingles
housekeeping and sanitation measures, and work with a pest management provider to set up an IPM program that fits the facility’s specific needs.
• Rodents transmit pathogens such as salmonella and irritants through their droppings, urine and other body fluids such as saliva when they contaminate food, food utensils and prep surfaces.
• Cockroaches have filthy habits and carry a number of pathogens on their bodies.
• Body parts, hairs, fragments, allergens, and other irritants from a pest also can physically contaminate food. Such contaminants are not only unpleasant but can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, and emotional and psychological distress in some individuals.
Proactive pest management is an important part of ensuring that pathogens and other pest-related contaminants stay out of food products. An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program is the most effective and environmentally
• Store products off the floor on racks or shelves; install 18-inch painted product free-space along wall perimeter and between aisles to allow for pest monitoring, inspections and housekeeping and to help prevent products from serving as breeding spots for pests.
• Rotate products frequently; apply first-in, first-out (FIFO) principle when using stored products; and clean spills promptly.
• Sanitize all surfaces before placing food on them, and implement a deep-cleaning schedule to thoroughly clean hard-to-reach spaces, such as behind and under equipment.
• Cleanliness is crucial at every step of the food supply chain and even more so at the preparation stage. As is the case throughout the supply chain, bakeries should inspect incoming products for signs of pests, properly store them, implement vigorous
• Finally, it is important that all partners properly document their pest management programs. Your pest management provider should equip you with service reports, pesticide usage logs, labels and material safety data sheets for all products used on-hand. As far as a health inspector or auditor is concerned, if it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen.
• Partnering with your pest management professional and implementing an IPM program is the most effective way to reduce the potential for foodborne illnesses and limit the risks that come with contaminated product. Secure your supply chain so you can focus on moving your product, and not on pests. / BJ
Alice Sinia, PhD is Quality Assurance Manager – Regulatory/Lab Services for Orkin Canada focusing on government regulations pertaining to the pest control industry. With more than 10 years of experience, she manages the Quality Assurance Laboratory for Orkin Canada and performs analytical entomology as well as provides technical support in pest/insect identification to branch offices and clients. For more information, e-mail Alice Sinia at asinia@orkincanada.com or visit www. orkincanada.com.
i nnovations abound at ibie
There was so much to see at this year’s IBIE that we’re going to deliver a veritable Coles Notes’ worth of show facts and figures before diving right into the good stuff.
More than 21,000 attendees from 100 countries and from every segment of the grain-based food industry united at the Las Vegas Convention Center to discover the record number of innovations at the show. From Oct. 6 to 9, baking professionals explored 815 exhibiting companies, a 13 per cent increase over 2010.
Here’s the lowdown on some of the exciting discoveries Bakers Journal stumbled upon in our half-millionsquare-feet quest supported by our most comfortable exploratory shoes.
InterestInG InGreDIents
Focus on fibre and protein at DuPont/ Danisco: DuPont presented its full line of opportunities created by its expansion for the first time since acquiring Danisco in 2011 (as well as full ownership of former joint venture Solae in 2012). The combination of Danisco’s baking expertise, Solae’s knowledge of soy protein and DuPont’s R&D commitment was showcased under the overall branding of health and wellness in baking through ingredient solutions that deliver enhanced nutritional value and increased satiety. The company views satiety as part of an important aspect of weight management. Its increased research into the science behind satiety is something recent, shares Janelle Crawford, strategic marketing lead for the bakery, fats and oils division.
}More than 21,000 attendees from 100 countries and from every segment of the grain-based food industry united at the Las vegas Convention Center.
says Crawford. Litesse is slowly and consistently digested, and doesn’t cause the gastric discomfort that high fibre consumption can bring.
Bakers Journal also learned about SUPRO, a soy protein that is a complete, high-quality protein source that adds nutritional fortification and functionality to baked goods, and
company took its 172 solution, which is hydrogenated, into R&D until they came out two years later with a no-hydro product that would mimick it, says Dilip K. Nakhasi, director of innovation. The shortening has less hard fat and is a soft, all-purpose shortening that is 80 per cent oil. The shortening can reduce saturates by 40 per cent and has zero trans fats per serving.
Getting fresh at Corbian/Caravan:
Litesse is one of the products Crawford was enthusiastic about. Litesse polydextrose is a recognized prebiotic fibre that contributes just one calorie per gram and mediates a low glycemic impact. Litesse is a unique fibre in that it has a high toleration level in the human system,
FIBRIM, a non-digestible polysaccharide soy fibre that provides a unique blend of insoluble and soluble fibre (62 to 70 per cent insoluble and five to nine per cent soluble).
