• Assist in Product Development & Implementation of Custom Formulations
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Experts in
Development
Market Products and Educating Clients in the Applications of Various Icings, Toppings and Finishes.
• Guidance and Direction to your Research and Development Team.
• Zero “Trans” Icings
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• Organic Icings
• Coatings for Nutrition Bars and Meal Replacement Bars
• Nutritional Analysis
• Clean Labels
Our team consists of consultants, whose combined expertise is paramount to over one hundred years of knowledge and experience in the industry! Offering you, our clients, the quality and expertise you demand, you can rest assured that when you call on Paragon Glaze Consultants, you are obtaining assistance from top experts in the fields of Lab Technology, Product Development, Pharmaceutical Expertise and Food Microbiology to name but a few.
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By BRIAN HARTZ
AT youR SERvICE
We introduce the Bakers Journal to the baking industry in Canada, confident that it has a specific work to do and a real service to render. It is our purpose to supply master bakers in all sections of the Dominion with an interesting, instructive and progressive journal that will meet the present-day demands.
“Broadly speaking, our policy will be the greatest good for the greatest number, keeping in mind all that tends to greater efficiency and higher standards throughout the craft.
“Commercial baking is one of the key industries, closely associated with our home life and far-reaching in its varied activities. Due, in a large measure, to the development of production and merchandising methods and a more general dissemination of scientific knowledge it has grown to a prominent position.
“The Bakers Journal is at your service.”
With those words, founder and publisher W.E. Floody dedicated the very first issue of Bakers Journal in July 1938. Yes, you read that correctly. We’re actually 72 years old, but in the early 1960s the magazine shut down for two years due to difficult economic conditions. Seventy or 72 … it’s not much of a difference. What really matters is Mr. Floody’s last line about being “at your service.” That’s the key to success in any partnership.
Service, dedication, loyalty, trust … these are concepts often taken for granted or ignored altogether in today’s hyper-competitive global economy. At this magazine, we believe the industry we cover is more than a subject to be scrutinized and analyzed. We believe that our success is in direct correlation to yours, that we would not be here without you. We also believe that what you do is of vital importance to the health of Canada’s people – and its prosperity.
}At this magazine, we believe the industry we cover is more than a subject to be scrutinized or analyzed. We believe that our success is in direct correlation to yours, that we would not be here without you.
Indeed, the baking industry has faithfully served Canada through good times and bad, through war and peace. In the 1940s, at the height of World War II, an ad in this magazine read: “The Canadian Baker has become a key man in the national effort for Victory. He is not only baking more bread – he is doing it under the stress and strain of trying wartime conditions. This loyal army of Canadian bakers is turning our vast wheat crops into the nation’s No. 1 energy food … We salute you for your valiant efforts in helping to win the war!”
With the sluggish economy of the past couple years, I’m sure many of you feel as if you are engaged in a war for the survival of your business. It’s so easy to get caught up in the dayto-day struggles of managing or working in a bakery business, to get so lost in the details and e-mails that your outlook is, well, only piecemeal. That’s why we’re proud to bring you this special 70th anniversary issue, in which we’ll take a look at the big picture of how the baking industry got to where it is today. In doing so, hopefully we’ll remind you of why you got into this business in the first place.
Given its ancient origins, it’s difficult to conceive of an industry that has evolved more rapidly than baking, especially in the past 70 years. In fact, at the turn of the 20th century, only a small percentage of consumers were buying bread – most made their own. By the time the 1960s rolled around, that number had skyrocketed to 95 per cent as commercial bakeries came to prominence. And since that time, the industry has only gotten bigger and better.
To those who made this happen through their hard work and innovation, we salute you for your valiant efforts, and, as always, we’re at your service.
Happy reading. / BJ
MARCH 2010 | Vol. 70, no. 2
editor | Brian Hartz editor@bakersjournal.com 1-888-599-2228 ext. 250
teCHniCal
editor | John McColl, Puratos Canada jmccoll@puratos.com
From time to time, Bakers Journal may make our subscription list available to reputable companies and organizations whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. if you do not want your name to be made available, 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.
briefly | BAC honours Mimac’s Dave Miles | Puratos opens industrial research centre | Spa chef details foodallergy challenges | for more news in the baking world, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com
Spa chef details food-allergy challenges
BRAMPTON, Ont. – Food allergies and sensitivities are posing enormous challenges to the hospitality industry, the Canadian Pastry Chefs Guild learned in a presentation at its January 2010 meeting at Lentia Enterprises.
Christopher Ennew, executive chef at Ste. Anne’s spa in Grafton, Ont., told the guild about his role at the spa and how it has changed over the years as more and more guests with special dietary needs come through the doors.
“For example, now I hear some people with celiac disease can’t have sugar, so I have to look for sugar-free dried fruit suppliers,” he said. “But sometimes my suppliers change their suppliers, and I don’t find out about it until some time later.”
Ennew also commented on trends in dessert, such as portion sizes becoming smaller, and, assisted by Steven Pazder, he prepared some of the sweet but healthful snacks he often makes for guests at Ste. Anne’s.
“Today, when it’s afternoon coffee time, if
you put out a plate of cookies and a plate of doughnuts, the plate of cookies will be long gone before the doughnuts,” he said.
In other business, the guild announced a membership discount special for students, who can join for only $20. For more information and updates, see the guild website at www.canadianpastrychefsguild.ca.
Quebec students seek assistance for internships abroad
Six soon-to-be graduates of the baking and pastry arts program at Centre de formation professionnelle Jacques-Rousseau in Longueuil, Que., are seeking assistance for their upcoming month-long internships in France.
“To finance their training, students have made and sold chocolate candies. They have also approached some foundations for financial support, with my help of course,” says their instructor, Roch Desjardins. “Despite their efforts, this funding will not be sufficient to cover all expenses necessary for their internship in Europe. We estimate a budget of about $12,000 for this project.”
The students are to leave for Paris at the end of May and return in late June. For more information on how you can help, contact Desjardins at 450-651-6800, ext. 2803 or 2813, or rochpatissier@videotron.ca.
Marché returning to downtown Toronto
TORONTO – Marché International, a subsidiary of the Movenpick Group of Switzerland, is set to return to Toronto bringing back its famous Swiss hospitality and market-fresh cuisine. Renovations began Feb. 1 on a flagship 560-seat Marche restaurant in Brookfield Place in the heart of the city’s financial district. Construction is expected to take approximately five months.
Work will also start on two new Marché Natural Bakeries, one on the concourse level of Brookfield Place across from the Hockey Hall of Fame and the second in the Bay Adelaide Centre.
“We are very excited to be returning to Toronto and look forward to welcoming our many friends and loyal supporters to our new restaurant and natural bakeries,” said CEO Oliver Altherr. “Marché International is committed to the Canadian market and will invest in a total of 10 locations.”
Steven Pazder, left, and Christopher Ennew.
Mimac Glaze’s Dave Miles awarded honorary BAC membership
TORONTO – Mimac Glaze president Dave Miles has been honoured with a lifetime membership in the Baking Association of Canada.
The award was presented at the BAC Ontario chapter’s holiday social Dec. 4, 2009, at Rizzo Hall in northwest Toronto. Chapter chairman Frank Safian made the presentation, in which he outlined Miles’ many achievements and contributions to Canada’s baking industry.
“We are proud to recognize Dave Miles with an honorary membership award to the Baking Association of Canada,” Safian said.
“Throughout the years Dave, like his father Bill, volunteered many personal hours in an effort to help promote and develop the baking industry at both the national and provincial levels. Dave was instrumental in expanding Bakery Showcase, our national industry trade show. In addition, he served a term as chairman for the Baking Association of Canada –Ontario Chapter Executive.
“Today, Dave operates a very successful company, Mimac Glaze, a supplier to the baking industry. Dave, on behalf of the Ontario Chapter Executive, we are grateful for your contributions.”
Miles was thrilled to receive the award –
Italian Home Bakery gets ISo 22000 certification
TORONTO – Italian Home Bakery Ltd. has become one of the first bakeries of its kind in North America to receive ISO 22000 certification.
ISO 22000 is a globally recognized standard introduced in 2005, specific to food manufacturing companies. Such certification includes Hazard Access Critical Control Points (HACCP), a universal food safety management system that works across all others.
“The research highlights that consumers are becoming increasingly aware and concerned about food safety and quality,” says Italian Home Bakery president Dennis Rossetti. “Consumers want to be assured that both the company and the products they make continue to meet their food safety requirements. It will become incumbent
and a little shocked.
“When Frank first called me back in November and said my name had been nominated, I was taken aback and quite flattered, as I felt there were other people in front of me more deserving,” he told Bakers Journal
“[The award] has made me step back and realize I’ve been in this industry for 40 years now. What I try to put first and
foremost is fellowship and service to the industry.
“I find that we are close-knit industry, and although we are manufacturers and competitors, in most areas we are allies. It’s nice to know that there is also a sense of community.”
Mimac Glaze is located at 271 Glidden Road, Unit 17, Brampton, Ont., and on the web at www.mimacglaze.com.
Puratos opens new industrial research centre
BRUSSELS, Belgium – Puratos has opened an Industrial Patisserie Competence Centre (IPPC), which focuses on research of patisserie industrial processes, the development of industrial applications and the training of customers and clients.
The heart of IPCC is the Puratos Industrial Pilot Patisserie, a fully equipped test center for technological innovation and process optimization in industrial patisseries at Puratos headquarters in Brussels. The pilot provides customers with the facilities and tools to develop specific solutions and to research and test final applications before moving to the final
on the retailers to ensure that those suppliers used obtain and maintain the highest possible standard of certification.”
implementation on the customers’ production line.
Puratos has a major presence in Canada through its subsidiary Puratos Canada in Mississauga, Ont., as well as 100 other countries. Visit www.puratos.com.
ISO 22000 has been developed specifically for food manufacturers and incorporates some of the ISO 9000 principles and all of the HACCP principles. The standard defines food safety management system requirements for companies that need to meet and exceed global food safety regulations.
Frank Safian, left, presents an honorary lifetime BAC membership to Dave Miles of Mimac Glaze.
By MICHELLE BRISEB o IS
CuLINARy ouTTAkES
As we celebrate 70 years of baking in Canada, there are lessons to be learned from ideas that history would rather forget
Anniversaries are great occasions for taking stock. It’s important to look back and celebrate the wonderful successes along the way.
These trips down memory lane can be opportunities for examining challenging times, as well, for often they are the crucible in which future wins can be forged. Failure may be the original “F word,” but it’s gotten a bit of a bad rap because with each setback, the true path to victory becomes more apparent.
}Babe Ruth was a homerun king in his day but he also struck out twice as frequently as the league’s average player. He took more swings, even at those balls that may have been long shots.
understand the deep emotions of so many of our customers for Coca-Cola,” said company president Donald R. Keough after deciding to reintroduce the old formula.
Lesson learned: Research can only take you so far when trying to understand customer behaviour. Walk a mile in their shoes as well to truly understand not only what they think about you, but also how they feel about you.
MCDonAlD’s PIzzA:
In the late 1980s and early ’90s the pizza category was growing by leaps and bounds. McDonald’s saw a chance to capture some of this growth so it developed a pizza that could be prepared quickly. The launch required new ovens and, in some cases, widening the chain’s drive-through windows. Pizza isn’t as easily made and held as burgers and breakfast sandwiches. Product can
Look for opportunities that fit well with your operational strengths and consumer expectations. Innovation is great but it’s wise to stick to your knitting, too.
