Centennial College students create menus inspired by journey to Spain
3X SOFTER ON DAY 3
A group of students and their instructors from Centennial College’s baking and pastry program took an exciting trip to the InterSICOP conference in Madrid, Spain, and brought home inspiration. See page 8.
Scientists
BY COLLEEN CROSS
Every business has a story. We were excited and honoured to be in the presence of so many creative, inspiring bakers, pastry chefs and entrepreneurs at the recent Bakery Showcase trade show and conference in Toronto.
We use this space to shine a light on two such passionate entrepreneurs we hosted on a panel called “Culture Talk” sponsored by FCC – a forum for these inspiring women who made their dreams reality by sticking to their visions and putting in the work.
Both businesses were conceived and opened during the pandemic. Misri Sweet Finales, a catering business specializing in Indian desserts, classics and fusion creation based in Mississauga, was started, on a whim. “I thought, what does this market need? What am I missing that I want to go out, that I want to buy, that I want to eat?”
Chef Tammy Maki, the owner of Raven Rising Global Indigenous Chocolates based in Sudbury, Ont., is a pastry chef, baker and entrepreneur. From the start Chef Maki wasn’t thinking about a bricks-and-mortar business. She had a bigger mission: “Indigenous people as a whole are storytellers and knowledge keepers. And it’s part of my company’s ethos to also impart knowledge and share what I learned. So as part of the ’60s Scoop, I was separated from my culture and my knowledge.”
JUNE 2024 | VOL. 84, NO. 3
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‘Keep it bootstrapped, start out small, and then grow slowly, one day at a time.’
–Noorayn Meraj, Misri Sweet Finales
Chocolate, which has persisted as a favourite for centuries, became a vehicle for that mission and an efficient ecommerce website became the means to that end. Said Chef Maki: “This business has allowed me to learn so much, and experience so much, and I get so excited about that. It’s awesome to be able to share that with my customers. My absolute passion in everything that I do out of all of my products are our handcrafted bonbons. Every month I make four different bonbons. And usually two of them are Indigenous-ingredient-forward. We also include tasting notes with every box. Each ingredient is paired with a specific chocolate. The chocolate is my vehicle for that ingredient introduction, so I can get people to eat pretty much anything I want in chocolate.”
Meraj described her beginnings: “I started out as a chef and I just moved to Canada seven years ago. Through my global travels, and devouring all desserts everywhere, we started thinking, how can we depict Canada in our business, it’s a melting pot of different cultures. We infused Indian desserts into French pastry, we infused English desserts with, say, something with the Iranian and Persian touch to it. So that’s basically the core of my business.”
Meraj emphasized the sense of confidence she’s gained from running your own business: “Being a single person operation, you’re handling everything, you’re handling your procurements, you’re handling your sales queries, you’re handling the cleaning, the cooking, you’re handling all your personal chores as well. There’s so much going on, it entirely takes over your life. But I don’t think there’s anything more gratifying than this whole process.”
The pair, who walked the trade show floor together after meeting in person for the first time, had advice for other entrepreneurs in this industry.
Said Chef Maki: “I think if you’re even considering opening up a business, know your product, know what you’re going to do, be aware that you’re going to be living eating and breathing that product 24-7. There is no escape, there are no holidays, there are no days off. But if you love it, it doesn’t matter.”
Meraj advised: “Keep it bootstrapped, start out small, and then grow slowly, one day at a time. It’s going to take time. It’s going to be hard work, but it’s going to be so rewarding.”
Look for more on this conversation in upcoming issues and online at bakersjournal.com. / BJ
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briefly | Bridor to acquire Pandriks; Canada may see 5% boost in wheat output; Commercial Bakeries acquires Imagine Baking | For more news in the baking world, check out our website: bakersjournal.com
Roula Kadimi, a graduating student in the baking and pastry arts management program at Humber College, won first place in the “My Canada” Student Cake Competition sponsored by Dawn Foods. The competition, designed to highlight the professional bakers of tomorrow, was held at Bakery Showcase in Toronto May 5-6.
Kadimi’s five-tier cake was themed “Behold My Canada.” She described her entry in part as follows: “At its base, it is a homage to Canadian icons: a maple syrup bottle, a beaver, a hockey stick, and a puck, and maple leaves all crafted carefully from gum paste and isomalt sugar. Above, a maple tree trunk rises proudly, symbolizing the strength and resilience I found upon arriving in this land.”
The tiered cake was topped off with a representation of a “serene and majestic” lake at Banff, Alta. Kadimi applied wrapping techniques to encase gum paste maple leaves, a hockey stick and puck and other figures, and isomalt sugar to create the bottle of maple syrup. Graham crumbs were employed to add an earthy touch of soil.
LEFT to RIGHT: 1st Place – Roula Kadimi; 2nd Place and People’s Choice – Kelsea Pacson; 3rd Place – Vanessa
Fellow Humber student Kelsea Pacson won second place and the People’s Choice. Pacson’s “Canadian Comfort” cake expressed a feeling of home: “Immediately when I think of Canada, it reminds me of home. I wanted to bring a sense of comfort and warmth to my cake where the theme is Canadian fall. Many components of this cake translate to the flavours of the actual cake.” Techniques used included piping, fondant work, hand painting and sugar work.
Vanessa Levesque, also of Humber College, earned third place. Levesque described her entry (“A Sweet Story, Eh!”) as follows: “The inspiration behind my
creation reflects cherished Canadian memories created with family and exploring small pastry shops during my trips as I matured, which motivated me to pursue a career as a pastry chef.” Techniques used included fondant work, cocoa butter painting, small gum paste people and hand-sculpted figures, airbrushing and wood, concrete, stone and brick textures.
Students highlighted aspects of Canadian regional foods, ingredients and culture. They crafted cakes ahead of the competition that were displayed throughout Showcase and created complementary cake-centred plated desserts for the judges to evaluate on presentation, technique, creativity and taste.
Judges were Austin D’Souza, business development manager for Dawn Food, Marlene O’Connell, membership director for Retail Bakers of America, and Aron Weber, chair and instructor for the professional baking arts program at Vancouver Island University.
Thank you to Dawn Foods for sponsoring this competition and showcase for talent.
NAIT BAKES is a five-day Masters Workshop event geared to professionals in the baking industry. In small groups of peers, participants will learn and practice new techniques with high-profile guest instructors.
Don’t miss this outstanding opportunity for hands-on professional development set for June 24-28 at NAIT Main Campus (11762 – 106 Street Edmonton, AB, Canada, T5G 2R1).
Learn more at nait.ca.
Loblaw Companies Limited has announced its support for a revised version Canada’s Grocery Code of Conduct that requires all major industry participants to sign the Code.
The Code, which has been developed over the past two years by the FederalProvincial and Territorial Ministers of Agriculture as a volunteer, industry-led solution, has been a collaboration by organizations within the grocery industry
including retailers, processors and manufacturers.
“It is welcome news that Loblaw has agreed to participate in the Grocery Code of Conduct,” said Michael Graydon, chair of the Interim Board for the Code of Conduct.
“We are one step closer to the implementation of the Code as we continue to work with all industry partners to ensure we have maximum participation by all stakeholders.”
The vital $16-billion Canadian baking sector faces considerable challenges in securing sufficient labour, increasingly relying on Temporary Foreign Workers to bridge the gap despite continuing to flourish, providing essential products and significant employment opportunities, the Baking Association of Canada said in a statement. TFWs play a crucial role in maintaining labour stability, enabling bakeries to plan for growth, operate efficiently, and, in many cases, remain in business, the BAC said. These workers help uphold the integrity of Canada’s broader food supply chain, allowing bakeries to meet consumer demand despite challenges such as ingredient shortages.
The BAC advocates for a robust support system and open dialogue to reform and improve the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, aiming to better support workers and employers. It underscores the value of sustaining and enhancing the program and expresses concerns over recent changes to measures under the Workforce Solutions Road Map. The BAC advocates for a robust support system and open dialogue to reform and improve the TFWP, aiming to better support both workers and employers. We urge the federal government to reconsider this latest decision, and to enhance pathways to permanent residency, facilitating smoother transitions for TFWs who wish to become permanent residents. For the BAC’s full statement, visit baking.ca/bac-news.