Doing away with the bad stuff at Bunge: The buzz at Bunge was all about the debut of the company’s new 148 no-hydro low saturate shortening. The
The Corbian Caravan booth represented Caravan’s new branding under its joint ownership with Corbian. The company’s familiar yellow now has a purple partner. Attendees visiting the booth could sample the results of its Ultra Fresh and Ultra Fresh Sweet shelf life extenders, an all-natural line that appear only as enzymes on the label. Ultra Fresh was introduced in 2012, and its sweets counterpart is the newer product to stretching its legs at IBIE. The sweets
Beautiful inspirations were in abundance at the PreGel America booth.
extender is designed in particular for small sweet goods that cook faster at higher temperatures. Both products can be added to the formula from scratch or as a pre-mix and can be altered to to create a custom blend. Ultra Fresh Sweet affords up to 45 days or more of highquality product, according to company literature.
The fondant revolution at Satin Ice: Satin Ice’s focus for IBIE was on its Fondant Revolution marketing campaign, which speaks to the increased consumer interest in fondant. Satin Ice is also focusing on highlighting profitability for its bakery customers, says Paul McVeigh, marketing director, by outlining specific profit margins in its recent literature and with its customers. For example, 50 cents’ worth of fondant is all that’s needed for a cupcake that sells for $5, and a two- or three-tier cake that sells for $250 to $475 can have a fondant cost of as little as $12 to $20.
Tortillas and technology at AB Mauri: AB Mauri unveiled its new Supremo Tortilla System that provides tortilla manufacturers with more flexibility. This new system allows customization in formula, thickness, softness, stretch and shelf life. It also allows manufacturers to possibly use fewer ingredients than they were before, which simplifies operations. The company also introduced Arctic Frozen Dough Solutions, its new frozen dough and pastry technology. This complete range of high-performance functional ingredients is designed to deliver superior quality while addressing product issues such as volume, tolerance, consistency, crust crispiness, crust colour and crumb texture, which affect artisan and industrial frozen dough and pastry production. The technology is available with a clean label.
The saccharine side of plums at Sunsweet: Sunsweet offered “can you tell the difference” delectable brownies to attendees as a way to showcase their line of plum and prune products in baking. The dried plum puree is a good problem solver to add moisture while offering a lower caloric content, says Tom Leahy of Sunsweet. Diced plums have antimicrobial and prebiotic properties.
Sunsweet is the old California Prune Cooperative, and holds 70 per cent of its business in the retail market, Leahy says. The recent plum ingredient initiatives
are something the company has been working on for three years as it perfected its pit removal technology. The plum and prune lines offer a pure fruit inclusion that is a sugar and fat replacement, increases fibre in the product, and serves as a humectant and an agglomerant.
One-stop-shop solutions at Lesaffre: The Lesaffre booth and kitchen were humming with the heady smell of fruit and nut bread pulled fresh from the oven and all made with the company’s brand
new Star’Bake product, which was first introduced at this year’s Bakery Congress in Vancouver. The product, developed in France, gives bakers all the functional ingredients – yeast, bread improvers and flavour ingredients – in one package. The idea behind Star’Bake was to provide the baker with a one-stop-shop product that comes in vacuum-packed portions designed to be added to 25 pounds of flour. Lesaffre also threw a private party on show after hours to celebrate its 160th
birthday. Bakers Journal was on hand to see the candles blown out on one very big cake.
Sans sodium at Kudos Blends: This company exhibited their KUDOS potassium bicarbonate, which was created as a new alternative to sodium bicarbonate that is was designed to helps reduce sodium by up to 50 per cent without compromising the product quality, volume, taste or texture. The potassium bicarbonate is also hydrophobic, meaning that when it is placed into water it stays solid and then when it is brought out of the water it turns back to a free flowing powder.
Consumer research and wellness at Cargill/Horizon Milling: Cargill shared its latest consumer research with the media at IBIE alongside new products. The whole-wheat breads study involved 360 adults and 170 children (kindergarten to Grade 12) who participated in a consumer taste test. Twenty-five whole-wheat breads were sampled based on taste, flavour, texture, appearance and aroma. It turns out the things that adults like about whole wheat breads are the same characteristics that kids dislike. The study also found that particle size doesn’t have an impact on the liking of finished bread. However, when bitterness is reduced and sweetness and umami notes are increased, the liking is increased.