As in major league baseball, some of the food industry’s most dramatic strikeouts have come from the biggest players. The question is: Why did these products not succeed and what does the experience tell us as we move forward?
neW Coke
It stands to reason that the most dramatic example of a challenging product introduction was executed by the largest brand in the world. In 1985, New Coke was launched to replace the established formula. This was based on extensive market research and product testing – companies of this size tend to do their homework. The public backlash was negative and quick, with some hoarding cases of old Coke like small lots of exclusive wines. Coke back-peddled within months and reintroduced the old formula (now branded Coke Classic), yanking New Coke from its shelves faster than Conan O’Brien was jettisoned from The Tonight Show host’s chair.
Post-game analysis: “We did not
deteriorate quickly under these conditions. The chain dropped the pizza line in the early ’90s.
Post-game analysis: Customers didn’t necessarily think of McDonald’s when it came to pizza. Operationally, it didn’t fit into the existing structure and wait times may have drifted a tad longer than customers were used to.
Lesson learned: Look for opportunities that fit well with your operational strengths and consumer expectations. Innovation is great but it’s wise to stick to your knitting, too.
MCleAn Deluxe
Sorry to pick on McDonald’s again, but this was a big launch. Ronald and Co. just can’t win. On one hand, people criticize Mickey D’s menu for being unhealthy, but when it finally come up with a healthy product, it just doesn’t fly!
Released in 1991, the McLean Deluxe was the image of healthy: Ninety-one per cent fat free, it replaced fat with water and used seaweed extract to bind the water to the beef. Lacklustre sales caused it to be
Some ideas just aren’t meant to be – such as the baguette vending machine – but they can still teach us valuable lessons.
discontinued in 1994.
Post-game analysis: Maybe McDonald’s is successful because, for its customers, it falls under the heading “guilty pleasure”? Maybe bakeries fall into that same category?
Lesson learned: It’s great to know that customers want healthy options, but do they really want them from you? Let Jenny Craig worry about their waistlines – give them all the flavour they crave but play with portion sizes if you want to capture the weight-conscious market.
GeneRAl MIlls’ Betty CRoCkeR MICRoWAVe BReADs
In the early 1990s, it was thought that microwaves would replace the oven for all cooking – including baking. Many companies, including General Mills, launched products to target this opportunity. When consumers settled for heating leftovers and coffee, General Mills’ breads and other products for the microwave oven went down the rabbit hole.
Post-game analysis: Microwaves didn’t replace the oven – they complemented it – and nothing bakes a baked good like an oven.
Lesson learned: You never know how the consumer will incorporate technology into their lives. They might continue with their old ways alongside the new methods.
Natural raw sugar is better for you
“Wood, cane leaves and the occasional spider are all natural too.
But I wouldn’t want them in my sugar”
Guido Guiterez, Master Sugar Boiler
When raw sugar arrives at Redpath Sugar from the tropics, it is partially processed and frequently contains unwelcome debris.
This raw sugar isn’t yet suitable for human consumption. When we craft sugar, we clean it three times with natural products, including fresh clean water.
What you end up with is the clean, clear flavour of natural cane sugar, for your customers to enjoy.
If you are in the Southern Ontario area, there is a good chance that you will see our Redpath Acts of Sweetness ambassadors and our classic 1947 truck. They will be at festivals and community events, giving out our signature cookies to sweeten your day.
The Acts of Sweetness program is one of our ways of saying thank you to our community for making over 155 years of Redpath Sugar history possible and for having us as part of your traditions.
To learn more please visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/redpathsugar
By F LEMMING M ATHIASEN
REFLECTIoNS oN CANADIAN BAkING
A longtime leader in our trade looks back on a lifetime in baking and the evolution of the industry in Ontario
To some of you it may seem that I’ve disappeared from the baking industry altogether or not been around lately. It has absolutely nothing to do with something you have said or something I have done. No, I float around the world because I want to enjoy it, and I think that by now I have had my say.
But I still look back at the baking industry’s development and the driving forces that have shaped it, and here I shall touch upon some of these themes.
Baking in Canada was primarily European in its infancy. Operational practices were not significantly different from what I had experienced in my initiation into the industry. The influx of bakers from the old countries brought long-established traditions from around the globe. Besides being highly skilled artisans, they were often astute businessmen tolerating no fuss.
In these early days, with little government regulation, and no ties to a guild, anyone with a little baking knowledge could set up their own bakery. Looking around me, I can see that this still happens. Bakeries based on ethnicity, or just plain entrepreneurial strategies, seem to be all around us. They are often located in strange places, off the beaten path, and are surprisingly doing quite well. Most don’t belong to an organization and many have little interest in joining.
As laws and regulations began to govern the industry, bakers formed groups and associations so they could influence high-level decision-making. The formula for success was to become politically involved, protect your market share, and beat out your competitors. Bakers across the country were enticed to form groups, and they began to organize provincially in large urban centres. The first bakery show was held at the Canadian National Exhibition in 1921, bringing in bakers from all over Canada.
Bakers seemed to know what they wanted for their industry in those pre- and post-war days. Leadership from eastern Canada became the driving force in establishing a national council of bakers that was not only interested in shaping the industry, but also in giving it a voice in public and legislative matters.
Bakers from other provinces merged local groups to strengthen their voice in provincial matters or pending legislation that would affect their business practices. In Ontario, the Bakers Association eventually joined with the National Council of the Baking Industry (NCBI) to form the Bakery Council of Canada. There was the Bread and Cake Bakers Association and the Production Men’s Club of Greater Toronto. This eventually became the Bakery Production Club of Ontario (BPCO), which in 1998-99 amalgamated with the Bakery Council of Canada (BCC) to form the Baking Association of Canada (BAC). The
Among his many other accomplishments, in 1983 Flemming Mathiasen won the BPCO’s Most Honest Golfer award.
Bakers Institute. The American Society of Bakery Engineers (ASBE) became a prominent affiliation of the large companies as well.
}Will the new generation of bakers drive us forward? or are they more interested in taking advantage of the present situation and making money just for themselves?
Past history shows that in response to government pressure, new technological innovation, trade measures, and food regulatory issues, the Master Bakers Association was established in Toronto in the early 1900s. At this time, the government established flour-testing equipment and Ontario Agriculture College (known today as Guelph University); a baking school fund was founded to support the facility.
allied trades had formed their national organization, as did the biscuit bakers, artisan bakers and bread bakers. Pastry chefs formed the Pastry Chefs Guild of Ontario (now known as the Canadian Pastry Chef Guild Inc.) and so on.
The closing of the baking training program at Ryerson Institute of Technology in 1957 fostered a trend in baker education and training that continues today. The larger baking and biscuit companies started to send selected employees or managers to the American Institute of Baking (AIB) or the Biscuit
Small and midsize bakers’ demands for training and educational information became the driving focus of regional groups. The BPCO, which began to help production managers and small bakers have a voice within the industry, started picking up the lag that existed in education by hosting education nights and training seminars for its members and guests, developing correspondence courses, offering financial support to students, and pressuring politicians to help set up training facilities.
The BPCO and BCC jointly produced the correspondence course that is now offered by the BAC. For those of us who had a part in its development, it is amazing it still fulfils a need.
Federal funds became available for skills training Canada-wide. As education in Canada is a provincial matter, each province was to decide how funding would be used. In Ontario, a two-tier system between high schools and colleges was initially established in order to meet regional demand. Other provinces did the
same or used a one-tier system.
In Ontario high schools, apprenticeship training was established together with a college system using the same training model. It was fundamental to both programs that local industry groups be involved. In 1975, federal funding was eliminated for the high school program and directed toward community colleges. Funding for the high school program became a provincial matter and focus shifted from apprenticeship to a general interest course. And yes, the programs are still there and doing well.
Colleges that established programs in baking, pastry arts and hospitality relied heavily on industry support. The BPCO, and other clubs that had campaigned so hard for an apprenticeship program, donated funds, resources and equipment to any provincial educational institution that requested support for a baking program. Today, all college baking programs seem to be doing well in Ontario. George Brown College in Toronto has just added three new multi-million-dollar baking labs to its downtown campus, and it has 75 registered baking apprentices.
The post-war era saw a large influx of immigrants of varied ethnic diversity. Ethnic bakeries started to spring up throughout the country, creating demands for new ingredients, equipment and food technologies. In response to members’ demands, and in order to attract new members, BPCO started on another educational venture – Bakery Showcase.
Upon suggestions from John Sernessie, the first Showcase was created in 1963. Over the years, this has become one of the premier baking industry events in Canada. Started by volunteers and operated by volunteers until 2000, when it came under the BAC umbrella, the show evolved in response to members’ wishes and industry demands. The show operated as a non-profit corporation that was able to draw baking and its allied trades together. It also helped the BPCO establish an education fund and other clubs their own showcase. Bakers in British Columbia and eastern Canada benefited from this greatly.
On the business side of things, baking seemed to change over night. Our industry had survived the price restrictions imposed by the war. Scandals such as price fixing seemed to come and go as the industry was rapidly moving toward mechanization and automation. Co-operating with new governmental regulations such as enrichment of flour and stricter sanitation regulations seemed not to create much of a disturbance.
Through it all, grocery chains such as Loblaws, Food City, Steinberg’s Dominion and Miracle Mart were in a competitive and expansive mode, slashing prices and establishing in-store bakeries in direct competition with the small town or local area bakery. Bakery store outlets, owned by large and mid-size bakeries, also started to flex their muscles and move into newly built malls and shopping centres. If that was not enough, the price increases for raw materials in the 1970s saw larger bakers hoard ingredients, making it harder for the smaller bakers to survive
The arrival of the merchandiser with an artistic flair changed our industry. Every grocery chain’s bakery department was planned to look a specific way. Emphasis was on scratch baking, hospitality and extensive product lines with counters that were always full. Baking staff were usually highly trained. As this model of baking slowly changed into an emphasis on par-baked and frozen products with more part-time staff, entrepreneurial bakers saw opportunities and set up mid-sized bakeries producing a variety of new and old product to keep those counters fully stocked. Specialized ethnic product became available mainstream.
Has this whole revolution been good for our industry?
I personally think so, as the Canadian baker has been exposed to a whole new way of baking and products galore from around the world. The new baker-entrepreneur our industry seems to be attracting these days is determined to develop and drive our industry even further forward. Some are embracing new technologies, while others are finding a niche market producing wholesome and green products.
Baking is indeed alive and doing very well in supporting a whole new generation of bakers – more than ever before! Our primary and secondary institutions have fulfilled the mandate they were designed for.
But who is watching over baking today? In the past, volunteer groups were the driving force. Will the new generation of bakers drive us forward? Or are they more interested in taking advantage of the present situation and making money just for themselves? We know they don’t seem to join groups, as bakers did before.
As you ponder these questions, the fact is that we still need better training programs in what I think of as “Bakelinology,” the art of blending baking arts with food sciences. But that is a discussion for another time.