The Ontario government is introducing new policy and legislative measures to attract more young people to the skilled trades, including adding a new apprenticeship pathway and an online job matching platform.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development is creating a new stream, called Focused Apprenticeship Skills Training (FAST), that will allow students in Grades 11 and 12 to participate in more apprenticeship learning through additional co-operative education
credits while completing high school. Graduates would receive a new seal on their Ontario Secondary School Diploma to signify their successful completion of the program and recognize them for their dedication to learning in the skilled trades.
The province also is launching an online job-matching portal for potential apprentices, journeypersons and employers to network and share opportunities, and streamline the process for potential apprentices to find interested sponsors, register and begin their training.
Farinart, a specialist in the processing and mixing of grains and seeds for the baking industry, has acquired all the assets of Malterie Frontenac craft brewery.
Founded in 2006 and based in Thetford Mines, Canada, Malterie Frontenac originally served craft breweries. However, over time Founder and Master Brewer-Maltster, Bruno Vachon, developed a sprouting and malting expertise to also meet the specific needs of bakeries. Since its beginnings, the company has mainly processed local grains such as barley, wheat, rye and oats. Over the past 15 years, the company has developed a diversified customer base in the brewing and baking markets.
Bimbo Canada announced today plans to close its bakery in Lévis, Quebec the week of July 1, 2024. Products made at the facility can be baked at other bakeries where there is available capacity, primarily located in Quebec, the company said.
The bakery employs approximately 95 associates. Affected associates will receive severance packages, as well as personal counselling and ongoing outplacement services and workshops. In addition, associates will be encouraged to apply for open positions in other bakeries in the region, for example in Québec city and Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce (Vachon).
The Province also is proposing legislative measures to reduce barriers to apprenticeship training for workers who have prior professional experience but cannot meet certain academic entry requirements to register as an apprentice.
Agroup of students and instructors in Centennial College’s baking and pastry program took part in an exciting trip to the InterSICOP Conference in Madrid, Spain, in February.
The industry event focused on bakery, pastry, ice cream, coffee and innovative equipment.
The Faculty-led International Program (FLIP) gives students a chance to represent Centennial College on the world stage and broaden their understanding of the food-service industry and see first hand the latest innovations in culinary equipment and machinery. Meneses saw an opportunity to attend the InterSICOP food trade show and Global Experiences internal helped them organize the trip.
Highlights include food tastings, a bean-to-bar chocolate experience with KAICAO, food stall/market tours, tourism and sightseeing activities, a day trip to Toledo, Spain, and professional networking opportunities.
“Spain is an unbelievable country, rich with history, food and forward with their techniques and technology while also highlighting their local ingredients. Our baking students enjoyed every detail of the
itinerary,” said Demi Meneses, chef professor of the Centennial’s baking and pastry arts program and Work Integrated Learning Coordinator.
Meneses described a bean-to-bar chocolate experience with KAICAO as the highlight of the trip and a relevant learning experience for the students. They engaged in a chocolate factory, delighted their senses, smelled and tasting the roasted cacao beans and engaged in learning a new technique of crystallizing chocolate.
The learning did not end there. On their return to Canada, students introduced their new innovative knowledge and developed a 10-course tasting menu that they served to family and friends at a gala event called Azulejos, which is Spanish for the small tiles they saw reflected in architecture and design throughout their journey.
“We thought this was a great opportunity to do a tasting menu as our work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunity,” Meneses said. Typically their Capstone projects could involve working in a restaurant or developing a menu. “We thought, let’s see if we can new techniques and new plating styles.”
A couple of students were experienced in culinary so that helped develop recipes.
The evening took a couple of months to conceptualize and plan. Students were given assessments and ideas to guide them every week or so.
Methods included tuilles, which are intricate custom stencils. One pastry mirrored a pastry with a flowery icon design seen on a day trip in Toledo. The young chefs were inspired by reds, oranges and pinks they experienced in Madrid (versus blue often seen in Barcelona).
Said Meneses: “They definitely gained a lot more skills in terms of research-based skills. Doing assessments every other week, looking up safety and precautions for the trip, locality of spices. In North America we are open to a lot of multiculturalism but for international students it might have been their first time.
“We went in February and researched what seasonal ingredients to look for while we’re there – fruits and vegetables – that we can incorporate into our menus.
“For the students, it was the first time coming up with a concept and executing it themselves. The first time they had to calculate the yield needed for 50 guests. Coming up with new innovative techniques based on what learned on Grande app. This took them out of their comfort
Continued on page 25
The celebration was sweet and successful at George Brown College’s Room 4 Dessert competition in April, which saw graduating Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts baking and pastry arts students showcase their signature desserts in this first annual tour de force of sweet and savoury dishes.
The much-anticipated evening, which took place in the school’s atrium, saw 35 teams of four students to each team present the delicious fare from dozens of countries, and where each dish was a painstaking work of art that would have rivalled dishes found in any award-winning eaterie around the globe.
Each team presented a selection of mocktails, savoury dishes, desserts and the most stunning chocolates found outside a professional chocolatier’s business. Each recipe was meticulously researched for its history and traditional ingredients. And all the students unleashed their vibrant creativity in order to produce delicate works of edible art, with each mouthful bursting with layers of flavour.
Ching Tsang Sze and Ming Ngai Cheung, members of the winning team representing Scandinavia, served up a menu featuring chilled cucumber soup, mini croissant, almond berries mousse cake, meatball sandwhich, fika bar, golden apple bonbon washed down with butterfly pea lemonade.
The skills these students displayed were incredible,’ said Chef David Haman, a pastry chef and one of the school’s dedicated team of culinary professors.
Some students were daring in their ingredient list, while others paid homage to beloved recipes representing the various countries. Of note was the use of citrus in many of the dishes, and classic ingredients like maple syrup were put to good use, especially to showcase the identity of the various countries, particularly in dishes celebrating Canada.
Tickets for the event were $65 and sold out almost immediately.
“The skills these students displayed were incredible,” said Chef David Haman, a pastry chef and one of the school’s dedicated team of culinary professors, who was on hand to make sure things went smoothly during the evening.
“These were second-year students and what I personally found amazing was the fact that many of these students had
absolutely zero skills when they first started.
“We are talking students who had no idea how to peel a carrot, or had ever whipped cream in their lives . . . to see the dedication, professionalism and sheer creativity was beyond inspiring and exciting.”
This is the next generation of bakers and pastry chefs, added Chef Jennifer Lakhan-D’Souza, a pastry chef, instructor and program developer at George Brown, and herself an alumnus of the school.
A team representing Scandinavia earned top honours with their menu featuring chilled cucumber soup, mini croissant, almond berries mousse cake, meatball sandwhich, fika bar, golden apple bonbon washed down with butterfly pea lemonade. Team members
are Ching Tsang Sze, Elsa Lee, Ming Ngai Cheung and Ling Chau Man.
Placing second was a Sweet Amigos Dulceria menu featuring a tropical verrine, consisting of colourful layers of mango panna cotta, raspberry jelly, papaya mousse and coconut-lime streusel. Team members are Andrea Rizzotto, Riley Nichols, Isha Noorpuri and Mary Catherine Sutiangso.
The Amalfi Café menu featuring brioche supreme filled with chocolate hazelnut pastry cream placed third. Team members are Debbie Arlette, Alyssa Sampson, Samantha Scarfo Noworacki and Bee De Carvalho.
Students received monetary awards donated by the Baking Association of Canada Ontario Chapter.
Lakhan-D’Souza was one of the judges for the event, and she admitted it was a tough go. “We could only have first, second and third placing, but all the students did an exceptional job for this event.” / BJ
BY DIANE CHIASSON
Creating clever and appealing merchandising displays can help retailers entice customers to buy
You may think merchandising as a concept is necessary only for other grocery or supermarket retailers. Merchandising refers to the variety of products you have available for sale in your bakery shop and the display of those products in a way that stimulates interest and entices customers to purchase.
}To determine where your bakery may be missing out on opportunities to sell your freshly baked products, look at what your customers see when they enter your bakery. Shoppers stay to their right-hand side when they enter a store and continue walking along the perimeter to do much of their buying Always bring your fresh products up front and make sure they are of the highest quality, well presented and delivered with excellent customer service.
4. BAKE SPECIALTY BREADS
Keep your specialty breads separate from your traditional breads to highlight their uniqueness. Use proper signage to indicate what makes these breads so special, such as the ingredients you use or the unique way you made them.
Add simple extras to your products, such as gourmet chocolate chips, sea salt flakes, fancy sprinkles or toasted coconut toppings on your muffins and banana breads. They dress up the products and increase their perceived value to the customer.