The Cargill Gatekeeper Purchase Drivers study revealed the attributes that resonate most with parents purchasing bakery items. Most parents try to keep meals healthy, but still allow treats (59 per cent). Younger parents are more likely to say this than older parents: 66 per cent of millennials (ages 18 to 32 years) versus 53 per cent of generation X parents (ages 33 to 47 years). This suggests that a balanced approach may become even more prevalent as more young consumers become parents. Mothers are more likely than fathers to be striving for a balance of healthier and less healthy foods and beverages in their children’s diets (51 per cent, 42 per cent).
The study analyzed nine categories heavily consumed by children, including four key bakery categories – cookies, bread/rolls, crackers and snack bars. In general, parents showed a relatively low level of satisfaction. Only two in 10 say they’re satisfied and not really looking for healthier choices, but nine in 10 parents say they’d be likely to purchase healthier
versions of foods.
Parents are aiming to find products that are dense with nutrients such as protein, fibre, and whole grains, as well as easy-to-read labels. These are key drivers of purchase. On the other hand, finding products with lower levels of sodium, sugar, fat and calories was important, but it was not a key purchase driver according to Cargill’s findings.
Based on these consumer survey results, Cargill/Horizon Milling unveiled a defatted wheat germ ingredient solution and sprouted white spring whole-wheat flour.
The sprouted wheat flour aims to help bakers provide alternatives to wholegrain products. When compared to non-sprout, the product produced greater loaf volumes (10 to 12 per cent greater) and reduced proof times. The farinograph results showed that doughs made of 100 per cent Horizon Milling’s sprouted white spring whole-wheat flour tolerated abuse much longer than those made with its non-sprouted counterpart. The sprouted wheat flour also exhibited an elevated level of sweetness and a significantly decreased level of bitterness. The new defatted wheat germ ingredient is designed to help bakers and snack manufacturers provide full-flavour, grain-based foods that are rich in protein and fibre.
G-free at Dawn: Dawn Food Products introduced a certified gluten-free product line that includes two cake bases, two creme cake bases and a cookie base. The cake bases, available in white and extra-dark devil’s food flavours, are available in 25-pound bags, with a 12-month shelf life. The vanilla and chocolate creme cake bases can be used to create muffins, loaf cakes, ring cakes and more. They are available in 25- and
50-pound bags with a 12-month shelf life. The cookie bases create a wide variety of gluten-free cookies such as chocolate chip and peanut butter, when sugar, butter, water and inclusions are added in the mixing bowl. Available in a 25-pound bag, the product has a 12-month shelf life and is freeze/thaw stable.
Potato based at Penford: Penford Food Ingredients debuted a way to add soluble fibre and cut calories with PenFibe RO. This non-GMO, potat-based product contains a minimum of 56 per cent dietary fibre. PenFibe RO can be used to reduce calories in a wide variety of food products by partially replacing higher caloric ingredients such as flour and sugar. PenFibe RO is also non-allergenic, kosher and halal.
New toolbox from Arla: Arla Foods Ingredients debuted a “toolbox” of natural improvement solutions designed specifically for bakers. The Nutrilac Natural Improvers range is a portfolio of multifunctional ingredients designed to offer bakers greater productivity, improved efficiency, more consistent quality and cleaner labels – all at the same time. Nutrilac Natural Improvers are made from functional proteins derived exclusively from milk.
excItInG equIPment
Repurposing at Revent: The Kornfeil line in the Revent booth had its exhibitors very excited about the oven’s use of wasted heat using EkoBlok Bypass. EkoBlok Bypass is an environmentally friendly system designed to reuse wasted energy, gases and steam from gas and oil bakery ovens and boilers. The device boasts energy saving of up to 25 per cent and accumulates free energy through repurposing of the waste for heating and cooling in the bakery. The energy management system extends to waste energy from refrigeration as well.
The hot and cold Panini by PreGel: PreGel America collaborated with Waring Commerical to deliver a new Gelato Panini Press to the market. The co-branded machine is designed to make Panini Gelato sandwiches. It toasts and seals a sweet bun filled with gelato, ice cream or frozen yoghurt and toppings. The end result is a sandwich that is warm on the outside and cool on the inside.