Let me end by thanking all those past and present volunteers who worked so hard, and still do, in order to make our industry better. Only for you will I stop floating around! Thank you. / BJ
Originally from Denmark, Flemming Mathiasen has more than 40 years in the baking industry as an educator and journeyman baker/patissier, along with extensive work in product development and planning for bakers and the food industry at large.
Designreal BJ mar10 1.pdf 1 08/02/10 8:49 AM
received employment insurance plus no-cost tuition.
As we moved into the 1990s, normal growth proceeded and a calmer, more harmonious atmosphere embraced the industry. Companies even worked together for a common cause. SABA orchestrated a celebration of baked goods based on a theme borrowed from the Retail Bakers of America (RBA). Breadfest was born with the tagline “Double Up On Bread.” Twenty bakeries signed on for this one-week promotion of baked goods, held to coincide with September’s harvest time.
The ’90s saw a personal milestone as my wife and I purchased a small retail bakery. It was British-themed at first, but after five years we changed to cater to specialty diets. The skilled and innovative staff made the bakery into a recognized niche player in the Calgary market. Meanwhile, SABA became part of the amalgamation of associations across Canada that resulted in the formation of the Baking Association of Canada (BAC). I was honoured to become the BAC’s first retail co-chair.
Calgary, with its large nucleus of dynamic bakers, hosted BAC’s Congress 1999. Despite being a smaller market than Toronto or Montreal, it was well attended and of a high quality.
During the ’90s the baking trade was given the Red Seal designation and its ensuing funding from Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), with Ontario acting as host province. Although not a compulsory trade, national recognition would later benefit any baker’s apprentice applying for a federal grant.
As the century drew to an end, focus shifted to Y2K, when the world’s computers would be considered at risk. However, as a small retailer our exposure was limited to a few invoices, which we hastily printed off ahead of time. The World Wide Web and cellphones were still in their infancy, but as the new millennium ushered in a rapidly changing electronic era, customers were able get instant access on their computers and even smartphones to limitless information. Diet fads tended to come and go each January after the Christmas binge, but none would compare to he Atkins diet that started in the early 2000s. The demands and questions wouldn’t quit, and, I racked my brains for the solution. Meanwhile, bread sales were plum-
CAlGARy In-stoRe BAkeRy PRICes
meting, and a trip to a natural products show in Anaheim, Calif., saw me checking the Atkins stand – and meeting the man himself. Some quick reverse engineering of the ingredient list was all I needed to launch our own line of Atkins-friendly products. What a wild ride it was. There were no product presentations – “Just send me anything low-carb you have,” our clients would say. Meanwhile, the mainstream industry was trying to solve falling bread sales. But Dr. Atkins died in May 2004 and many said the diet died with him.
Sadly, closures of many small and mid-size bakeries plagued the new decade, caused by competition, high rents and retirements. The grocery chains,
preferring to protect their in-store bakeries, have eliminated outside products. Frozen and ready-to-use (RTU) products – long considered too expensive – have been integrated into the in-store bakeries. Thaw and serve is now the fastest-growing category – will the showcases and shelves start to look the same?
Now the latest craze – cupcakes –shows no sign of slowing, but where is the retail baker in all this? The fittest shall survive. Many bakeries have diversified into other categories, selling ice cream, sandwiches, RTU meals or just simply making the highest quality at the right price. The challenges get bigger every day. / BJ
By Jo HN M ICHAELIDES
BAkING uP PRoGRESS
To mark the 70th anniversary of Bakers Journal, we will look at baking innovations that have changed the industry in the past several decades
Humans have practised simple bread baking for thousands of years. Then came the industrialization of the baking industry after World War II, in the early 1950s. Since that time, and during the subsequent decades, a number of new technologies came into play that revolutionized the industry. These innovations dealt with the introduction of new processes and novel functional ingredients.
}New technologies included continuous mixing and accelerated mechanical and chemical dough development, as well as the use of liquid ferments. Continuous mixing of dough provided advantages in labour costs, efficiency in the use of ingredients as well as reduced equipment needs. Continuous process required a liquid preferment containing the yeast and food necessary to initiate fermentation. Some preferments may include flour to initiate flavour development as well.
was developed by the British Flour Milling and Baking Research Association (FMBRA) at Chorleywood. The FMBRA since then has been incorporated into Campden BRI, a major food technology centre in the United Kingdom.
The Chorleywood process is based on high-speed mixing for a much shorter period of time. This approach results in several advantages: substantial reduction of total process time (less than two hours from mixing to the end of baking), specific reduction of fermentation time, increased product yield, precise control of dough development and the ability to use relatively low-protein wheat flours. This process has been adopted in many countries around the world. However, after extensive research, Campden BRI is ready to introduce a new radical approach to bread making that takes into account energy consumption and product quality as well as variability of the raw ingredients.
As the need for mass production and distribution increased and the availability of skilled bakers diminished, other processes were developed to satisfy the need for longer storage and shelf life of baked goods.
of yeast with higher trehalose content is important.
Although more resistant to freeze damage, cryoresistant yeast strains might have a lower gassing power due to lower enzyme activity. The challenges of frozen dough can be overcome by carefully selecting yeast strains as well as maximizing cryoresistance by minimizing yeast fermentation prior to freezing. Selecting other specialized ingredients can also provide some solution to these challenges.
Following that, the preferment and the remainder of the dough ingredients (including large amounts of oxidizing agents) are blended in an incorporator and then moved through a small development chamber and kneaded at high speed while under pressure and almost completely devoid of oxygen.
Next, the dough is automatically scaled and deposited into baking pans. As a result of the pressure and the incorporation of the air based on high-speed mixing, the characteristics of the bread crumb are quite different than those from the batch bread-making process.
Another process breakthrough came in the early 1960s with the introduction of the Chorleywood method. This process
As the need for mass production and distribution increased and the availability of skilled bakers diminished, other processes were developed to satisfy the need for longer storage and shelf life of baked goods. Two major innovations relate to the production of frozen dough and par-baked baked goods. Frozen dough’s advantages include the ability to be stored for long periods and transported across long distances, thawed and formed into products, then proofed and baked at a facility with minimal equipment requirements.
But freezing dough and storing it for a long period of time has its challenges, especially relating to the yeast-raised products. Formation of ice crystals can damage the yeast cells; therefore, the method of freezing is important.
Traditional bread yeast strains have low tolerance to freezing or cryoresistance. Cryoresistance of yeast is related to the presence of higher amounts of trehalose, which is a cryoprotective compound present naturally in yeast. Thus, selection
Another technology introduced in the past 70 years is the process of par-baking. Partially baked products were originally introduced by General Mills in 1949 by the “Brown N Serve” process. These products were pre-baked to exact size and shape and were fully formed with the exception of the crust browning. Since then the process has been used extensively to satisfy the demand for freshly baked goods in the massive urban consumer market.
The par-baking process requires modifications to a product’s formulation, fermentation, baking and freezing process. Formulation adjustments include reduction of yeast and yeast food to lower oven spring, as well as reduction of dough absorption. Fast proofing at slightly warmer temperatures and baking at lower temperatures to ensure stability of the baked good without the crust browning development is also required. The introduction of steam in the baking process is also essential in order to prevent drying of the product, which will result in lower crust quality.
Many new ingredient innovations have taken place in the past seven decades. These include dough improvers, emulsifiers, modified starches, gums and many others.
One area where ingredient innovation has provided a tremendous contribution to the baking industry is the use of enzymes. Although enzymes have been used in the
At Mimac Glaze Limited, we believe in being innovative.
We are proud to offer our customers a wide array of products, including Icings, Glazes, Stabilizers and Rolled Fondants that are completely Trans Fat Free.
Another hot topic in the industry today is the term “Clean Label”. Consumers today are very knowledgeable in that they read the label first. On a “clean label”, you will find no artificial colours nor artificial flavours, no preservatives, no hydrogenation, partially or otherwise.
Mimac Glaze has numerous “Clean Label” products to offer.
Dave Miles President of Mimac Glaze Limited
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baking industry for many years, they were simply crude formulations such malt barley flour or simple proteases such as papain from the papaya tree.
The plethora of specialized enzymes available today that can be used to improve baking formulations is amazing. We now have enzymes that are very precise in acting on starches, proteins and fats, making them a tremendous help to bakers.
These enzymes can often replace synthetic chemical improvers and allow us to have a much cleaner label on our products. Enzymes such as glucose oxidase helped with the removal of potassium bromate when its use was banned in Canada. Other enzymes of note here include lipases, which can act on natural lipids in the flour to reduce the use of emulsifiers; and transglutaminases, which link proteins together to provide strength and structure to the bread formulations. Such enzymes can allow the use of poor-quality wheat flour for the production of good quality baked goods.
Transglutaminases are also being researched for use in the development of
GeRBeR sInGles
File this one under the “what were they thinking?” category: In 1974, Gerber correctly identified that the baby boomers were coming of age, starting careers and in many cases remaining single, so they launched Gerber Singles. These were small servings of food targeting single adults, packaged in jars that were almost identical to those used for baby food. Apparently, most consumers weren’t keen to eat a pureed meal out of a jar, especially one labelled “Singles” (as though they needed to be reminded of their status). The product was pulled from the marketplace shortly after it was launched.
Post-game analysis: Eating pureed food is something one typically does when wearing diapers (either early on or late in life). Nobody associates this with “good times.”
Lesson learned: Demographics are good guides as to what consumers want, but ask yourself: “Am I taking the joy out of the food item in the process?”
While these products make for amusing stories, there is a recurring theme here: Don’t just observe the consumers as a scientist would lab rats; see yourself through their eyes.
The other nugget of wisdom may be
gluten-free baked goods because of their ability to connect proteins together to form matrices that can mimic the gluten function. Other enzymes of interest include specific amylases that can prevent staling of baked goods and enhance shelf life.
Ingredient innovation is sometimes forced by changes in food regulations. Some of the major chronic health issues we are facing today are pointing toward the use of trans-fats and sodium in our diet. As regulations on labelling or use of these unhealthy ingredients are being established, the development of innovative ingredients to provide replacements is accelerated. / BJ
Funding for this report was provided in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Adaptation Council’s CanAdvance Program.
Dr. John Michaelides is Guelph Food Technology Institute’s director of research and technology. For more information, or fee-for-service help with product or process development needs, please contact GFTC at 519-821-1246 or gftc@gftc.ca.
that failure is how you define it. If you learn something from a product launch that was less than stellar, then hold your head high and consider it a win. After all, good judgment comes from experience and experience often comes from . . . bad judgment. /BJ
Michelle Brisebois is a marketing professional with experience in the food, pharmaceutical and financial services industries. She specializes in helping companies grow their brands. Michelle can be reached at On Trend Strategies by e-mail at briseboismichelle@sympatico.ca.
Co NTIN u ED FR o M PAGE 10
The automatic mobile bakery is another bright idea that didn’t seem to catch on.
This is not a bagel.
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Our bagels are a means for you to delight your customers, and delight yourself when you see your sales grow. Our bagels are available in the local formats your patrons are asking for, and they are customised to your unique needs. At Fiera Foods, we don’t just sell bagels, croissants, breads & rolls, pastries, and other bakery goods — we look to partner with our customers and watch their business thrive!
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Subject: MUFFINS
Can you give me a bright yellow custom-printed baking cup with a higher wall and a broader base?