Giving your customers a chance to taste your products and opportunities to ask questions is the best way to realize a sale.
6. USE FARMHOUSE BAKING TOOLS
Use traditional baking equipment such as flour bags and scoops, wooden breadboards and shelves, wicker baskets and pottery to add authenticity to your displays.
7. MAKE SMALL ITEMS BIGGER
Here are 15 quick and successful in-store bakery merchandising strategies.
The first rule for displaying baked goods is to treat every item carefully. Do not pile, stack or cram your products onto a shelf. Not only is this visually unappealing, but you are likely damaging your products.
2.
Bake small batches of goods throughout the day to attract customers using aroma. Use a fan to blow the bakery smells out onto the street to entice passersby. An inviting aroma is a great in-store bakery sales driver!
3. OFFER SMALLER FOOD ITEMS
Bake smaller loaves, offer bread by the half loaf, or sell half-cakes or pies to entice curious customers to try a product they might not want to spend money on for an entire whole loaf or cake.
Pay close attention to the volume of your products. Making your doughnuts, muffins and brownies bigger, for example, turns them into a “gourmet” muffin, translating into more significant sales.
8. SHOW OFF YOUR DESSERTS
Desserts are primarily regarded as an impulse buy in most bakeries. They are best sold at or near the cash register, on top of the bakery counter, on the top row of a display case or at the take-out pickup point. Surprise your customers by using bright and vibrant decorations.
9. PUT DESSERTS NEAR REGISTERS
Another great place to sell dessert items is wherecustomers wait to be served. As they wait, they look around. And who can resist buying a tempting dessert treat? You can also position your cinnamon scrolls, butter tarts, cookies, loaves of bread or pies on a tiered table at your store’s entrance. Offer customers free samples of fresh, hot bread with jams, butter and spreads you sell.
10. RESHAPE YOUR DESSERTS
People also tend to purchase desserts based on size. The bigger, the better. They are also always looking for something unusual, especially when it comes to shape.
11. PAIR YOUR PRODUCTS
If you use display cases, highlight and dress up your products by pairing them with fresh fruits, herbs, flowers or even a bottle of champagne. All those props help to convey the feeling of freshness.
12. OFFER FREE SAMPLES
Offer free samples! I cannot stress how beneficial sampling can be for bakeries. Giving your customers a chance to taste your products and opportunities to ask questions is the best way to realize a sale. Sampling also allows your staff to educate your customers. It is probably the best merchandising tool a bakery has available.
13. USE GREAT POP MATERIALS
Use colourful point-of-purchase materials such as posters, brochures, pamphlets, shelf talkers, bags and recipe ideas.
14. DRIVE REPEAT SALES
Drive impulse and repeat sales by training your staff in effective merchandising such as seasonal displays, appealing product presentations, in-store promotions, sampling and product bundling.
15. TRAIN YOUR STAFF
Ensure your staff is well trained and knowledgeable about your bakery’s products, including the basic nutritional information and ingredients. / BJ
Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 35 years by providing innovative and revenue-increasing food service and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns. Contact her at 416-926-1338, send her an email at chiasson@ chiassonconsultlants.com, or visit www. chiassonconsultants.com
Canadian Pizza Summit West where we crown the Pizza Chef of the year for the West! COME JOIN US!
July 8, 2024 at Sysco 1346 Kingsway Ave, Port Coquitlam, BC
In order for us to make this happen and gain National support and recognition of Pizza Chefs and their talents across Canada, we need you!
TAP INTO PIZZA TRENDS AND REFRESH YOUR PIZZA MENU!
Do you make pizza at your bakery? Why not bring your signature pizza to the Canadian Pizza Summit West and Chef of the Year Competition, see how it stacks up and vie to win a trip to compete at the Las Vegas International Pizza Expo!
Connect with a creative Canadian Pizza community! Pizzeria, bakery-café and restaurant owners, operators, managers and your teams, find your pizza community and get up to date on the latest pizza trends? In one exciting Monday, you can see how top pizza makers are innovating! Get connected with your pizza community of chefs, operators and pizza-focused suppliers of equipment, tools, ingredients and services. IT’S FREE TO PIZZERIAS AND THEIR TEAMS!
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Bakery Showcase welcomed more than 1,600 bakery owners, operators and their teams as well as baking and pastry students and instructors May 5-6 at the Toronto Congress Centre.
The annual baking industry trade show and conference, presented by the Baking Association of Canada, featured more than 170 exhibiting companies presenting baking-specific ingredients, equipment, supplies and services.
The Hon. Lisa Thompson,
Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, helped officially open the show with a rousing talk about the intersection of artisan baking and the emergence of automation and technology as a key trend in the baking industry and a focus for her provincial department.
The Hon. Rechie Valdez, Canada’s Minister of Small Business, toured the show with BAC board members. Min. Valdez, a former successful baker and entrepreneur, commented, “I’m in my happy place.”
Highlights included:
A jam-packed panel on Careers in Baking, with solid and varied advice from such diverse baking professionals as Rosalyn Hyslop of Mrs. Dunster’s Bakery based in New Brunswick, and Chef Rodney Alleguede and Bianca Mazza, the entrepreneurs behind Gouter by RA pastry shop in Toronto, and Chef Anna Olson, prolific cookbook author and celebrity chef. The overriding theme of themes of this panel: never stop learning and reach out to those around you for mentorship.
A fascinating panel on artisan baking moderated by
Karen Bornarth, executive director of the Bread Bakers Guild of America (a partner in education with the BAC) gave the floor to passionate bakers Issa Niemeijer-Brown of Gebroeders Niemeijer in Amsterdam, Dawn Woodward of Evelyn’s Crackers in Toronto, Simon Blackwell of Blackbird Baking Co. in Toronto. All talked about putting a high value on the work that goes into a loaf of high-quality artisan bread products and touched on the products, process and people of baking from scratch and selling to a public hungry for
Members of the Baking Association of Canada’s board of directors welcomed The Hon. Lisa Thompson, Minister of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs (centre in blue) to Bakery Showcase, and gave The Hon. Rechie Valdez, Canada’s Minister of Small Business, a tour of the show (see photo on page 3).
artisan bread.
The show kicked off on Sunday morning with the BAC’s annual general meeting.
The BAC’s Food Policy and Sustainability Committee provided an informationpacked update on their advocacy activities.
An extensive educational program filled the Bakers’ Classroom, a dedicated corner of the trade show floor where bakers can meet, learn and share experiences. Highlights of Day 1 sessions included Taking a Successful Community-Based Bakery into the Future, an in-depth conversation with Tabitha and Paul Langel and Ryan Stoesz of Tall Grass Prairie Bakery in Winnipeg exploring their unique history, community relationships and path to transition of ownership of this constantly evolving bakery business. Culture Talk: Celebrating Diversity with Up-and-Comers in Canadian Baking, sponsored by FCC, saw entrepreneurs share cultural insights, values, and community experiences shaping their baking businesses. We heard about moments and decisions that helped launch signature
products, and how they contribute to the expanding consumer appetite, palate and tastes.
In Ask an Expert: Learn from Canada’s Coupe de Monde de la Boulangerie and World Bakery Masters expert Alan Dumonceaux, Academic Chair for Baking and Pastry Arts at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and BAC director/education committee member, discussed common issues for bakers and offered advice on improving formulas by appointment at the BAC’s booth.
Day 2 highlights included engaging panels on Strategies for Facing Adversity, through which we learned about adapting to change and thriving from longtime baking industry leaders, Dufflet Rosenberg of Dufflet Pastries and Tom Mattes of Del’s Fine Pastry Ltd., which suffered a devastating fire and with determination has worked through resulting obstacles to once again thrive.
Courtney Hendrickson of Bay State Milling delivered an eye-opening talk on the benefits of amylose flour to help address health problems, Said Hendrickson, 95 per cent
of the population is fibredeficient, leading to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The company’s HealthSense High-Fiber Wheat Flour, certified by the American Heart Associatio can “close the fibre gap” without compromising taste.
Puratos experts delivered an engaging talk on soft grains “Power Ingredients: Grains, Seeds, and Sourdough.” This session explored the significance of these ingredients in modern baking, delving into their nutritional benefits and flavour profiles. The speakers shared insights into consumer behaviour, attitudes, and future trends while offering best practices to enhance the nutrition, taste, and texture of bakery products.
Rick Gessler of Delkor Packaging showed bakeries how they can harness the power of robotic automation, exemplified by the company’s innovative Cabrio Case flange seal case. to realize packaging material savings in moving from hand-formed to automated packaging.