Self-serve at CTP Imaging: CTP Imaging showcased its new tablet kiosk with bakery designer software and online ordering. The self-serve, in-store system,
Lifelike flowers for cakes caught our eye at Avalon Deco Supplies.
which lets customers upload their own photos, features a touchscreen and wireless capability. The software is Windows based, space saving and can be customized to the bakery.
Tightening belts at Ashworth:
Ashworth revealed its Omni-Flex 3 x 1 belts for the first time at IBIE. The belts, which are designed to be more economical and require no sprocket change, are available in widths of 18 to 48 inches. The belts are ideal for conveying pans, trays and large products on turn-curve spiral systems.
Hip to be square at CakeShooters:
Larry Bach, owner of Sprinkles Custom Cakes, discovered that a school in his area was complaining about the mess kids were making with cakes, a mess to the point where they didn’t want to order cakes anymore. He started serving cakes in the round push-pop format, but discovered that it was far more “hip to be square.” He redesigned the round push-pop into a square plastic container with a flat cap as a three-piece item with a built-in hole to insert a skewer for display. Bach now holds a patent (US
Pat#D687,670 S) on his square design. In the booth, he was demonstrating via video that it was 19 per cent faster to make the square cake shooters and there was 30 per cent less wasted cake. Bach calls it an “ideal product for a food truck.”
Rose-making robotics at Unifiller: Unifiller Systems showed off robotic technology capable of finishing cakes with various writings and drawings at high speed, yet versatile enough to finish cupcakes with intricate rose petals. Unifiller says this is an industry first from them using their latest robot, the Dec-Bot Robot.
Automating macaroons at Bakon USA: Those looking for a faster way to make the popular French macaroon cookies may be interested in Bakon’s new Drop TT tabletop depositor. The Drop TT is designed especially for macaroons, choux, eclairs, cupcakes and muffins.
Head into the clouds at TwinPeaks: TwinPeaks Online is transitioning from designing traditional desktop software to developing cloud solutions. The company introduced POMePOS, its web- and tablet-based point-of-sale software for
lour Con f ections Wholesale Cake
Membership Fee or
24/7 online at: www.flourconfections.com
Satin Ice, Enjay, Culpitt, Confectioners Choice Fondarific, SugarFlair, Fondx, Americolor, JEM, Patchwork, SugarVeil, Crown Cookware, Designer Stencils, FMM, PME, and much more..
bakeries. The product is designed to work with Android-based 10-inch tablets. The software, which will work in the event of lost Internet connection, includes ways to manage wholesale accounts and to receive and process future orders as well as cake orders that allow for custom modifiers and attributes. Although IBIE proved to be a testament to innovation, entertainment was not forgotten. There was a bevy of beautiful cakes to “ooh and aahh” over for Pillsbury Bakers’ Plus Creative Decorating Competition, and of course the smell of fresh raisin bread during the America’s Best Raisin Bread Contest. There also was a full schedule of seminars for bakers to choose from. All in all, it was a jam-packed show offering something for everyone.
The next IBIE will be held Oct. 8 to 11, 2016, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. / BJ
Wise Wo R ds
Convincing consumers to purchase your goods has little to do with the product itself, at least initially.
Before your food can prove its delicious worthiness, the label must do the talking. While many consumers will eventually look to the nutrition facts label on the side of the product, manufacturers can grab their attention by pulling out key nutritional elements that meet a perceived dietary need. Formulating a label that speaks to dietary concerns in today’s market is crucial to selling your product, and it’s important to know what consumers are thinking on both sides of the border. Here, we take a look at what’s happening with American consumers.
Harry Balzer, chief industry analyst with market research firm NPD Group and author of Eating Patterns in America, has been monitoring American eating habits and their influences for decades. One question that he’s been asking consumers to weigh in on since 1985 is this: I frequently check labels to determine whether the foods I buy contain anything I’m trying to avoid.
}“In 1985 when we first asked the question, 71 per cent of Americans said they agreed with this statement on some level. By 1995, when nutrition facts labels were released, that number reached 82 per cent. Today it’s 70 per cent. The label has a value in giving you factual information about the product; it’s just that it’s losing its pizzazz,” he explains.
“Protein: 23 per cent of the population now checks for the amount of protein. Five years ago that number was 19 per cent. It is the only category that’s increasing.”
David Sprinkle, publisher at Packaged Facts, says consumers are looking for positive attributes in their food products, such as natural and organic, as well as formulation attributes like multi-grain and nutritional attributes like high fibre and protein.