¦ baking quiz ¦
By B RIAN H INTo N
TAkE A TIMEouT
Take a timeout from your busy schedule and put your knowledge of baking to the test with this quiz courtesy of Brian Hinton, owner of Lakeview Bakery in Calgary and one of our guest columnists this month.
As on Jeopardy!, your host will give you the answers and you have to come up with the questions (see page 61 if you get stumped).
1. Without this, angel food cake would lack structure.
2. The highest protein content is found in this flour.
3. This ingredient controls fermentation in bread doughs.
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4. After incinerating flour, you are left with this.
5 The substance that confers on dough the property of gas retention.
6 Dried inner bark of a tree native to Sri Lanka and India.
7. The diastatic activity in malt syrups is expressed in this.
8. The chemical name for granulated sugar.
9. Major Canadian crop used for vegetable oils.
10. A popular type of French bread.
11. Choux paste is used for these.
12. Well known cartoon baker.
13. A sugar syrup heated to 250 F (121 C) for five hours or more.
14. The two most widely used anti-oxidants in fats and oils.
Congratulations on Bakers Journal!
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Brick By B rick
One of the developments sweeping the food industry is the hankering among consumers for products that epitomize elusive qualities such as “artisan,” “hand-crafted,” “organic,” “all-natural,” “additive-free” – and other buzzwords.
Thus, to maximize their appeal to trend-conscious consumers, bakeries are increasingly turning to traditional wood-fired brick ovens. Specifically, the type designed, marketed and sold by Ovencrafters.
Based in California, Ovencrafters got its start in 1982 when founder Alan Scott, an Australian citizen who had immigrated to the United States, was asked to build a brick oven for a friend. After the first loaf of bread came out of the oven, he knew something special had happened.
Today, Ovencrafters is run by Alan’s children, Lila and Nick Scott, and the roster of countries to which they’ve exported their ovens includes Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Venezuela and South Africa.
Some 15 bakeries across Canada have done business with Ovencrafters, including Red Rooster bakery in Prince George, B.C.
}Doug Lawrence prepares a batch of date bars fresh from the Ovencrafters oven at Millstone Bread.
To maximize their appeal to consumers who are conscious of these trends, bakeries are increasingly turning to traditional wood-fired brick ovens.
stone mill,” Muntener says.
Monika Muntener runs Red Rooster with her husband Roman, and like a lot of other bakeries, they insist on freshness, starting with the type of oven to bake their bread in.
“We are baking exclusively in a wood-fired Alan Scott brick oven and wouldn’t trade it for any other oven,” Muntener says.
According to Red Rooster, the next step to good bread includes healthful ingredients. They believe in baking simple breads without the use of additives.
“All of our breads are sourdough-based without yeast, fats, eggs, or sugar. Most of the flour we use is whole-grain, whole wheat or whole rye, milled on our own
Another Canadian bakery that uses an Ovencrafters-designed oven is Millstone Bread in Cobourg, Ont., owned and operated by Jill and Doug Lawrence.
Although Doug says the Ovencrafters model is inexpensive to build and operate, “We also thought it would be a great centerpiece for the bakery, something to differentiate us from other bakeries.”
Doug adds that from a personal standpoint, he has the greatest respect for Ovencrafters and the legacy left by Alan Scott, who passed away Jan. 26, 2009.
“Alan Scott was a very generous individual who has helped hundreds of bakers achieve their dreams by designing
affordable, self-built ovens,” Doug says.
According to the Ovencrafters website, small ovens can cost as little as US$4,000 while medium-sized versions aren’t much costlier at $4,000-$5,000.
The largest Ovencrafters design will set you back $12,000. The prices are for the main baking chamber of the oven and this does not include the finished housing around the oven or the base the oven rests on.
Caledon, Ont.-based Spirit Tree Cidery has also installed an Ovencrafters wood-fired brick bake oven. Owners Nicole Judge and Thomas Wilson say the ingredients they use, such as organic red fife wheat flour, contribute to the quality of their bread, but the oven adds the finishing touch that boosts their products’ appeal to consumers.
“Our oven would definitely be the largest contributor to that quality,” Judge says. “We have experimented with baking the same dough in different ovens (gas
and electric) at the same time that the dough went into our wood-fired oven. The results were surprising. Even at higher temperatures in these ovens to match, the bread had a much better result from the wood-fired oven. The subtle taste and unique baking results from our oven makes our bread special.”
The rest of the time, Judge and Wilson prefer to use a wood-fired oven.
“For bread, I would use nothing else, unless absolutely necessary,” Judge says.
In terms of what their oven cost, the final outlay came to about $18,000.
“We chose to use some specialized products (Kastite, Kastite Light) to build the oven that would extend its life. They added $4,000 to the cost.”
All three bakeries and more use Ovencrafters-designed models because they ensure good-quality bread, sourdough in particular.
“Sourdough bread is very well suited for baking in a wood-fired brick oven as it is usually made with a moist dough that can tolerate high heat and results in a superior tasting product that is also less prone to getting stale compared to straight yeasted breads,” Muntener says.
Millstone Bread and Red Rooster say they have a health-conscious customer base and thus the Ovencrafters design proved perfect for the high-quality style of bread and baked goods their clients are looking for.
“Our main customers are retired
transplants from Toronto. Plenty of professionals and other high earners who appreciate top-quality food and aren’t afraid to spend a little extra to ensure they get pure food” says Doug Lawrence. While it may cost a business more to make such high-quality food, the staff at Red Rooster insists that it’s worth it.
“Our customers are health-conscious, care about the environment, shop locally and, most of all, appreciate great-tasting, honest foods,” Muntener says./ BJ
8On the web: www.ovencrafters.net
Reham Saeed is a second-year print journalism student at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ont. She can be reached by e-mail at rhsaeed@hotmail.com.
By J ANE Ay ER
oN THE FRoNT LINES: 2001-08
A former editor reflects on trends and events from the aughts that dramatically changed the baking industry
When I began my tenure as editor of Bakers Journal in October 2001, the images of the Sept. 11 attacks were still playing daily on TV screens. They were jarring, unreal images that challenged everything we thought we knew. BJ’s national sales manager at the time, Sandy Mels, was at IBIE in Las Vegas when the World Trade Center towers crumbled to the ground and she was among the thousands attending the show who just wanted to get home to their families – I know many of you were at that same show and felt the same way. I think in many ways, that early September day in 2001 had a big impact on the stories I covered during my time with Bakers Journal (I left the magazine in August 2008). I know that’s why comfort food was suddenly such a big trend: the world was instantly a much scarier place, and food that reminds us of good times fills our bellies, warms our
souls – and just plain makes us feel better. And surely that’s also a large part of the reason food safety and security became such a reoccurring theme in the industry and subsequently in the pages of Bakers Journal
We encountered our own food security issue in 2004 when we glued tiny sample packages of glaze to a Mimac ad – and then had shipments of our magazine stopped at the U.S. border because of the unknown substance contained within. Who knew doughnut glaze could be a matter for national security?
Flipping through back issues of the magazine from my time with Bakers Journal, it’s impressive to see how far the industry has come in such a short time. In one issue from late 2001, an article questions the quality of frozen dough. Well, no more. Many bakeries are proving that frozen dough can still result in artisan-quality bread. Acrylamide reared its head during my time with the magazine, the low-carb fad peaked, Krispy Kreme came to Canada (and has since mostly turned around and left), Starbucks introduced a new concept (the “Starbucks Card,” and retailers everywhere quickly followed suit), nutritional labelling became law, Voortmans became the first to remove trans fats from its product line, organics went mainstream,
Jane Ayer pictured with her fellow judges at a decorative bread competition in 2008. From left: Peter Scholtes, Herb Naimer, Flemming Mathiasen, Ayer, Heinz Hubbert and Marian Markowski.
the industry produced two Team Canadas to put our nation on the baking and pastry world map . . . and so very much more.
The industry has grown and evolved in so many ways, and I’m proud and grateful to have been part of the team who has worked for 70 years to bring you those stories of growth and evolution. They’re your stories. They always have been. And I think that’s the key to Bakers Journal’s longevity. / BJ
International Dair y • Deli • Bakery Association
Th e Bi g Round Up. Whether it’s your first rodeo or your thirty-first, the IDDBA’s Dairy-Deli-Bake 2010 is the “must-see” event in the dairy, deli, and bakery industry. For three days, you’ll rub shoulders with retail buyers and executives, leading manufacturers, brokers, distributors and other decision-makers. If your business is food, you owe it to yourself, your company, and your customers to be part of the IDDBA’s Show of Shows! Yeehaw!
The Sho w of Shows. When time and money are short, you need to choose a conference that brings together the key buyers and merchandisers, the top new products, and the best speakers. The IDDBA offers all that plus a 1500-booth expo, a 10,000 square foot Show & Sell Center (model store), and innovative learning displays. With more than 8,000 attendees, the networking and buying opportunities are the best, bar none.
Teac h & Tel l i n th e Sho w & Sell. The hundreds of ideas featured in the Show & Sell Center are actionable and ready to be put into play to attract customers and increase your selling opportunities. You can experience first-hand the creativity and imagination of great retailing and innovative ideas. Pick up tip sheets and how-to instructions, plus see great merchandising in action. Sign up for a FREE Photo CD to share your ideas with your team. In fact, we want you to steal our ideas!
Wild West to Outer Space.
Houston is a wonderful blend of the old west, the space program, and international commerce. It’s a hubbub of shopping, nightlife, the arts, and museums. The Houston Space Center and the galleria make this an international city with a small-town feel. Y’all come on down and take care of business, hear great speakers, and network with the very best.
Stephen Dubner Superfreakonomics: Unexpected Solutions
President George W. Bush
Harry Balzer Eating Patterns in America
Dr. Rosita Thomas Consumers In The Deli & In The Bakery
Mike Ditka ACE–Attitude, Character and Enthusiasm
Daniel Burrus Technology-Enabled Innovation
Rachael Ray Recipe for Success
Harold Lloyd Catching the Wave of Change
John Pinette Show Me The Buffet: I’m Starvin’
Ben Stein Lessons Learned on Life, the Economy & You
This is not bread.
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100 years of r o B in Hood
Few brands in Canada enjoy as much name and logo recognition as Robin Hood. Its familiarity has helped it become one of the leading names in flour, mixes and bases for the retail, foodservice and industrial baking markets, and in 2009 it turned 100 years old.
Although the company International Multifoods no longer exists, the Robin Hood brand is “alive and well,” says Horizon Milling marketing manager Elaine O’Doherty.
Cargill’s Horizon Milling division bought International Multifoods Canadian industrial foodservice and milling assets from Smucker Foods in 2006. Smucker, which bought International Multifoods in 2004, continues to handle retail operations while licensing the brand to Horizon Milling for the foodservice and industrial channels.
“As we are celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the Robin Hood brand, Horizon Milling is also celebrating 100 years of milling expertise in Canada,” O’Doherty says. “Nothing changed with the product when the brand changed hands. In fact, a lot of customers still refer to us as Robin Hood.”
}Robin Hood, the company, was founded in 1909 by Francis Atherton Bean, president of International Milling in Minneapolis, who launched the business with a mill in Moose Jaw, Sask.
With a population of 7,000, Moose Jaw was, at the time, Saskatchewan’s largest city, and Bean’s mill opened to great excitement. In a short time, the mill had become a vital fixture in the local economy. Bean had it remodelled, and in less than two years it was producing more than 1,600 barrels of flour a day.