Watch for more coverage of these lively panels and all show activities in future issues of Bakers Journal and on this
website.
Eric Dell, CEO of the American Bakers Association closed out the speaker program with an informative discussion of issues of concern and priorities for the North American bakery market. Dell, who spends considerable time in Washington, D.C., advocating to the U.S. government for the interests of the baking industry, shared information from the ABA’s recently published playbook. Some insights: In-store bakery is growing as a category. People are willing to splurge on holidays: according to ABA data, 94 per cent will spend extra on products to help them enjoy these occasions. Significantly, 75 per cent of those surveyed think bread is a healthy choice. “That’s huge,” Dell said.
He said AI is being used to help cut costs –not grow revenue, and pointed to such current legislative priorities as workforce legislation, tax policy/relief, the Farm Bill and electricity grid challenges that are preventing some bakeries from expanding. He encouraged bakers to save the date to attend IBIE in Las Vegas Sept. 14-17, 2025. | BJ
Roula Kadimi, a student in the baking and pastry arts management program at Humber College, won first place in the “My Canada” Student Cake Competition sponsored by Dawn Foods. The competition, designed to highlight the professional bakers of tomorrow, was held at Bakery Showcase in Toronto May 5-6.
Kadimi, an immigrant to Canada and permanent citizen since 2022, crafted a five-tier cake themed “Behold My Canada.” She described her entry in part as follows:
“At its base, it is a homage to Canadian icons: a maple syrup bottle, a beaver, a hockey stick, and a puck, and maple leaves all crafted carefully from gum paste and isomalt sugar. Above, a maple tree trunk rises proudly, symbolizing the strength and resilience I found upon arriving in this land.
“The third-tier dances with the four seasons, capturing the essence of Canada’s diverse landscapes. Each season, from the blossoms of spring to the icy embrace of winter, tells a story of transformation and wonder.
“The fourth tier unfurls the Canadian flag in three dimensions, a testament to unity and pride.
“And crowning this masterpiece is Banff Lake, serene and majestic, reflecting the beauty I yearn to explore.”
Kadimi has loved baking most of her life. “I started baking at a very, very young age. I find I forget myself while baking. I realized this is the place I can be creative and be myself,” she says.
A graduate of an early childhood education program, she enjoyed the work but discovered she loved baking even more when she started decorating cakes as a hobby and as gifts for family and friends. She decided to pursue a career in the field.
“With baking I feel even more myself,” she says. “It’s hard work but I’m enjoying it, so I realized it’s the right decision.”
The lifelong learner studied English as
a second language for a year-and-a-half, completed an online baking program, then two years and recently completed the baking and pastry arts management program at Humber College in Toronto.
In her emotional written entry, the budding professional baker says, “Stepping onto Canadian soil felt like finding a sanctuary from the storms of my past.”
“I was born in Damascus, Syria, this is my origin and feel proud that I was there. I feel so sorry about issues going on there. We left because it was not safe.”
She and husband Naiem Othman arrived in Canada in 2018. Their twin boy and girl, Tamim and Maryam – were born here. “They are so lucky,” she says.
“I chose to use the Damascus print, roses and the fragrance of jasmine in my cake design because they are so important to the culture and so famous in Damascus. I wanted to reflect the diversity of Canadian culture. It’s a tribute to my roots and a celebration of my journey to belonging.”
The parts of Kadimi’s cake represent chapters in her Canadian story, including
Continued to page 26
Sunflower kernels are:
available raw or roasted
an excellent alternative to nuts
mild in flavour and add a pleasant crunch to food
a good source of fibre, Vitamin E, zinc and folate
ideal for a variety of foods including: bakery products, granola, snack bars, salad toppings and plant-based foods
It is bittersweet to say goodbye to a member of our team, but Leah Hayward, our membership and events coordinator, is leaving BAC to (pause for effect) open her own bakery. Smør Scandinavian Bakery in Sidney, B.C. (https://www.smor. ca). Leah is a graduate of the Professional Baking and Pastry Program at Vancouver Island University and exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit that our industry celebrates. Leah was also a recipient of
a Futurepreneur grant to help kickstart her business and, at Bakery Showcase last month, it was a pleasure to introduce her to fellow baker the Honorable Rechie Valdez, federal minister of small business development, whose department administers this program. Leah will be missed but I am sure you will join me in wishing her all the best in her new venture.
You will read in this issue details of the successful Bakery Showcase recently held in Toronto. Our BAC chair, Louis Bontorin, and board of directors would like to thank all the sponsors, exhibitors and attendees, as well as our partners and show managers, Annex Business Media and all the support staff who joined together to make this a wonderful event! We will see you in Montreal April 14-15, 2025!
We had a lot of conversations at Bakery Showcase on modern bakery technology and artisan baking and how the gap between the two was narrowing. If a small bakery wants to survive in today’s market, as they scale up, it is more economical to invest in equipment rather than space and more labour. Equipment
manufacturers are scaling down production equipment to meet the requirements of the expanding artisan baking sector. For many years traditional bakers shied away from these technological opportunities (this writer being one of them), but I would gladly trade those years of back-breaking benchwork and burned-out labour for machines that would help with consistency and production without compromising the quality of the finished product.
At a recent visit to Yonnis Doughnuts in Victoria, B.C., we were surprised to find in this small commissary of 1,000 square feet, a shining depositor. Janice Mansfield, the bakery manager, is delighted with this acquisition. The doughnuts are more consistent, they are spending less time producing them and the staff are able to use their time more creatively.
We have reached out to the equipment manufacturers for their thoughts on this trend and plan on dedicating a more indepth article in a future Bulletin.
Continued on page 25
This exciting event on Canada’s east coast will provide bakers with an introduction to the Baking Association of Canada, along with education sessions on the building blocks of baking: flour, dough improvers and conditioners, gluten-free baking and yeast. Learn about BAC membership and its benefits while sharing your delicious baked goods (optional) and mingling. Lunch will be provided!
Register now at baking.ca or scan the QR code.
For more information or to sponsor this event, please email info@baking.ca
SEPT. 17TH, 2024
9:30 A.M. - 5 P.M.
1 Prince Philip Drive P.O. Box 1693 St. John’s, NL A1C 5P7
The agenda will include:
• Introduction to the BAC
• Flour 101 and Q&A
• Dough Conditioners/Dough Improvers 101 and Q&A
• Lunch – sandwiches and snacks will be provided
• Gluten-Free Baking 101 and Q&A
• Yeast 101 and Q&A
• Town Hall Gathering and group discussion
Experts discuss how automation can help the small to medium-sized bakery
Adiverse panel of experts focused on automation for small and medium-sized bakeries, key considerations when automating and what ROI to expect.
Panellists included Peter Jacobs, The Baker’s Workshop; Joe Swiston, vice-president of operations for WOW Factor! Desserts; Thomas Zetlian, plant manager for Arz Fine Foods; Randy Belcot, vicepresident of sales, Reiser Canada; and Alyson Slapkauskas, CEO of ABI Ltd. Here are highlights of our conversation.
WHAT ARE THE CONSIDERATIONS IN DECIDING TO ADD OR INCREASE AUTOMATION?
Thomas Zetlian said, “The bottom line is it’s going to improve your efficiency and give you a better, more consistent product. Every small bakery has a different mindset, product and way of production so you need to really think about it, decide what’s best for you and go from there.”
Joe Swiston suggested that anyone who’s looking at automating fully develop an understanding of what of what they’re doing, knowing what their limitations, the capacity of each piece of equipment is and how it integrates with your full line. “Understand the equipment pieces you’re working with. This could be something as small as a pan or utensil or tool that integrates with the production line. Understanding what each piece
“Automation doesn’t have to be complete new line or a large investment,” said Peter Jacobs. “If you’re an artisan baker, it’s maybe just a matter of getting a new dough divider or a press to press down your cookie dough – something you used to use a rolling pin for.”
does is critical before you make the decision to automate.”
Peter Jacobs has worked with hundreds of bakeries. “Some have what I call a graveyard of equipment. Over time when leadership or ownership changes, everybody is favourable to one piece of equipment or another. Many bakeries have gems sitting there already paid for but don’t have the knowledge of what to do with them. Understand the equipment you have available to you.”
Alyson Slapkauskus offered this: “We see bakeries of all different sizes, so it’s really a solution going in with people who have seen and done these things with other bakeries to help you assess where the challenges are and where to focus. Maybe it’s a labour resource issue, maybe it’s product quality you’re trying to improve, maybe it’s a safety issue.”