“To a significant degree, these have gained momentum at the expense of the negatives-removed attributes, such as the low-fat, low-sugar, low-sodium, and low-cal positioning that defined a previous generation of ‘better for you’ products, although these remain very important to large sets of consumers. Newer ‘negative’ claims, such as gluten-free and GMO-free complicate the picture,” Sprinkle says.
In fact, GMO-free items are gaining huge momentum in today’s market and products that are able to make this claim in prominent positions on the front of the label are bound to resonate with consumers. Balzer’s research shows genetically modified foods to be the next big food issue
Interestingly, Balzer has found that all of these numbers are declining from their peak years and a new category is emerging.
that the public will be concerned with.
2007 and therefore may not be your best bet to attract new customers to your product. While the number of American consumers purchasing organic foods doubled from 2003 to 2006, leaping from 13 per cent to 26 per cent, that number has now declined to 22 per cent. “Organic had a real growth rate from 2003 to 2006 and then it just stopped. We cannot find more organic users in this country since the recession began in 2007 . . . Now, 22 per cent is a big number. That means one in five people walking into a supermarket will buy organic, so it’s not a small number, but it’s not growing,” explains Balzer.
“The movement towards adding beneficial substances also looks to be behind us and, if anything, it looks like we’re focusing more now on digestive health issues. Gluten-free is by far the most noteworthy of the changes. Probiotics is still an issue; more people are saying they’d like to get probiotics in their diet. But the movement toward whole grains, the concern about getting more whole grains in their diet, getting more antioxidants – even dietary fibre – these are not growing these days. They had their day about two or three years ago and are now experiencing a decline.”
Balzer says manufacturers are now taking it upon themselves to highlight on the front of the package the things that consumers look to the label for most often. So, which nutritional facts are consumers most interested in? His research has found that 46 per cent of Americans look for the amount of calories that a product contains, while 43 per cent look for the amount of sugar, 40 per cent look for sodium content and 39 per cent look at fat content. Interestingly, Balzer has found that all of these numbers are declining from their peak years and a new category is emerging.
“Over 50 per cent of the adult population now expresses some level of concern about genetically modified foods in their diet. More Americans are concerned than not concerned these days, so that will be an issue to play out at some point with labelling,” says Balzer.
The gluten-free market is also an area that’s experiencing rapid growth. Consumers are jumping on the bandwagon, with 30 per cent of the adult U.S. population saying they would like to cut gluten from their diet, despite only a very small portion of the population having a confirmed diagnosis of celiac disease, according to Balzer’s research. “Gluten-free is a remarkable story and it is the issue of the day,” he says.
Organics on the other hand have plateaued since the recession began in
Given that consumer attitudes toward food are constantly shifting, the task of deciding which attributes to highlight on your product label can be daunting. While foods with high protein content, glutenfree items and non-GMO products are goods that consumers are increasingly interested in; these will undoubtedly be replaced with new dietary fads and trends down the road.
Nevertheless, if you can tie into current dietary trends on your product’s label, you are sure to entice shoppers to pick it up and give it a try. Market research firms are continually studying consumer habits and their findings can be a helpful tool when deciding on which nutritional facts to showcase on the front of the label. By knowing which food attributes matter most to consumers, you can effectively reach them through clever label designs that resonate. / BJ
Julie Fitz-Gerald is a freelance writer based in Uxbridge, Ont., and a regular contributor to Bakers Journal.
Tapping
Maste R ing social M edia
Five years ago, Facebook was a popular outlet for sharing vacation photos, LinkedIn was a helpful way to receive recommendations and Twitter and Pinterest were unheard of. Today, however, Facebook has been used to build million-dollar business enterprises, LinkedIn is used for free test marketing in closed groups, Twitter breaks live updates before you hear them on the news, and Pinterest delivers tasty eye candy to draw people into shops and websites in record numbers.
Social media has become one of the best ways to grow a brand in stages. All you need to do is add creativity, passion and consistency to snag the attention of your target audience. However, many small business owners get stuck because they are not sure how often to post, tweet, share, comment, repost, retweet and interact with people on these platforms.
}More importantly, what are you supposed to say? And finally, how much time should you budget in your day to use these platforms? After all, someone still has to make the doughnuts or truffles.
that brand themselves by speaking directly to their community. Studies have shown that customers in the baking and confectionary industry would rather give their money to a business with an active Facebook fan page rather than one with an inactive page that hasn’t been updated in at least seven days.