In the 1920s, production shifted from Moose Jaw to Saskatoon, and Robin Hood expanded into Quebec, buying a Montreal
mill that continues to operate today. In fact, the Montreal facility was remodelled in the 2000s – a project that expanded its capacity by one-third, making it one of the largest mills in Canada.
During the World War II years, Robin Hood became increasingly involved in the community. It produced the popular radio show “On Parade.” Similar to “Name That Tune,” it offered prizes to winners and brought thousands of households some cheerful relief from wartime hardship.
Robin Hood also responded to a crisis
Much has changed, but the companies behind the brand say their philosophy has remained the same: they’re sensitive to change, so they can help you improve your business.
at home. In the summer of 1950, Winnipeg suffered the worst flood in the history of North America. Robin Hood donated clothes, supplies and a $10,000 cheque for the flood relief fund.
By the end of the 1960s, Robin Hood was producing hundreds of products from its traditional flour, from oat cereals to baking mixes and condiments in order to fully serve the consumer, bakery and foodservice markets, and that full-service commitment continues today.
One of the most visceral aspects of the
company’s development over the years is the evolution of its logo featuring Robin Hood, in various incarnations. In one of his earliest appearances, in 1910, he bore a passing resemblance to King Edward VII. Then, in 1936, a redesign gave him the plumage and dashing good looks of Hollywood star Errol Flynn’s portrayal of Robin Hood.
However, in 1958 a revision of the logo occurred when a New York packaging designer was hired to give the brand a makeover. The designer conducted a survey of consumers and found that Robin Hood was associated with the colours red and green and should be wearing a hat with a plume.
From these simple criteria he came up with the minimalist side-profile design that is still in use today, as Robin Hood welcomes its second century while acknowledging the hard work that made its first possible.
The Robin Hood brand has come a long way since the days when flour was sold in wooden barrels. Much has changed, but the companies behind the brand say their philosophy has remained the same: they’re sensitive to change, so they can help you improve your business. / BJ
Robin Hood’s original mill in Moose Jaw, Sask. and 100th anniversary logo (inset).
The mosT imporTanT baking evenT of The year.
The International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) is the largest, most comprehensive event of the year, attracting world-class companies from around the globe and across the grain-based food industry. Known internationally as the Baking ExpoSM, IBIE provides the full range of equipment, supply and ingredient solutions. Be here to connect with prospective business partners, increase world-wide market share and keep up with consumer trends that affect the global marketplace.
Join IBIE’s International Buyer Program by contacting your local U.S. Embassy or Consulate or visit www.IBIE2010.com for international visitor information, travel tips and a Visa application.
inTernaTionaL sponsors:
THE
MEASURE
F a s t e rfermentation
Use less yeast
More resistant to cold water
By BRIAn HARtz
Leading t H e way
Unlike many of Canada’s trade magazines that have been swallowed up by large corporate media juggernauts, Bakers Journal has been in the hands of a series of independent owners or small companies that have kept the magazine true to its roots and ideals.
From its first publisher, W.E. Floody in the 1930s, to Ernest Naef in the 1980s, the magazine was solely owned and operated by individuals. During that time, many changes occurred, including relocation from Toronto to Beaconsfield, Que., then back to the Toronto area. It wasn’t until 1989, when Naef sold Bakers Journal to Newfoundland Capital Corp. (NCC), that it was published by a corporation.
Today, Bakers Journal is part of a stable of trade journals published by a familyowned business, Annex Publishing & Printing Inc., in Simcoe, Ont. Owners Mike and Sue Fredericks acquired the magazine in 1997 when they bought the assets of NCC, and they recently took time to reflect on the magazine that laid the groundwork for their successful foray into trade magazine publishing.
}“It was a real learning experience for me,” Mike says. “At the time (1989), I was the director of development [at NCC], and this file was kicking around the office, and I thought it looked good. The conversation went well with Ernest and Louise Naef, and after the sale we hired Ernest back in for a few things. When we buy things we try to keep the founders, the incumbents involved. It was very easy with Ernest. He was a great guy to work with.”
leaders, but the industry was facing the fact that many were in their mid to later years and so they were searching for the next generation of Canadian bakers.”
This time of transition created a perfect opportunity to make a mark in the industry by becoming an outlet for the needs and concerns of independent retail bakers, Sue says.
“There was this huge concern about who was going to educate our bakers,” she recalls. “It’s always interesting to be involved in an industry that is in a state of flux or change. And baking has been in that state since I’ve been following it.”
Mike and Sue Fredericks
In his role as president of Annex Publishing, Mike Fredericks takes a more big-picture approach to the 26 magazines he and Sue own, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t noticed the resilience of the baking industry and how it copes with economic challenges.
“It’s been a nice, steady market for us. You don’t see fluky highs and lows,” he says. “Even when the recessions come,
In forming a partnership with Paul [Hetherington] and Rosemary [Dexter] at the BAC, it was an exciting time for the magazine to help forge a national voice for the industry.
there might be a bit of a slowdown, but not much. [Bakers Journal] is a good, solid piece in a group of publications. Occasionally the Bakery Showcase takes a dip and then advertising falls off, but other than that it’s a solid performer.”
and they had to become part of a national entity instead of provincial. But in forming a partnership with Paul [Hetherington] and Rosemary [Dexter] at the BAC, it was an exciting time for the magazine to help forge a national voice for the industry.”
As for the future of Bakers Journal, Mike and Sue say that despite the upheaval and uncertainty facing the print media as more advertising dollars move online, no major changes are on the horizon, apart from the occasional redesign of the magazine’s look.
“For years we tried to keep a traditional style to the magazine,” Sue says. “We recognized that its average reader was in their 50s and, knowing that where they might be reading the magazine, they might have flour or sticky fingers, we tried to keep a larger type size even as publishers all around us were shrinking their type size. Finally, in 2008, we said, ‘OK, it’s time to tweak the magazine and give it a more modern look’ – and that turned out to be very successful.
As the official publisher of Bakers Journal after she and her husband bought NCC in 1997, Sue Fredericks was more involved in the day-to-day operations of the magazine.
“What I thought was really neat [about the baking business] was that so many people in the industry were European immigrants,” she recalls. “And they were
Despite this steady performance, the Frederickses have seen some upheaval in the industry in the past 20 years, most notably the amalgamation of the various trade associations into one national group.
“The most exciting thing going on when I first got involved was the formation of the Baking Association of Canada,” Sue says. “For some people in Ontario it wasn’t a positive experience because it meant the end of their Bakery Showcase,
“We’ll continue to have a printed product,” Sue adds, “but we’ll find that more and more people are going online and viewing it digitally. We’ll look forward to more web-based interactivity with our readers.”
Looking back – and forward – Mike sums up by saying: “Bakers was the stimulus for our business; it made sense and it worked for us and the seller. It’s a good, steady market to be in, and we’re happy to support it with our coverage of the industry.” / BJ
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¦ industry news ¦
Tim Hortons opens on Naval Station Norfolk
DUBLIN, Ohio – Tim Hortons Inc. has opened a restaurant at Naval Station Norfolk, the world’s largest naval base, located in Norfolk, Va. The opening broadens the company’s connection with military personnel, and continues its expansion in the U.S. market.
The NS Norfolk restaurant is Tim Hortons’ second on a U.S. military base following the opening of a location at Fort Knox last fall. The company also serves its signature coffee and baked goods on seven Canadian military bases and at a restaurant in Kandahar, Afghanistan, which American, Canadian and British troops
have embraced as a familiar taste of home since 2006.
“The opening of our NS Norfolk location continues our strategy of expanding into contiguous markets through strategic alliances,” said chief operations officer David Clanachan.
In 2009 Tim Hortons Inc. entered into a strategic partnership with Kahala Corp. By the end of September Tim Hortons had 65 co-branded restaurants with Cold Stone Creamery in the United States and 12 locations in Canada.
“Naval Station Norfolk is proud to be the location for the first partnership between the Navy and Tim Hortons, Cold Stone Creamery and Great Steak, said NS Norfolk commanding officer Capt. Kelly Johnson. “Adding the trio to the food service options on Naval Station is a tremendous benefit to Sailors and their families.”
Restaurateurs brace for $31-million jump in wage costs
HALIFAX – Restaurant owners in Nova Scotia are bracing for a 12.2 per cent rise in minimum wage this year. The proposed increase, would mean a $31-million hit to foodservice employers or $16,000 a year for the average restaurant owner.
The Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA) has been fielding calls and faxes from hundreds of frustrated business owners.
businesses and the jobs they provide while achieving the goal of reducing poverty.”
CRFA has proposed several solutions:
• Reduce the income tax burden on low-income earners.
“A 12 per cent increase in minimum wage when inflation is running at just 1.2 per cent will ratchet up all wages in our industry,” says Luc Erjavec, CRFA’s Atlantic Canada vice-president. “It’s counterproductive at a time when we are struggling to preserve jobs. There are ways to protect small
• Bring increases to the minimum wage in line with other economic indicators.
• Have a separate minimum wage for employees serving liquor – as is the case in Ontario, Quebec and Maine – to recognize the significant income they earn in tips.
• Leave the inexperience wage at the current rate.
Approximately three quarters of minimum-wage earners in the foodservice business are young people under 25, and well over two-thirds work part time. In most cases these individuals are living at home, are students or are secondary-income earners.
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Bakers Journa anniversary time
Join us as we take a trip down Memory Lane and look back on notable events in the baking industry over the past seven decades.
In tHe 1930s …
• Allied Trades of the Baking Industry forms in 1932.
• First issue of Bakers Journal published in July 1938
• National Council of the Baking Industry (NCBI) forms in 1939. First president is W.H. Harrison on Montreal. Secreatry is R.P. Sparks of Ottawa.
In tHe 1940s …
• Cost of ingredients used in bread skyrockets 50-60 per cent due to World War II. Maintenance and labour costs also go up dramatically, and bakeries are hampered by sugar rationing, lack of milk powder, shortages of shortening and loss of labour to military service. Still, sale of baked products rises 35-40 per cent during war years.
• Production Men’s Club of Ontario –forerunner to Bakery Production Club of Ontario – forms in 1942. First president is W.C. Cook.
• Montreal biscuit manufacturers form a production men’s club in 1944.
• VE Day: May 7, 1945. More than 1,500 members of the Canadian baking industry served during wartime. Twenty-five were killed in action.
• Price-fixing probe grabs headlines in 1948 as several bakeries and bakers’ associations in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia are investigated.
• Newfoundland becomes Canada’s 10th province in 1949. Prior to joining, enrichment of flour had been approved by the Newfoundland government, leading to the insertion
of a special clause for the new province in the Terms of Union – and a federal government study of whether to allow flour enrichment for the rest of Canada.
In tHe 1950s …
• Bakers’ associations begin to embrace expansion as NCBI opens office in Calgary in 1952.
• Federal legislation allowing enrichment of flour enacted. First preview of enriched flour and bread products takes place Dec. 16, 1953, at Consolidated Bakeries Ltd. in Toronto.
• Bakery Foods Foundation – public relations arm of the NCBI – forms in 1953.
• Canada’s first school of baking established in 1954 at Ryerson Institute of Technology in Toronto.