Randy Belcot said, “A lot of times people think of a robot that picks something up. But automation could be [as simple as] a conveyer that moves product from one side of the building to another. Usually small to medium-sized customers find that labour is too expensive, they can’t get labour or they need to scale up because they just got a big
contract. Automation is a team sport. If you’ve not done it before, you really need to find a partner that has the understanding, the depth, the knowledge and the support to follow through with you. Once you get the machine in your plant, that’s when the trouble begins if you’re not prepared.”
Panellists agreed that two to three years represents a reasonable return on investment but noted that this calculation is very specific to each operation.
“We get involved with our customers regarding ROI because we provide them pieces of equipment that cost them money,” Belcot said. “The cost to that equipment plays into that ROI. Are you reducing labour or eliminating labour? Does it increase speed, efficiency or throughput?”
Slapkauskas spoke to product quality. “When you’re thinking about the shape, the weight – these different types of things that can be automat-
ed, this is another way that it’s payback in terms of scrap materials as well as the product quality that you’re providing to the end customer.”
Zetlian said: “For a small bakery you need to be flexible. You’re buying a piece of equipment to do cookies, for example. Can you do something else with it? Because sometimes your ROI calculation doesn’t work out at the end of two years. You need to be ingenious. You need to figure out if you can do something else with that piece of equipment and put it to use. You need to be able to use that machine all the time to the maximum of the output it can produce for you.”
Jacobs said: “Every little piece of equipment that helped me shave off half an hour at the end of the day to be earlier home to my family and spend time with them – that was automation for me. If I had a hydraulic divider or a balance scale to scale up my pie dough or my bread pieces, that was automation.”
Swiston offered this advice: “If you’ve done all the work up front and you understand all your capacities, you understand what your labour conditions are, where you’re looking to grow your business – those are things that you should know. If you’ve done all your calculations and this is a viable piece and it’s two years or less ROI, I encourage anybody to purchase the piece because it’s going to have a huge impact.” / BJ
Panel of artisan bakers find sustainability means greater stability
Artisan bakers dedicated to the preservation of artisan baking techniques and the cultivation of high-quality ingredients explored the people, products and processes of artisan baking. Karen Bornarth, executive director of the Bread Bakers Guild of America, who has had a varied career at such bakeries as Amy’s Bread and who is deeply involved in workforce development, led the lively talk with Simon Blackwell, owner of Blackbird Bakery, Toronto; Issa Niemeijer-Brown, owner and co-founder of Gebroeders Niemeijer, Amsterdam; and Dawn Woodward, co-owner of Evelyn’s Crackers, Toronto.
Here are just a few highlights of the conversation. Bornarth opened the discussion: “We’re here to talk about the past and the present probably more than the future and what those things mean for the future of our industry and our craft. How has your bakery adapted to changing conditions over the last few years?”
“Operating a bakery coming out of the pandemic was quite difficult,” Blackwell said. “For anybody who’s in the business, you’ll see rising costs of all your ingredients, rising cost of labour. We shrunk our product line a little bit. So we could streamline operations, increased wages across the board, which has been really helpful in trying to maintain staff. Looking forward, we’re thinking of moving more towards our retail model instead of wholesale, because we’re struggling with the costs of making all the deliveries, vehicle costs, fuel costs. We would like to move away from that and concentrate on our own retail shops and on quality. Future thinking involves all parts of your operation.”
Woodward said: “For us, we were busier than ever during the pandemic with home deliveries. And the farmers markets had shut down. So that allowed us to remain in business. We hired people at an increased wage and now with vacation pay, which is a first for us. This is also our first time hiring a completely full-time person. As for the supply-chain hiccups, we were already sourcing local grain, so our prices remained stable. And it just kind of reinforced my belief that the smaller the supply chain, the better. So we’ve been trying to use even more maple syrup and more honey and not rely on imported sweeteners, diversifying even more of the grains we use and looking for other local farmers. We have an environmental ethos behind what we do so trying to support sustainable producers and local producers as much as possible. And usually, hopefully, they’re one and the same.”
Niemeijer-Brown said: “We’re trying to make as few changes as possible and to stick with what we’re doing. At the same time, we have to face the labour shortage. The labour market is totally different in the Netherlands and it’s a really good thing. It means it’s very easy for people who are looking for work and it’s very hard as an employer to find people. And it means that, for baking, nothing changed. But for the café we had to limit our menu. We kept the menu simpler to keep on doing the things that we do in exactly the same way. I’ve also learned to be more flexible, because we had to adjust to different regulations every few months. We
In general, despite the challenges of climate change, product affordability and accessibility, panellists expressed optimism about the future of the industry while emphasizing the need for sustainable and ethical practices.
had a lot of policy changes and a lot of adaptations to make from one day to the other. And it helped me realize that our business is a very sustainable business. It’s very strong. And if something is different for a while, it’s OK. If something doesn’t go right, it’s OK. If there were to be a machine breakdown, it doesn’t stress me out as much as it would have done before.”
Blackwell described going to a shortened work week: “I think we’re a very people-focused business where we put a lot of faith in our employees and the team. We try and treat everybody you know, with respect and pay them as well as we can. We recently moved to a four-day work week for all of our pastry chefs, bread chefs, including the management team. I think people really like that they can work a four-day work week, 10-hour shifts on full-time work, and then take three days off, which is so important where you work hard, you work overnights. It’s exhausting work.”
Niemeijer-Brown: “Because of the labour market, everybody works exactly the hours they want to work with us. It’s kind of tricky, because you want consistency. You want people to be there every day, you want to rely on them. But for the people that are working, I think it’s a great benefit.”
The panellists expressed optimism about the future of the industry, but emphasized the need for sustainable and ethical practices. Climate change and affordability were seen as challenges. Woodward weighed in on the cost of packaging, especially when selling at the market. “How do you just encourage people to bring their own packaging to combine things are introduced the policy to charge extra for boxes? And then just the labour involved in packing pre-orders: how do you charge for that?” / BJ
Top bakers and pastry chefs provided a wide variety of tips and techniques
Puratos’ skilled technical advisors Pedro Sousa and Michael Ranaudo kicked off demeos with ways to use fruit and their signature chocolate products such as theBelcolade line to craft patisserie creations. They emphasized the sustainable quality and versatility of the products under the Cacao-Trace Program.
Chefs Yesim Erkus and Ali Isitmezoglu of Pizza-Boat of Burlington, Ont., made a Turkish-style pizza crust with a unique boat shape. The team also made a unique Turkish rice-based dessert called Kunefe consisting of buttered Kadayif fillo dough with unsalted cheese, sweetened with syrup and served hot with pistachios.
Groundbreaking pastry chef Joanne Yolles of Toronto shared techniques for making the different components of a fresh Almond and Cardamom Rhubarb Tart including how to adapt a recipe for other flavour profiles and to suit the season.
Kirk Borchardt, senior research and development chef, Ardent Mills, introduced attendees to Ardent Mills’ glutenfree, vegan, plant-based Egg Replace, using the three-ingredient, chickpea-based dry alt-egg powder to bake vanilla cupcakes.
Reid McEachran, associate marketing manager, Ardent Mills, explained the benefits of using an egg replacer. He explained that avian flu has created volatility in the egg market. Additionally, customers are looking for typically pricier cage-free egg solutions. Also, consumers want nutrientdense products with clean ingredient decks. For these reasons, McEachran believes bakers would benefit from using alt-egg ingredients in their products.
The product is free of common allergens, including soy, and artificial ingredients. It’s blended in a certified gluten-free facility. It can replace liquid and dry whole eggs in most bakery items and batter applications. Since it contains chickpea, the ingredient helps increase the fibre
content of the baked goods while lowering overall calorie and saturated fats of the product.
During his demo, Chef Kirk rehydrated the egg powder by adding water and letting it sit for 15 minutes. He then used it as one would eggs, noting that, because the chickpea gives the replacer an egg-like colour, bakers don’t need to add colour. He used 33 per cent of the egg replacer when baking cupcakes but shared that it was possible to replace 100 per cent of the egg with this product when making ice creams, cookies, cheesecakes and other products.