2. use a socIal meDIa DashboarD to scheDule Posts (eIGht mInutes)
Sometimes, the most opportune time to post material is when you are in the kitchen getting your hands dirty. Create a virtual clone by signing up for a free social media dashboard with scheduling capabilities. My favourites are HootSuite and Gremln. They allow you to schedule posts that include pictures, video and more for any time between five minutes from now and 12 months in the future. Why it works: If you travel for trade shows, events, have a sick day or just need
Building a winning social media strategy today is based on the concept of building an ecstatic community that can vouch for your business.
By far, the most popular question of the bunch is “how can I make time for social media to keep my business afloat?” Here are three steps you can try in 10 minutes that I showcased in my presentation at this year’s National Chocolate and Dessert Show.
1. say hI (one mInute)
Imagine that posting on Facebook and Twitter is as easy as having a conversation with a good friend. Get to know what is going on in the lives of your followers, and vice versa. Ask how their morning is going, and show pictures and posts that sum up your morning so far. Can they relate? If so, they will talk back, share your posts and ask questions.
Why it works: Customers enjoy spending their money with businesses
a vacation, you won’t abandon your social media community. You can still keep the party going and the conversation flowing if you have to step away, and you can plan posts for the upcoming week (or month) in just a few minutes.
3. chanGe your coVer Photo (one mInute)
Cover photos are the customizable banners you see on social media platforms from Google+ to Facebook to LinkedIn company pages.
Why it works: You can share a message with your customers that will not disappear to the bottom of the page as you update your posts. Do you want to thank the individuals that came to your pastrymaking event? Snap a photo with your phone and post it. Are you debuting a new dessert? Take a teaser picture and let your
community know what’s coming soon. These cover photos are placed prominently at the top of the page, so use this free real estate to your advantage.
If you can make your customers feel like they are about to taste something unique and special, you have them for life. Carry this momentum into your social media and you will create a very powerful branding force that can significantly grow your business on- and offline.
Lauren Young is an award-winning author, professional speaker and the CEO & Founder of Freshly Baked Communications in Chicago, Ill. Her newest book, Stir – Achieving the Perfect Marketing Mix, is available in stores now.
For more on business, visit www. bakersjournal.com / BJ
(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
• BAG CLOSURES & LABELS • BAG CLOSING EQUIPMENT • KWIK LOK TAGS
PIERRE GENDRON
Regional Sales Manager
254 Rue De Thebes, Laval, QC H7M 5P2 1-888-KWIK LOK (594) 5565 Cell: (514) 710-9364 • E-mail: pierreg@kwiklok.com
176 SHELDON DRIVE, CAMBRIDGE, ONTARIO N1R 7K1 TELEPHONE: (519) 623-5140 FAX: (519) 623-1421 1-888 KWIK LOK (594-5565)
SUPPLIES
Dutchess Bakers Machinery Co.
Model JN Semi-Auto Divider/Rounder
4-in-1 machine capability, 36, 18, 9 & 6-part heads
Heads can be removed or interchanged without tools in seconds
NSF & UL certified, Made in America
2-Year parts & labor warranty.
Heads can be washed in a sink or dishwasher.
High production rate - low maintenence Easy to train and operate.
Model BMIH-36/18 Dough Divider
2-in-1 machine capability - 36 & 18-parts 1oz up to 8oz each piece scaling range.
Mounts to a Portable Stand for mobility (Optional) Divide many types of dough including sticky pie and cookie dough in addition to bread and bun doughs.
Contact our Canadian Representative @ eric@bloemhof.com www.dutchessbakers.com - sales@dutchessbakers.com
-
Bread Baking: a n a rtisan’s Pers P ective
A guide to making artisan breads practically and profitably, Bread Baking: An Artisan’s Perspective includes step-by-step instructions on mixing, fermentation, shaping, proofing and retarding, and baking.
Covering the business of bread-making, this book features practical advice from successful artisan bakers as well as 40-plus tested artisan bread formulas, including ciabatta, pain au levain, bagels, honey whole wheat, croissants, and many more. Artisan bread baker and teacher Dan DiMuzio provides invaluable information on troubleshooting, ingredients, laminated dough, and creating dough formulas. Professional bakers and baking and pastry students will benefit from this practical resource to artisan breads.
at 613-679-0997 or email owner at: cakesonstphilippes@bellnet.ca.
heMP For heaLTh
Hemp is high in dietary fibre, omega 3 and 6, as well as protein
Have you ever baked with hemp? Hemp is a fascinating crop, but there still is some confusion and lack of awareness about it. Let’s start by understanding what hemp is, then expand on the Canadian agricultural impact, and identify the potential health benefits and innovative ways the baking industry is using it.