• Ontario Bakers’ Association and NCBI merge Oct. 1, 1955, forming what would later become the Bakery Council of Canada.
• Ryerson’s baking program is suspended
in 1957 due to lack of enrolment.
• In 1958, the new technology known as the continuous mix process revolutionizes the baking industry, allowing bakeries to meet increasing demand and turn out a superior product. Canada’s first continuous mix system is installed at Wonder Bakeries in Montreal, allowing it to produce 4,500 loaves per hour.
• Advent of continuous mix sparks debate over whether bread should be flavourful in its own right or merely a bland-tasting vehicle for delivering spreads and sandwich fillings. But as more European bakers leave warravaged Europe for Canada, consumers get the best of both worlds and are able to buy breads that suit their individual tastes and preferences.
In tHe 1960s …
• Consumer buying habits change dramatically as home delivery is phased out and the era of the supermarket dawns, forcing the baking
Journa L 70t H time L ine
industry to make significant changes, especially in the area of packaging. Wax wrap was out and polyethlylene was in.
• Population shifts in the early ’60s result in an increasing concentration of people living in cities and urban areas – up to 60 per cent of the entire population, according to estimates at the time – opening up new opportunities for not only larger commercial bakeries, but also specialty bakers as immigrants continued to arrive and settle in Canadian cities.
• In Toronto, small retail bakers begin to organize into groups such as the Associated Retail Bakers of Metro Toronto. Meanwhile, still trying to bring such retail bakers into their association, the NCBI establishes a retail bakers committee headed by Charles Carter of Bowmanville, Ont.
• Quebec bakers take a novel approach to co-operative business in 1964, banding together to form Les Boulangers Progressifs du Quebec Inc. and selling their products under a single, shared trademark: “Gailuron.”
• Despite the NCBI’s designs on a national organization for bakers, by the mid ’60s the Canadian baking industry was highly fragmented into many different associations. These included the Allied Trades of the Baking Industry (with chapters in the Maritimes, Quebec and Ontario), Associated Bakers of Western Ontario, Associated Retail Bakers of Metro Toronto, Association of Retail Pastry Bakers of Montreal, Atlantic Provinces Bakers Association, Bakers of Saskatchewan, Bakery Council of Canada, Bakery Production Club of British Columbia, Bakery Production Club of Ontario, Bakery Production Club of Metro Winnipeg, Essex-Kent Bakers Association, Montreal Bakers Association, Toronto Hebrew Master Bakers and Victoria Bakery Production Club.
•
• The Ontario Bakers’ Association officially dissolves – or is absorbed by the NCBI, which changes its name to the Bakery Council of Canada and begins to focus largely on government affairs and consumer education.
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•
• In 1964, the Bakery Production Club of Ontario hosts its first Bakery Showcase, an idea conceived by John Sernissi that has gone on to become one of the most successful and well attended events on the North American baking industry calendar. In 1968, Sylvia Jenkins comes from England to Canada for a twomonth visit, and then later decides to immigrate. She goes on to
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become a prominent figure in the industry and a columnist for Bakers Journal.
• The ’60s were also a time of corporate takeovers and mergers. One of the most notable casualties was McGavin Foods, which was taken over by Maple Leaf and Ogilvie Flour Mills.
In tHe 1970s …
• Formal apprenticeship program for bakers established in Ontario under authority of the Apprenticeship and Tradesmen’s Qualification Act 1964.
• Canada Bread Co. Ltd. changes name to Corporate Foods Ltd.
• Bakery Council of Canada marks 25th anniversary with May 11-13, 1970, convention at Sheraton-Brock Hotel in Niagara Falls, Ont.
• Remember the days when athletes such as Joe DiMaggio and Dizzy Dean had their own chain of franchise restaurants? An article in our June 1970 issue, “Facts on Franchising,” discusses the pros, cons and costs of getting involved in the franchise game, and these baseball stars’ restaurants are listed as prime examples. The same article goes on to predict new geographical opportunities for franchising that have gone unrealized: “It is expected that within our lifetime, a bridge will be built from Alaska to Siberia … This would open up new markets for both Canadian and American businessmen.”
• Bakery Production Club of Ontario holds its 1970 Showcase Oct. 20-21 at Seaway Towers Motor Hotel in Toronto. The event attracts 1,009 attendees and 52 exhibitors.
• Loblaw opens a new supermarket featuring an ultra-modern
in-store bakery in Toronto’s newest shopping centre –Fairview Mall at the top of the Don Valley Parkway – featuring Toledo scales, Hobart and Gilbert mixers, Milner retarder, Brantford rotary oven, Swift Jewel oil, Redpath sugar, Kraft sweet whey and a variety of ingredients and products by Rose & Laflamme.
• The Food Prices Review Board reveals that the bulk of bread sales in Canada is controlled by 30 bakeries.
• In June 1975, the Bakery Council of Canada holds its annual meeting at the Skyline Hotel in Ottawa. Grete Hale of Morrison Lamothe Foods Ltd. in Ottawa is re-elected president.
• Sylvia Jenkins’ book Bakery Technology, Part 1: Bread is published by Lester and Orpen Ltd. of Toronto. Jenkins, known in Canada, the U.S. and internationally for her baking expertise, goes on to join the Bakers Journal staff in the 1980s as technical editor.
• Packaging and labelling is a bone of contention in the baking industry in the mid-1970s as Canada prepares to switch to the metric system on March 1, 1976. At the Quebec Bakers annual meeting, Roland G. Verne of the province’s ministry of Consumer and Corporate Affairs comments on “Canada’s ill-advised drift into the quicksand of Europe’s dreadful metric system.”
• Liquid sponge comes to Canada, marking a milestone in the country’s bread industry, when Steinberg’s Bakery installs a three-tank liquid sponge system as part of an $8.5 million expansion of its Montreal facility.
• Canadian Baker Perkins closes its manufacturing operation in Brampton, Ont. Thirty-two union workers and 25 salaried personnel lose their jobs.
• The new Central Canadian Independent Bakers Association holds its first meeting Sept. 20-21, 1975, in Brandon, Man.
• Oh, how times have changed compared to this excerpt from an article about pricing by the Bakery Production of British Columbia, reprinted in the October 1975 issue of Bakers Journal : “Quality baked goods should be advertised, displayed, and sampled. Be sure your sales girls are knowledgeable about your products and use mouth-watering terms to create consumer acceptance.”
• The Bakery Council of Canada becomes a non-voting member of the American Bakers Association in a reciprocal agreement.
• Mixer manufacturer Hobart establishes a 21,000-square-foot distribution centre in Malton, Ont.
• In an action described as the most important of its 56-year history, the American Institute of Baking agrees in principle to relocate from Chicago to Manhattan, Kan., with a target date of summer 1977.
• Jean Paul Fagot, pastry chef at the Four Seasons Sheraton hotel in Toronto, bakes a 300-pound cake in honour of the 180th birthday of Toronto’s Yonge Street in 1975. The recipe calls for 600 eggs, 40 pounds of flour, 40 pounds of sugar and 30 pounds of butter.
Designreal BJ mar10 2.pdf 1 08/02/10 9:01 AM
In tHe 1980s …
• Bakers Journal adds new columns – “Ideas for Profit” and “Trouble Shooting” – as well as new voices Sylvia Jenkins and Fritz Bliedung.
• Thirty-eight retail bakeries in the Maritimes hold a debate on whether to form their own association or join the Atlantic Provinces Bakers Association (APBA). At a meeting on Nov. 21 in Moncton, N.B., they vote unanimously to join APBA.
• The Bakery Council of Canada (BCC) moves from its Bloor Street, Toronto, headquarters to a new office on the 10th floor of 415 Yonge St., Toronto.
• Lantic Sugar Ltd. of Montreal opens a new $1 million facility for storing and loading bulk sugar. Two 300,000-pound silos were also installed to ensure a constant sugar inventory.
• The inaugural World Student Culinary Competition is held April 23 in Toronto at HostEx 1985, pitting more than 10 college teams from across the country in the Taste of Canada contest. Canadian students go on to capture more than 60 per cent of the gold and silver medals at the event.
• Multi-Marques Inc. becomes the largest bakery in Canada as a result of the merger between Quebec’s Unipain Inc. and Le Groupe Samson Inc.
• Ten to 13 per cent of all retail bakery employees in Saskatchewan and Manitoba are laid off as a result of a price war between McGavin and Weston bakeries. The companies slashed the price of bread to nine cents in some stores, making it impossible for independent bakers to compete, according to the Central Canadian Bakers’ Association.
• From our April 1985 issue: Five bags of chocolate chip cookies kept four fishermen alive when they abandoned their fishing trawler in rough seas off the coast of Massachusetts. The men were adrift in a life raft for 42 hours before being rescued. “Without God, and the supply of cookies, I don’t think we would have made it,” one of the crew said.
• Bloemhof Industries Ltd. of Edmonton begins using an innovative new tool for marketing its bakery equipment –video. A 26-minute videotape shows the company’s sheeters, moulders and baggers in operation in a variety of bakery settings. According to our report, “A nominal charge of $15 (plus C.O.D. charges) will be reimbursed upon return of the tape. Specify VHS or BETA.”
• A job-stress survey conducted by the U.S. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health reveals that bakers have the 29th most stressful job out of 130 occupations in the survey.
• Ulrich Pohl of Pohl’s Bakery in Vancouver is named president of the newly formed Pastry Chefs Guild of British Columbia.
• Weston Bakeries Ltd., a subsidiary of George Weston Ltd., buys most of the Ontario assets of General Bakeries Ltd. for $8-$9 million. Ironically, the deal means that Weston Bakeries, which is part of the same corporate family as Loblaw supermarkets, will be selling baked goods to Loblaw rival A&P.
• The inaugural Bakery/Pastry Exhibition, a three-day trade show for the baking and pastry industries, is held Oct. 13-15, 1985, at Place Bonaventure in Montreal.
• A new doughnut franchise, Holey Donuts!, arrives in southern Ontario. Supplied by Maple Leaf Foods, the franchise eschews franchise fees and deals with prospective buyers on a first come, first served basis.
• Multi-Marques Inc., Canada’s largest bakery, introduces the
country’s first true milk bread, which will sell exclusively in Quebec under the Gailuron brand. Milk bread is touted as richer in calcium, more nourishing, staying fresh longer and tasting better than other breads.
• Canadian Tire outlets in Manitoba and Saskatchewan draw the ire of bakers when they begin to undercut retail bakeries by at least 30 cents on 18½-ounce loaves of white and brown pan bread.
• A U.S. consumer survey commissioned by the International Deli-Bakery Association reveals that price is the least important factor for customers buying food at bakeries and delis in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Phoenix and Seattle. The No. 1 concern is freshness, followed closely by cleanliness,
quality of products, variety and service.
• George Brown College announces plans to build a new hospitality training institute in downtown Toronto, with a projected opening date of Sept. 1, 1987. The $150,000, 105,000-square-foot facility will include three bakery labs.
• New U.S. dietary guidelines favour foods with adequate fibre and starch – a positive development for bakers.
• Bjarne’s Cakes, a brand name of Calmar Bakery Ltd. in Calmar, Alta., becomes the first bakery business to set up shop in the enormous West Edmonton Mall. The business is run by Bjarne Kristensen, a Danish baker with more than 35 years of experience in the trade.