Chef Romain Dufour, head chef, Chicago Chocolate Academy, Barry Callebaut, walked participants through the full process of preparing two French classics: Chocolate Kouign Amann and Strawberry Ruby Brioche. The key takeaway from his elaborate, start-to-finish demonstration was the importance of mixing the dough properly. He stressed that the dough is the foundation of baked goods and most of the time product issues could be due to under- or over-mixed doughs. The dough must have a good balance of elasticity and extendibility to create a delicious baked product, he explained. Chef Dufour used buttermilk in his Strawberry Ruby Brioche to help offset the sweetness of the
strawberry confit and heavy cream in the recipe. Sheep yogurt could be used instead of buttermilk. He also suggested using wheat flour with less protein to reduce chewiness and add meltiness. Chef Dufour recommended adding most of the butter and cream after gluten has developed in the dough. When demonstrating the strawberry pastry cream made using Barry Callebaut’s Ruby chocolate (but can be made using other types), he recommended cooking the cream well to remove as much humidity as possible. Another suggestion was to only add pectin when the strawberry confit liquid base hits 45 C.
The Chocolate Kouign (butter) Amann (cake) with chocolate almond cream contained non-alkalized cocoa powder to offer a roasted chocolate flavour to the product as well as to give the kouign amann a dark colour. This pastry, which originated in Brittany, requires a lot of precision. Chef Dufour used a caliper to measure the thickness of the rolled-out dough sheet and adjusted the thickness as needed. / BJ
June 17th at Lakeside Golf Course – Golf tournament to support Baking and Pastry student scholarships
Sept. 17, 2024 at College of the North Atlantic, St. John’s, NL – BAC Atlantic Town Hall Bakers Gathering & Educational Sessions
June 27th at NAIT –NAIT Bakes
June 18th at Bond Head Golf Course – Golf tournament to support Baking and Pastry student scholarships
September 29th at Woodbine Racetrack – Night at the Races
June 19th at Newlands Golf Course – Golf tournament to support Baking and Pastry student scholarships
September 11 –
B.C. BAC Dragons Den –
B.C. Chapter presents an opportunity for local bakers and students to pitch their business ideas to a panel for the opportunity to win valuable training and mentorship prizes, a free one-year membership to the BAC as well as compete with other regional winners. More details coming soon!
October 30th at VIU –Industry Night
Fall 2024 at Okanagan College – BAC baking demonstration and networking event (date TBC)
Interested in helping organize and plan these events?
The BAC local chapters are run by a dedicated team of volunteers. Please consider getting involved in future planning.
Contact our chapter chairs:
B.C.: Jesse Lamb Jesse.Lamb@islandcitybaking.com
Ontario: Kate Tomic k.tomic@caldic.com
Atlantic: Mike Raftus Mike.Raftus@ardentmills.com
Alberta and Prairies: Martin Barnett inf0@baking.ca
Quebec: Dimitri Fraeys dimitrifraeys@conseiltaq.com
WorkSafeBC inspections are an important part of ensuring health and safety in B.C. workplaces. Our prevention officers focus on risk management basics to ensure the most significant risks are effectively addressed. A risk management approach involves workers and employers identifying hazards, evaluating risks, and implementing controls that are specific to the on-site activities.
Prevention officers also focus their inspections on making sure employers are communicating effectively with workers and monitoring their risk management through foundational occupational health and safety systems. This includes looking at young and new worker orientations, training, supervision, incident investigations, worksite inspections, and (where applicable) joint health and safety committees that are effective, robust, and well supported.
Managing risk in your workplace involves thinking about what might cause harm to your workers and determining whether you are taking reasonable steps to prevent that harm from happening. To manage risk, follow these basic four steps: Understand the level of risk in the
The
hierarchy of controls shows the order you should follow to reduce your workplace risk.
workplace, implement appropriate measures, communicate policies and protocols to all workers, and monitor and update measures regularly.
When considering how to reduce risk, there’s a certain order you should follow. This is called the hierarchy of controls. It’s important to follow the hierarchy, as shown below, rather than start with the easiest control measures.
Note that while the controls are listed in order of effectiveness, all four types of controls should be considered. They often work best in combination:
• Elimination or substitution: Eliminate the hazard, if possible, or replace with a different process. Is there a safer way to perform the task? Can workers use a
less-harmful product?
• Engineering controls: Are there any equipment or other physical changes you can make to the workplace that will make the task safer?
• Administrative controls: Are there safe work procedures or practices that will reduce the risk?
• Personal protective equipment and clothing: Is protective clothing or equipment necessary to protect workers, by itself or in combination with another type of risk control?
Control measures don’t have to be costly. For example, scheduling workers so they rotate job tasks helps reduce musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) from repetitive motion. Considering how serious an injury can be, this is a low-cost precaution.
During a WorkSafeBC inspection, our prevention
officers can help you identify other ways to control risks.
As an employer, you need to consult with your workers and with your joint health and safety committee (or worker health and safety representative) when identifying risk factors and potential controls. Workers are in a great position to help in this process as they often have the best insights into the hazards they face on the job. For resources on assessing and controlling risks, visit worksafebc.com/managingrisk / BJ
WorkSafeBC is committed to creating a province free from workplace injury or illness, and to providing service driven by their core values of integrity, accountability, and innovation. By partnering with workers and employers, they help British Columbians come home from work safe every day.
zone. For example, they were familiar with paella and churros. After the trip they were asked to consider flans, seafood and pork.”
The menu included pistachio turron, saffron bread, chorizo flan, Basque cheesecake with saffron orange sorbet and almond-lace tuile, pintxos (snacks), paella valenciana, Arroz Con Leche [Mexican rice pudding] served with cherry coulis and puffed rice, and Azulejos Churros made using 70 per cent dark chocolate and date ganache.
“At the tasting event, we surprised students by asking them to explain their dishes to their family and friends. What was inspiration and what did you learn? On top of the thousand things they had to do that day, they took the microphone and explained how to eat their dishes.”
Rebecca Sheppard and Paulina Contreras were two of the participating students.
Said Sheppard: “My favourite memory was going to Cacao and the bean-to-bar experience we are got to go in the back in the kitchen and we walked through the entire process and got to make some of our own. Very cool to get that hands-on
experience. One of our dishes was churros with chocolate sauce.
“I was happy to get restaurant experience on the tasting night. I was telling people what to do and where to go. It was neat to take a leadership role.”
Contreras, who grew up in Chile, said: “At InterSICOP we had the opportunity to see the industry partners and real chefs. A lot of Spanish chefs who were celebrities were there. They interacted with us and taught techniques. I thought that was amazing to see..”
Both Sheppard and Contreras plan to continue careers in food. “We had a chocolate class during school in semester 3 so I really want to look into being a chocolatier,” Sheppard said. “I was a peer tutor and so I’d love to be a teacher.”
Contreras is working at a retail bakery in Toronto “I’ve been learning a lot. They do a lot of different baked goods.
“Back home baking is not seen as a profession. I saw this as my chance, in Canada where they take it seriously. I want to keep going and get experience as much as possible and maybe open a bakery of my own one day.” / BJ
On May 21 a fire at Rising Star Wholesale Bakery destroyed the long-established Victoria facility. We are happy to report that no one was hurt and wish them a speedy rebuild.
It is tragic to have a disaster at one’s bakery. It affects not only the business but also those who work there, and their families, the owner’s investment, the goodwill, inability to supply to customers as well as ingredient contracts. The ripple effect reaches deeply into the community.
Having an unplanned production-altering challenge is something we hope to avoid, whether it is a fire, or an accident, flood, product recall or equipment failure or any of the many other hazards that can cause business interruption.
Take the time to audit safety procedures and have regular meetings as well as contingency plan. Review insurance policies and make sure all personnel are trained. We are lucky to have a very supportive industry who will rally round if a colleague needs support and assistance. / BJ
her adopted city of Toronto, the inspiring majesty of Niagara Falls, the snow of Canadian winters that she dreamed of and that she will introduce to her children, and Ottawa’s Parliament building representing her Canadian citizenship achieved in 2022.
“As I began to immerse myself in the Canadian culture, I became familiar with the country’s most beloved symbols like the beaver, the maple leaf, and the hockey game. The maple tree, an iconic symbol on the Canadian flag, became much more than a mere leaf to me. It embodied the strength and unity of this great nation, and I felt a sense of pride to be a part of it.”
Among many techniques used on the tiered cake, Kadimi applied wrapping and concrete techniques to encase gum paste maple leaves, a hockey stick and puck and other figures, and isomalt sugar to create the bottle of maple syrup. Graham crumbs were employed to add an earthy touch of soil.