What is the difference between marijuana and hemp? Both industrial hemp and marijuana are taxonomically classified as cannabis sativa. However, hemp lacks much of the primary stimulating psychoactive ingredient in marijuana known as delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
}Hemp is bred to maximize the amount of fibre, seed and/or oil characteristics, whereas marijuana breeding aims to increase the THC (which usually falls between four and 20 per cent). Canadian hemp growers must obtain the appropriate licences from Health Canada and hemp planted in Canada must have less than 0.3 per cent THC.
When it comes to health potential, perhaps the most unique characteristic of hemp is its fatty acid composition. It contains a balanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-6 gamma linolenic acid (GLA) is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. We know that both the brain and eyes rely on specific fatty acids and it is interesting that current research is identifying how much is needed for specific regions of each organ.
Dr. Miyoung Suh, RD, PhD, and associate professor at the University of Manitoba, agrees.
“The high GLA and the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in hemp has the potential as an anti-inflammatory in human health. The same fatty acid ratio is demonstrating a positive relationship for eye and brain health in animal models. However, more human research is necessary determine hemp’s
Hemp seeds have a balanced ratio of between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids with the latter particularly known for its antiinflammatory properties.
for wheat flour if you want a punch of protein and dietary fibre. It gives a slightly darker bake. And finally, hemp oil can be used in baking; however, it has a smoke point of 375 F so it is best in low-temperature recipes.”
When it comes to health potential, perhaps the most unique characteristic of hemp is its fatty acid composition. It contains a balanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids.
specific relationship to our health.”
Kim Shukla, executive director of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance located in Manitoba, shared fascinating information with me about its uses.
“Farmers have been growing hemp in Canada since 1998 [after a half-century absence] with 70 per cent for human consumption and 30 per cent for industrial purposes. In Canada, we are supporting the research of dual-purpose varieties for both food and fibre. Our mandate includes creating awareness among key stakeholders and consumers of the potential benefits [including health] of hemp seed, powder and oil. As a foodstuff, we see a wide variety of end users, from the small artisan baker to commercial supplement businesses.”
I’m often sent food, beverage and ingredient samples (a perk of being a dietitian). Recently, Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts showed up on my doorstep. Afterwards I contacted Mike Fata, who is the CEO and co-founder of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods, for the hemp 411 regarding how everyone from artisan to large commercial baker is using hemp seeds, powder and oil in their sweet and savoury baked goods and breads.
“Consumers are demanding more whole foods that are safe for people with food sensitivities,” says Fata. “Hemp is used in gluten free and specialty baking. The Hemp Hearts [shelled hemp seeds] give a slightly nutty flavour, creamy texture and increase the protein and omega [3 and 6] content of the baked goods. Bakers are adding them to batter and dough for muffins, cookies and breads. Our hemp protein powder is like spelt flour – it is denser than regular wheat flour. It can be used as a partial replacement
My last question to him was about the shelf life and he assured me that it is similar or slightly better than that of baked goods made with flax seed as hemp foods contain natural vitamin E.
Finally, I’m leaving you with tips from an artisan baker I met while writing this column. Natalie Dueck (a.k.a. The Manitoba Bread Lady) has been baking with hemp for almost a decade and selling it at the St. Norbert Farmers Market as well as through local businesses. She is renowned for her breads, chocolate wafers and granola, which she makes using mostly hempseed. Dueck’s recommendation for hemp protein powder is to substitute no more that 25 per cent to get a delicious product. She says, “Consumer awareness of the nutritional benefits of hemp has greatly increased over the last five years and this demand has us expanding our business.” / BJ
Jane Dummer, RD, is a leading dietitian for the Canadian food and nutrition industry. Jane offers services specializing in agri-food, functional foods and food safety. For more information, visit www.janedummer.com.
Good listeners make good business partners.
As a Dawn customer, you’ll have our undivided attention. We know there are never enough hours in the day. So we won’t waste a minute of yours. We’ll listen carefully to you and bring you our insights and resources to help you grow your business. We’re committed to helping you succeed and that’s why we’re adding new products and solutions so we can serve you better. After all, a good partnership is more than just listening to each other, it’s about growing together.