In tHe 1990s …
• Robin Hood Multifoods announces a restructuring of its operations due to opportunities brought on by the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.
• The Mister Donut chain is sold to Dunkin Donuts Inc., which takes over all 475 U.S. locations while its Canadian unit, Allied-Lyons PLC, absorbs the 83 Mister Donut franchises north of the border.
• In our January/February 1990 issue, we try to predict the decade to come in an article called, “Looking Ahead – Odyssey into 2001.” It quotes Bob Stross of the Creative Marketing Institute, who says a major trend of the 1990s will be consumers splurging on upscale, gourmet food products “almost without regard to cost.” It’s been a while since we’ve heard terms such as “upscale” and “splurge” associated with consumer spending.
• B.C. Sugar pays $110 million for a 50 per cent share in competitor Lantic Sugar Ltd.
• John McColl is promoted to national technical manager at Puratos Canada Inc. McColl is Bakers Journal’s technical editor and a member of the
magazine’s editorial advisory board.
• Egon Keller is elected president of the Pastry Chefs Guild of Ontario, a position he continues to hold with the organization, which is now called the Canadian Pastry Chefs Guild.
• In our March 1990 issue, bakery consultant Sylvia Jenkins returns to the pages of Bakers Journal with her Problem Solving for Bakers column.
• Berlin is chosen as the host city for the 1992 IBA bakery exhibition, which is traditionally held in a German city. The May 9-17 event will be the second edition of IBA to be held in Berlin.
• The results of Bakers Journal’s 1990 In-Store Bakery Survey are reported. Among the more notable data: Bake-off operations enjoy a 47 per cent share of the overall market while scratch/mix operations account for 42 per cent; overall industry unit growth is expected to be 9.3 per cent (down from 11.5 per cent the year before –and far less than today’s conservative growth estimates).
• Dempster’s launches its Organics line of organic bread, the first of its kind in Canada, citing consumers’ desire for “green” food and products. Twenty years later, “green” is bigger than ever.
• Exhibitor space for Bakery Showcase ’90, set for Oct. 21-23, sells out far in advance of the event at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ont.
• L&M Manufacturing Co. of Downsview, Ont., one of the oldest bakery equipment manufacturers in Canada, drastically scales down operations and lays off staff. It eventually closes but is resurrected by former sales manager Ivan Klopfer, who renames the company Global Bakery & Food Equipment Co. Ltd.
• The rapid growth of the U.S. Hispanic population results in more than $2 billion in growth for tortilla products, sparking the formation of the Tortilla Industry Association, based in Sherman Oaks, Calif.
• In July 1990, Ernest Naef returns to the editor’s desk at Bakers Journal, replacing Mike Solomon. Naef was editor and publisher of Bakers Journal for more than 12 years until the magazine was acquired by NCC Publishing.
• The fifth annual Grocery Attitudes of Canadians Survey reveals that “What Does it Cost?” and “How Fresh Is It?” remain the top two questions of
shoppers when confronted with a new food product.
• In our August/September 1990 issue, excerpts from a controversial letter are published detailing a U.S. manufacturer’s refusal of credit to a Quebec company due to fallout from the “political instability” caused by the failure of the Meech Lake Accord.
• In a precedent-setting move, Quebec baker Harry Schick becomes the first person to challenge the province’s controversial language law, pleading not guilty to Law 178. At his shop in Pointe Claire, a suburb of Montreal, he welcomes customers with signs in 35 languages, but the law says all exterior signs must be in French only while interior signs in businesses with less than 50 employees can be in French and a second language, as long as French predominates. When ordered to appear in court to face the charge, Schick protests by covering his store windows with black paper.
• At a cost of $235.5 million, New Jerseybased A&P buys 69 Miracle Food Mart and Ultra-Mart stores in Ontario, increasing its supermarket holdings in the province to 264.
• John Pendrith of Pendrith Bakers’ Equipment celebrates his 105th birthday on July 22, 1990.
• Pizza Pizza battles rival Chicken Chicken all the way to the Supreme Court of Ontario, alleging its former president, John Gillespie, breached a non-competition clause after he left Pizza Pizza and used confidential information to set up Chicken Chicken.
• Kien Bui, Sylvia Jenkins and Gerrard Wilbrink are awarded lifetime memberships in the Bakery Production Club of Ontario. Also in 1990, Bui is named director of research and development at W.J. Lafave and Sons.
• Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s add bagels to their menus.
• What’s believed to be the world’s largest cherry pie is baked in Oliver, B.C., to celebrate the town’s “Guinness Day.” (See photo on page 52.)
• Effective Oct. 1, 1990, Quebec’s minimum wage rises to $5.30 per hour. Minimum wage in the hotel and restaurant industries is set at $4.58 per hour.
• Eastern Bakeries, the largest bakery in the Maritimes, celebrates the baking of its billionth loaf of Butternut white
bread with a “Search for the Billionth Loaf” promotional event for customers reminiscent of Willy Wonka’s golden ticket contest.
• In a major shakeup to the industry, Canada Packers’ Maple Leaf Mills division and John Labatt Ltd.’s Ogilvie Mills division merge their flour and bakery operations, forming a partnership called Maple Leaf-Ogilvie.
• Gainsborough Kitchens, a division of Corporate Foods Ltd., launches Canada’s first pure vegetableshortening frozen pie shell.
• Bakers brace for the implementation of GST, which comes into effect on Jan. 1, 1991. Bakers Journal publishes a Baker’s Guide to the GST in our December 1990 issue.
• In 1995, U.S. coffee giant Starbucks Corp. announces it will open its first locations in Canada, starting with units in Chapters bookstores in Burlington, Ont., and Burnaby, B.C.
• Tim Hortons announces it will join forces with American fast-food chain Wendy’s in a deal worth US$400 million. Annual sales of up to $5 billion are forecast as a result of the merger.
• Bakers struggle to adapt to life without potassium bromate as it becomes illegal in Canada. An oxidizing agent that allows dough to better retain gas, it was popular for its role in producing good volume, or oven spring, in breads and rolls. To compensate, bakeries extended mixing times or turned to bromate-free dough
conditioners.
• In an effort to gain control of the McCain Foods empire, Wallace McCain makes a $1.2 billion bid to take over Maple Leaf Foods Inc., which had recently acquired the Oakville, Ont.-based Buns Master Bakery Systems Inc. The bid for Canada’s largest baker and food processor is accepted. Meanwhile, subsidiary Maple Leaf Mills says it will carry on with business as usual via its joint venture with U.S. milling giant ConAgra Inc.
• Higher cookie, frozen dough, candy and dairy sales fatten the bottom line at George Weston Ltd. The Torontobased company announces profits of $117 million for the year ended Dec. 31, 1994, compared with $57 million in 1993.
• The results of Bakers Journal’s 1994 In-Store Bakery point to a major shift from traditional scratch/mix baking to time- and labour-saving bake-off operations. Also on the increase are multi-grain breads, bagels, low-fat options and specialty/variety breads such as sunflower, rye, flax and sourdough.
• In our January/February 1995 issue, it’s reported that the now-dormant Bakery Production Club of Ontario has completed its final transfer of funds to the education account of the Ontario Chapter of the Baking Association of Canada, as specified in the amalgamation agreement of 1999 whereby the BPCO and other
From left: Oakville, Ont.-based Food City Bakery’s Gregg Smith and Diane Constable, with Vern Wood of Dover Flour Mills (Bakers Journal, April 1986).
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industry associations join forces with the newly created BAC.
• Paczki, a traditional Polish dessert similar to a rich, deep-fried doughnut, becomes a big seller thanks to a campaign by the National Paczki Committee. Intended to be a last sweet indulgence before Lent, paczki begin flying off the shelves and some Canadian bakers even march in Detroit’s famous Paczki Parade on Feb. 27, 1995.
• Cargill begins selling a new hard white wheat variety called Snow White, as well as a flour to be milled from that wheat.
• On Aug. 1, 1995, an era ends as grain transport subsidies cease, thereby putting the full cost of shipping grain from the Prairies on producers and secondary handlers. Under the Western Grain Transportation Act, the government of Canada had paid grain transportation subsidies to grain shippers for nearly 100 years.
• Canada’s third annual Breadfest takes place Sept. 22-30, 1995, in Calgary. Sponsored by the Southern Alberta Bakers Association, the event focuses on the benefits of bread and its importance as food for a healthful lifestyle.
• A branding makeover changes Robin Hood yeast to SAF-Instant yeast.
• Par-baked goods begin to make their presence known in the marketplace due to their consistency of quality, shortened production cycle, cost savings and excellent freshness and flavour.
• Tim Hortons opens its 1,000th store, in Ancaster, Ont.
• A bagel war looms in Montreal as Bagelville, a purveyor of bigger, crustier New York-style bagels, muscles in on the turf of popular merchants such as Bagel Factory and St. Viateur Bagel Shop.
• The launch of the Windows 95 computer operating system does not go unnoticed by Bakers Journal . We publish an article titled “Computerizing your business” in our October 1995 issue. Fifteen years later, it’s hard to imagine life, baking and business without computers involved in some way or another.
• In Quebec, the provincial government proposes to lift the ban on delivering bread on Sundays and Mondays, which had seen bakeries fined
thousands of dollars for illegal deliveries. The rule was intended to ensure that unionized workers at large bakeries got weekends off. At the time it was enacted, most people consumed white pan bread that included preservatives, but the popularity of small bakeries delivering preservative-free specialty breads led to the change.
• In September 1995, a Montreal-area bakery sustains more than $7,000 in damages from a bomb blast possibly connected to a motorcycle gang war in the city. Les Aliments Teggiano, located in Dollard Des Ormeaux, 10 kilometres west of Montreal on the West-Island, is forced to throw out a whole day’s inventory and replace a glass display case and refrigerator door. No one is hurt in the blast.
• Tight world supplies, due in part to a drought in Australia, lead to a huge jump in Canadian grain exports –from 2.4 million to 29.8 million tonnes – despite a cap on exports to the United States.
• Employers in several provinces are faced with minimum wage increases implemented in 1995 or planned to take effect in 1996. New Brunswick’s went up to $5.50 per hour, Manitoba’s to $5.40, Quebec’s to $6.45, B.C.’s to $7 and Ontario’s to $6.85. Newfoundland’s minimum wage remained the lowest at $4.75 per hour.
• U.S. sugar makers threaten to stop
shipping to Canada unless import duties ranging from $416 to $1,000 per tonne are eliminated.
In tHe 2000s
• Robin Hood Multifoods invests $7 million in an expansion of the milling, packing and shipping division at its 70-year-old mill in Saskatoon, Sask.
• Blak’s Bakery, in Windsor, Ont., celebrates its 80th year in business.
• The Cinelli family and G. CinelliEsperia Corp. are honoured in the book EPIC: Italians of North America
• Robin’s Donuts celebrates its 25th anniversary and opens a new location, its 245th in Canada, in White River, Ont.
• In what’s thought to be a first for separately owned and operated companies, Country Style Donuts and A&W open a jointly shared retail location in Mississauga, Ont.
“We are proud to be this industry’s national magazine, but we are well aware that our success was made possible only through the loyal support from our readers, our advertisers, and the various trade associations and other industry sectors across the country.” - Ernest Naef
Central Canadian Bakers Convention, Brandon, Man., 1982.