She used a crack technique, torch
fondant, and wafer papers to create a natural wood texture for the trunk and drew 2D shapes using a cocoa butter base and added royal icing effects. She piped using the Lambeth-style technique with royal icing and crafted gum paste flowers, such as roses and jasmine. To give the effect of water, she used gelatin and chocolate ganache in shades of white and grey.
As practice for the plated dessert tasting, she created and executed five recipes and asked the chef instructors to sample them. Among those flavour combinations were tropical fruits, nuts and her signature flavour of pistachio. I ended up going with pecans, maple syrup, caramels and chocolate. She is grateful to have had lots of help from her professor, Chef Josie Bancheri, who helped all of the student competitors practise and taught two inspiring classes in cake decorating and that Humber College provided ingredients, kitchen space and resources.
The various drawings and the maple leaf syrup bottles proved tricky to create. For the bottle, Kadimi explains: “There was no mould. I purchased the bottle, the
silicone, made my own mould, then figured out how to do the bottle top in a brown (maple syrup) colour. I poured sugar in three stages: clear, then the gold colour, then the clear one again. I painted the lid with golden dust.”
Kadimi won $2,000 and a profile in Bakers Journal.
After a busy school year, she is enjoying a bit of rest while applying for positions that will match her growing range of skills. She is particularly interested in pursuing education and work in chocolate and in learning to master fine French and Italian pastry. She enjoyed modules on chocolate and sugar that she took at Humber.
“This competition was very valuable experience. I am speechless this happened,” she says with a laugh, of her achievement.
Kadimi faced hardships in the past in her home country of Syria that undoubtedly influenced her will to overcome obstacles and succeed. “I will never give up. I have to reach my goals, whatever happens. I never give up.” / BJ
Bread may be familiar and even ordinary, but A Book About Bread is exceptional and surprising. Accessible and clear, this book teaches you how to make perfect baquettes and sourdough loaves by taking bread baking to basics: understanding, feeling, and intuition. Providing the original recipes from Issa’s award-winning bakery, A Book About Bread goes even further, combining theory and practice in a unique way that enables experimentation and the search for the ultimate loaf.
$61.00 | Item #9464710717
7585 Danbro Crescent, Mississauga, ON L5N 6P9
Contact: Mark dela Pena
Phone: 905-819-7000
Fax: 905-819-9768
Email: info.cdnmill@adm.com
Website: www.adm.com
Plants: 2 Montreal, QC; Mississauga, Midland, Port Colborne, ON; Winnipeg, MB; Calgary, AB.
Sales offices: Montreal QC, 514-846-8533; Toronto, ON 1-800-267-8492; Calgary AB, 403-267-5656
Products offered: We strive to be the most valued milling & baking solutions provider via our industry leading sustainability programs, world class mills, innovative solutions & capabilities, and strong partnerships with growers and customers. ADM Milling & Baking Solutions’ product portfolio includes standard wheat flours, whole wheat and whole grain flours, specialty flours (corn, barley, durum semolina, rye, farina, bulgur, tapioca, wheat bran, wheat germ and sorghum), specialty products (wheat proteins and starches, low net carb flour replacer and alternative flours), bakery mixes, bases and concentrates, and custom formulated options.
44688 S Sumas Rd #615, Chilliwack, BC V2R 5M3
Contact: Jayda Richard & Taylor Gemmel
Phone: 604-823-5543
Email: info@anitasorganic.com
Website: www.anitasorganic.com
Plant: Chilliwack. Anita’s began as a small milling operation in BC, Canada over 25 years ago. Today we are a major supplier of organic flours, grains, cereals, and mixes to stores and bakeries across the country. Our grains come from Canadian farmers, are freshly milled, and delivered on-time, every time to our valued customers. They rely on us for high product quality, consistent performance, and exceptional customer service. We are a values-
driven organization that proudly supports organic farming and sustainability.
Certifications: We are SQF certified, meeting the highest of safety and quality food standards. We are certified organic by Pro-cert Organic Systems as well as certified OU Kosher. For the gluten free products we produce, we have a separate space that is certified gluten free by the Canadian Celiac Association.
Products Offered: We provide an extensive range of sifted and whole grain flours (Hard/ Soft Wheat, Spelt, Rye, Buckwheat, Khorasan, Red Fife, Einkorn, Corn, Millet, Barley, Emmer, Amaranth), Oats, Seeds, Mixes and Gluten-Free. We do on-site milling, sprouting, blending, packaging and have an in-house bakery for testing and development. We offer custom toll milling, blending, and packaging options in both bulk and retail applications. Packaging: Retail bags (300g – 5kg), Bulk formats (10kg – full totes).
Distribution: Nationally across Canada & US. Major Customers: Retail, wholesale, commercial.
27 Reid Dr. Mississauga, ON L5M 2B1
Contact: Reid McEachran
Phone: 888-295-9470
Email: info_ca@ardentmills.com
Website: www.Ardentmills.ca
Ardent Mills is committed to innovation and the future of emerging nutrition. With our expansive portfolio of conventional and organic flour, gluten-free and keto-friendly mixes and blends, egg replacement solutions, we can help you create innovative products that consumers feel good about. We’re ready to provide you with the localized support, scale, insights, and unmatched expertise you need to stand out and help grow your business.
Plants: Flour Mills in Mississauga, On, Montreal, QC, and Saskatoon, SK. Bakery Mix, Oats and Durum plant in Saskatoon, SK. Certified Gluten Free facility in Harvey, ND. Products offered: A full line of high-quality flour with legacy brands that include Bakers Hand®, Keynote®, Rapido®, Velvet®, Peach Pastry®, and All-O-WheatTM. As an industry leader in innovation, we also offer Primo Mulino® Neapolitan-Style Pizza Flour, organic flour, new certified gluten free flour blends, and Egg replacement solutions. This is complimented by our line of oats, durum, specialty grains and savoury baking and pizza mixes, many formulated specifically to customer’s needs.
151 Main St. S
Seaforth, ON N0K1W0
Contact: Dianne Wolters
Phone: 1-519-494-4636
E-mail: sales@everspringfarms.ca Website: www.everspringfarms.ca
Certifications: BRCGS, Kosher, Organic Products Offered: Extensive line of organic grains, beans and seeds, sprouted flour both gluten and gluten free, cracked cereal grains, custom flour blends, custom whole grain blends, toll sprouting and milling. Packed in 25lb, 50lb or 2,000lb totes.
Company Comments: Everspring Farms Ltd. is family owned and operated sprouting and milling operation in Ontario, Canada. Operating out of 2 sprouting facilities, we spout a wide variety of grains, beans and seeds. Milling both gluten and gluten free flour, Everspring Farms offers an extensive line of organic sprouted grains and flours as well as whole grain flours. Both facilities are dedicated peanut, tree nut, sesame and dairy free. Equipped with an in in-house test bakery, our product development team will work closely with you to create an ingredient or blend that meets your needs.
Farinart is a privately held company operating four (4) plants in Canada. Sourcing organic, conventional and regenerative agricultural ingredients, we specialize in the development of customized cereal blends, savory and sweet baking mixes, sprouted grains and specialty flours for the baking industry.
1150, rang Saint-Edouard, Saint-Liboire, QC, J0H 1R0
Contact: Elisabeth Brasseur Phone: 514-531-8331
Email: ebrasseur@farinart.com
Website: www.farinart.com
Products offered:100% customized solutions made exclusively from non-GMO grains, seeds, cereals and pulses. Our product categories include blends and mixes for inclusions, toppings and flavor, specialty flours, ready-touse sweet baking mixes for food service and retail made from regular, roasted, sprouted and caramelized grains and seeds.
No. 1 Grain Millers Drive
Yorkton, SK S3N 3Z4
Sales Contact: Andrew Eilertson
Phone: 1-800-232-6287
Fax: 952-829-8819
Email: andrew.eilertson@grainmillers.com
Website: www.grainmillers.com
Plants: Yorkton, SK and U.S.
Distribution: Throughout Canada and U.S.
Products Offered: Full line of conventional, organic, & certified gluten-free oats including quick & rolled flakes, flour, bran, steel cut, food-grade fiber, and other innovative products. Complete product line includes other milled grains and custom blends of wheat, corn (yellow, white, non-GMO), barley, rye, triticale, and other specialty grains.
Certifications: Organic, Gluten-Free, Kosher, GFSI
Pack Type: Bags, totes, bulk, retail pack (500g-2.25kg)
Company Comments: Privately owned, Grain Millers delivers whole-grain solutions to the modern world of food manufacturing. Customers rely on our quality, service, and innovation to meet today’s high expectations and tomorrow’s challenges. Learn more what about we can do at www.grainmillers.com.
105 Commander Blvd., Scarborough, ON M1S 3M7
Contact: George Birinyi Jr.
Phone: 416-291-3226
Fax: 416-291-2159
Email: orders@grainprocess.com
Products offered: Over 2,000 products including a full range of whole grains. Hard/ Soft Wheat, Triticale, Corn, Millet, Barley, Rye and Durum and organic products certified by QAI (Whole Wheat Flour, White Flour, “Ancient Grains” Spelt, Kamut, Quinoa, Seeds, etc.) Precooked and stabilized grains and flours, Whole Bean Flour, complete range of grains including Cracks, Flakes and Grits, Seeds (Sunflower, Sesame, Golden Yellow and Brown Flax), Beans, Peas, Lentils, Sugars, Nuts and Dried Fruit. Food processing also includes custom blending facilities for multigrain formulas (Bread, Muffin and Pancake Mixes, etc.) packaging, granola cereals, toasted grains, Turbinado and Demerara Sugars. Distribution: Across Canada and the United States.
Major customers: Bakeries, biscuit and cookie
manufacturers, food service, bulk, health and natural food retailers and distributors and manufacturers.
Company comments: We pride ourselves as being the only stone flour mill in Canada to offer such a wide variety of products. Our product development team is ready to develop mixes and specialty grains for any application in the food industry.
6201 E Primrose Green Drive Regina, Saskatchewan S4V 3L7
Phone: 306-751-2040
Email: orders@nutrasunfoods.com
Website: www.nutrasunfoods.com
Certification: NutraSun Foods Ltd. is certified Organic by Quality Assurance International (QAI), Kosher Certification, HACCP, NOP, FSSC 22000:2011, ISO 22000:2005, HACCP and Non-GMO Project Verified.
Delivery: We deliver bakery ingredients across Canada and the United States as well as shipments offshore.
Products Offered: NutraSun’s high quality organic & conventional flour is milled from Hard Red Spring, Hard White Wheat and offer a variety of whole grain flours. Exclusive miller of Snowbird Whit Wheat Flour and offer a variety of whole grain flours. We serve industrial and retail bakeries.
Company comments: NutraSun Foods is a division of Paterson Global Foods, a wholly owned Canadian company servicing the Canadian agriculture and food industry for over 100 years~ We have a fully modernized mill located in southern SK, the heart of Canada’s Hard Red and White Wheat growing region.
Corporate Office: 1060 Fountain Street N.; Cambridge, ON N3E 0A1
Phone: 1-800-621-0588 or 519-650-6400
Fax: 519-653-2125
E-mail: sales@phmilling.com
Website: www.phmilling.com
As the largest Canadian-owned milling company, the P&H Milling Group is comprised of eight flour mills strategically located across Canada. Functioning together as a national cohesive unit, we produce a diverse variety of products, known for their top quality, consistency, and healthy source of nutrition. We source wheat and peas from across Canada to produce flour, pea, durum, and cereal products. Our quality and service help our customers achieve their goals whether in Canada, the United States or around the world. P&H Milling strives for excellence through integrity and teamwork to ensure all our products and services meet customer, regulatory and industry standard! For information about our products contact: Sales & Customer Service: 1-800-6210588 or Email: sales@phmilling.com
Products Offered: Hard Flour; Soft Flour; High Fiber Wheat Flour; Farina; Durum Semolina; Durum Atta; Organic Hard & Soft; Cereal - Bran, Wheat Germ; Pulse: Pea Protein; Pea Flour; Pea Starch; Pea Fibre.
2800 One Lombard Place Winnipeg, MB R3B 0X8
Contact: Jason Hines
Phone:1-800-663-6287(OATS)
Website: www.richardsonfoodandingredients.com
Company Comments: With the most extensive oat supply in North America, Richardson Milling – a division of Canada’s largest agribusiness, Richardson International – sources the best ingredients to create a full range of safe and high-quality custom products that are sold worldwide. Offered products include a wide variety of organic oats and certified glutenfree options including oat groats, flakes, flour, and bran. With an extensive grower network and five manufacturing facilities, Richardson boasts the most extensive oat supply chain in North America. Richardson is headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba and has over 3,000 employees with facilities across Canada, the U.S., and Britain.
BY JANE DUMMER, RD
As consumers continue to buy artisan and artisan-type baked goods, there are opportunities for all channels to differentiate and innovate
Consumer demand for healthier and more natural food products is driving the artisan bakery market growth. Datahorizon research identified the artisan bakery market size was valued at USD 90.7 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach a market size of USD 141.3 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 5.1 per cent. Consumers are searching for unique and authentic culinary experiences, which artisan bread and baked goods deliver through distinctive flavour, texture, plus specific visual and nutritional characteristics. And these offerings are now available beyond the local microbakery.
Which brings up a question: Is the term “artisan” evolving? Currently, in North America, there is no regulated definition of the term artisan in the food industry. Dr Lin Carson, founder, BAKERpedia, says, “This category of bread is becoming more important in the baking industry as customers are looking for products with different and creative designs, maximum freshness and clean labels. The term artisan bread conjures the image of artisan bakers who are masters of their craft, shaping breads by hand and only using the basic bread ingredients: flour, water, yeast, salt, and most importantly, time. This is a stark contrast to the standardized, repeatable and industrially produced breads that are often found in the supermarket bread aisle.”
Over the past few years, we have seen artisan products evolve from microbakeries and cafés to specialty grocery stores and supermarkets. Some may argue these offerings are not traditional artisan bread and baked goods. However, the consumer has spoken, and the artisan market share is expanding across several channels. In
May, the Bakery Showcase 2024 was held in Toronto. During the panel presentation “Artisan Baking into the Future,” Issa Niemeijer-Brown, co-founder Gebroeders Niemeijer, Amsterdam, Netherlands, said, “Microbakeries can create bread that accounts for the variability that is naturally present in organic or untreated ingredients, as well as in naturally grown sourdough cultures, which larger-scale operations cannot, almost by definition.”
Niemeijer-Brown added: “Artisan bakers give a lot of attention and care to the process. They can improvise and make the adjustments that are needed to obtain higher-quality bread simply because they are able to deal with variation. The moment a bakery scales up, processes need to be standardized allowing less skilled bakers to work with them. Often industrial machinery can be set to do a part or all of the process. A crucial step in retaining flavour in a dough is weighing it and shaping it by hand, without degassing it. Machinery, however sophisticated, always works on the principle that mass equals volume when dividing dough. To be able to divide the dough, it needs to be degassed, which leads to flat flavour in the end product. Another important role of microbakeries is the use of locally produced ingredients, which encourages the transition to more sustainable farming. Our consumer communication is raising environmental and social awareness. Our customers appreciate our affordable price level that makes our products accessible for many. Also, they welcome our unique breads and baked goods, all with our own recipes, that give full flavour with the traditional artisan structure including the nice, crunchy crust.”
Tania Amato, product market manager, Fritsch Bakery, Multivac Canada Inc., explains: “Expanding a small bakery into a thriving empire involves diversifying the product lines and embracing innovation. By introducing new and innovative offerings that resonate with more consumer preferences, businesses can grow. It is a testament to the commitment of meeting customer needs and staying
Advancing automation can remove the traditional style of labour-intensive repetitive motion in mixing and shaping, says Tania Amato, product market manager, Fritsch Bakery, Multivac Canada Inc.
ahead of the curve in the competitive market landscape.”
Amato says, “Consumers will not compromise on flavour. Changes made to improve health aspects must maintain or enhance taste. It’s a delicate balance between health considerations and sensory attributes; however, it’s achievable with the best ingredients and formulation techniques. Technology is revolutionizing, making artisan-type products on a larger scale while maintaining high-quality, good-tasting bread and baked goods to meet a larger consumer demand. Advancing automation can remove the traditional style of labour-intensive repetitive motion in mixing and shaping. Baking revolves around temperatures, time and humidity. Developments in technology can monitor all these distinct factors.”
As consumers continue to purchase artisan and artisan-type breads and baked goods, there are several opportunities for all channels to differentiate and innovate. / BJ
Jane Dummer, RD, known as the Pod to Plate Food Consultant, collaborates and partners with the food and nutrition industry across North America. janedummer.com
n Short product path, gentle processing of product
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