Rogers Certified Organic Flours
Your Assurance of Quality
The organic wheat selection process is extremely rigorous. It begins with lab milling of samples, which are then farinograph and bake tested. Only the best organic samples are accepted and extensively blended to give the best bake results of any organic flour in the world. Try it. You’ll be amazed!
• The Canadian International Grains Institute (CIGI) opens its new pilot plant for pasta production and renovated flour mill, built with $1.9 million in funding from the Canadian Wheat Board and Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council.
• George Brown College baking program co-ordinator Peter Scholtes retires after 17 years. During his career in the baking industry, he worked at Awries Bakeries in Detroit and Corporate Foods (now known as Canada Bread), serving at the latter for 13 years. “The baking industry has been good to me and I’m not sorry I picked it,” he said in the May 2000 issue of Bakers Journal.
• In our July 2000 issue, Bakers Journal welcomes new editor Rebecca Maxwell, who succeeds Wendy Kudeba. A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Maxwell grew up in Simcoe, Ont., and worked at Canadian Living, The Globe and Mail and several trade magazines prior to taking the reins at Bakers
• The Barry Callebaut Institute, a multi-disciplinary centre for teaching and learning the many applications of cocoa and chocolate products, opens in St. Hyacinthe, Que.
• General Mills Inc. acquires Pillsbury from Diageo PLC for US$10.5 billion.
• In a transaction valued at US$18.9 billion, Philip Morris Companies Inc.
acquires Nabisco, merging it with its subsidiary Kraft Foods Inc. The deal makes Kraft a world leader in cookies and crackers with 13 per cent of the market.
• Toronto City Council approves a new food-establishment inspection program that will require all 18,000 such businesses to display a coloured sign stating whether they are in compliance with the program’s health and safety requirements.
• Dempster’s adds a new red-and-gold seal to its white bread to signify to consumers that the bread is whitened through a natural process involving active enzymes found in soy flour, as opposed to a chemical bleaching process.
• In 2000, the Canadian Wheat Board celebrates its 65th year of marketing Canadian farmers’ grain.
• The International Dairy Deli Bakery Association’s “What’s In Store 2001” report reveals several trends to watch in the 2000s: breads and cakes lead bakery department sales; in-store bakeries’ contribution to store margin, sales and profit will hold steady; bakery sales are supported by co-branding; more supermarkets are featuring in-store bakeries; labour shortage is a major concern for in-store bakeries and independents alike.
• In January 1995, a seminar on trans fats hosted by the Ontario Chapter of
the BAC attracts more than 200 people. In November 2004, the House of Commons had passed a motion to ban trans fats from foods sold in Canada within a year, prompting the baking industry to take a closer look at its products and the potential effects of new government regulations on its businesses – a process that continues in 2010.
• Team USA wins the Bakery World Cup at Europain 2005 in Paris. France is second and Japan third.
• Whole Foods opens its second location in the Greater Toronto Area, a 44,000-square-foot store in Oakville, Ont.
• The U.S. government redesigns its venerable food pyramid to reflect changing trends in diet and nutrition, and add emphasis to the role daily exercise plays in health. The American Bakers Association reacts positively to the updated food consumption guidelines.
• Health Canada announces revisions to its Food Guide to Healthy Eating, which was first produced in 1942. The revisions are intended to better reflect Canada’s multicultural nature.
• A new consumer confectionery event, the Sweets Expo, is launched in Canada with shows scheduled for 2006 in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
• Vancouver Island baking industry members unite to form the Island Committee of the British Columbia BAC Chapter.
• The industry is saddened by the passing of Bill Halliday of Oshawa Foods. In addition to being actively involved in the Bakery Production Club of Ontario and Bakery Council of Canada, he was a longtime contributor to Bakers Journal, penning the popular “Fables & Foibles” column featuring the exploits of Jake the Baker. In 1998 he and Syd Rowell became the first recipients of the Baking Association of Canada’s honorary lifetime membership. / BJ
• Join 4,250 industry professionals including bakers (retail, wholesale, commercial), grocery and foodservice outlets
• Visit the trade show - over 200 companies in 35,000 sq.ft. showcasing ingredients, equipment, services, technology and baked goods (fresh, proof & bake, par-baked, freezer-tooven, thaw & serve)
• Learn at the informative seminars and workshops
• Located in the Toronto area, the facility is easily accessible by public transportation (Mississauga Transit & GO Trains), major highways, 5 minutes from the Toronto International Airport and provides plenty of free parking
• NEW Show Features
Held every other year, it is the only baking specific event produced in Canada
From Rubbermaid’s carts and trucks for food service to Ozery’s new OneBun range, Bakers Journal keeps you “in the know.” for more on new products for the baking industry, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com
Advanced static grounding clamp
JACKSON, N.J. – A hazardousarea grounding clamp that protects against static electricity build-up in mobile or portable equipment now
offers advanced features. The rugged Bond-Rite clamp from Newson-Gale Inc. creates and continuously monitors a low-resistance connection to ground, while providing visual verification through a flashing
LED indicator. Now, however, it includes a redesigned electronic module for enhanced battery/working life, effectively doubling the life of a single battery. Users of the new units report up to 12 months of service between battery changes, based on a typical duty cycle of three hours per day. Call 732-987-7715 or visit www.newson-gale.com.
Baklava meets european Chocolat
Dark chocolate filo and dark chocolateflavoured syrup combine to form the new Baklava Chocolat dessert option from Kronos Foods Inc. This latest offering was developed to help the foodservice industry combat the decline in overall restaurant sales, specifically desserts. With more than 40 layers of dough bathed in a chocolate-flavoured syrup, Baklava Chocolat is available in two sizes: mini bites and classic triangles. Made with real Dutch cocoa and California walnuts, Baklava Chocolat is an easy menu addition because of its ability to just thaw and serve, or complement another familiar dessert option. Visit www.kronosfoodsinc.com.
Rubbermaid carts, trucks for food service
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – Rubbermaid Commercial Products introduces a new line of heavy-duty carts and trucks geared toward the foodservice industry. This range of heavy-duty material-hand ling solutions has been significantly redesigned and expanded into new categories, new products and new innovations to help foodser vice staff work smarter, faster and safer. The new product line offers several smart solutions for moving heavy pay loads in food service –from platform trucks to utility carts and dunnage racks. Call 905-852-9157 or visit www.rcpmaterialhandling.com.
• BAG CLOSURES & LABELS • BAG CLOSING EQUIPMENT • KWIK LOK TAGS
RICHARD RUNTE richardr@kwiklok.com 1039 GRANDE CAROLINE, ROUGEMONT, QUEBEC J0L 1M0
TELEPHONE: (519) 623-5140 FAX: (519) 623-1421 1-888 KWIK LOK (594-5565)
Manufacturers of: Depositors, Transfer Pumps, Metal Detector Conveyors, Conveying Systems, Custom Built Equipment, Baking and Proofing Racks and Used Equipment. Sales and Service 381 Bradwick Drive, Unit #1
Par-baked goods revolutionized the baking industry, but their ascendancy is creating new opportunities as consumers are drawn to the methods of the past
Recently, I was in the bakery section of a large grocery store I frequent. I asked for a specific bread in a sandwich-style loaf that had been offered for the past few years. The employee said it was no longer available in that style because it is not made on site.
Naturally, I was disappointed; it was my favourite bread from that store. However, this event opened an opportunity for a small, local bakery to gain a customer (me) by offering to make the bread in the sandwich-style loaf I prefer.
}The baking industry has evolved rapidly during the past 50 years, as technologies have developed to keep up with changing demands. One of the most influential of these, par-baking, allows the product to be baked to about 85 per cent, and then it’s flash frozen and shipped to customers where it’s baked to finish.
to be less processed than fully manufactured bread delivered and sold on site. Based on this trend, one of the conundrums for small artisan bakeries is that, as their original operation becomes successful, they find themselves in an opportunity to grow, expanding geographically in Canada and even into the United States. But this means they have to change their production and distribution methods to meet increased consumer demand.
Dufflet Rosenberg, founder of Dufflet Pastries in Toronto, offers some first-hand experience of this situation.
“Dufflet Pastries offers a few lines of products to meet the demand of the growing business,” she says. “Every Dufflet product is hand-crafted using only premium, natural ingredients, no preservatives, artificial colours or flavours. Some are baked, chilled and ready to serve products, while others are a frozen, thaw, ready to serve product.”
Artisan bakers can now capitalize . . . and create offerings of alternative handmade goods to increase exposure and sales to the local consumer.
The acceptance of par-baked products has changed consumers’ concept of “fresh.”
Artisan bakers are now organizing into educational, non-profit groups such as the Bread Bakers Guild of America and Canada’s Artisan Bakers Quality Alliance. They are made up not only bakers and bakery managers, but industry partners including farmers, millers, educators, home bakers and technical experts.
While par-baked products have allowed many mid- to large-size companies to expand their markets to national in-store retail bakeries and foodservice operations, they have also allowed opportunities for smaller companies to provide handmade specialty breads and baked products to a specific, local customer base.
Combined with the concentration of the retail grocery sector and chain foodservice operations, the advent of par-baked products has led to an increase in high-volume, homogenous goods that can be distributed efficiently from centralized, large-scale production facilities. Thus, the definition of the word “fresh” has evolved with these advances in technology and processes.
The trend to buy “fresh” supports the growth of in-store retail bakery outlets. Consumers often perceive bread baked to the finished product by in-store bakeries
The frozen products allow for longer transportation time for customers farther away from Dufflet’s metro Toronto base as the demand for the product has expanded. Therefore, Dufflet Pastries successfully captures both markets – the foodservice sector (hotels, caterers, restaurants, etc.) and the local consumer.
Really, the opportunities are limitless for par-baked bread suppliers. For example, in the span of one day, more than 130 different styles of bread and 25 different types of dough can be made by a medium-sized bakery and shipped frozen to retailers throughout Canada to be finished on site as “fresh.”
However, the opportunity for that retailer receiving the par-baked breads to customize a specific order is minimal. The in-store bakery and foodservice markets are firmly entrenched in the par-baked systems; therefore, artisan bakers can now capitalize on that reality and create offerings of alternative handmade goods to increase exposure and sales to the local consumer who is looking for these kinds of products.
Focusing on the artisan baking community, these are bakers who utilize knowledge of traditional methodologies, are masters of hand skills and promote an appreciation for the best quality of raw materials and ingredients to produce baked goods that meet the highest possible standards of taste, appearance, aroma and texture.
When technology allowed for par-baked products that could later be completely baked by customers in their own ovens, the term “fresh” evolved in the industry. With it, opportunities for small individual bakeries specializing in handmade goods have grown as customers increasingly are looking for the individualistic, homebaked taste, texture and experience found in their local communities.
As we’ve seen in this 70th anniversary issue of Bakers Journal, the past holds a great deal of value and is something to be appreciated, not forgotten. Technology has made the industry more efficient and profitable, but as the major players have consolidated, niche markets are expanding as “fresh” returns to its roots. / BJ
8On the web: Bread Bakers Guild of America: www.bbga.org Artisan Bakers Quality Alliance: http://abqa.com
Celebrating Memories.
Nearly a century old, Dawn Food Products remains famous for its quality and consistency standards in the bakery industry. Responsive to our customers’ needs and trends since day one
