March 2023 by annexbusinessmedia

Small shops with big flavours and a hint of nostalgia

A J URNEY TO THE O IGINS OF TA TE O R S

Belcolade Origins

The range takes you on a journey back to the roots of taste through the terroirs of the different regions where cocoa beans are cultivated. Our cocoa experts go to the ends of the earth to discover cocoa beans that best embody their specific and rare terroirs - from Vietnam, Uganda and Ecuador to Peru, Venezuela and Costa Rica.

To learn more about our Cacao Trace program, scan the QR code:

At Belcolade, our superior craftsmanship and taste excellence, born from our deep-rooted passion for chocolate and our drive to focus on every detail of the creation process, allows us to meet all our customers’ needs. Belcolade Origins range of chocolate is a true feast for the senses.

BY COLLEEN CROSS

CELEBRATING WOMEN

When given an opportunity, women can successfully start and lead businesses in the baking industry. That is clear from our conversations with female bakers and bakery owners.

What’s also clear is that women will make their own opportunity where one doesn’t exist. Or at least they will carry on working, learning, building their business plan – and most of all believing – to make their baking dreams a reality even when the opportunities don’t seem to be there.

How do they do it? They refuse to accept no for an answer, they find other sources of money and support to get up and running, and they work twice as hard as their male counterparts to be debt-free and sustainably successful.

Because for any entrepreneur failure is not an option.

Pioneering women before us have faced obstacles and attitudes from banks and other institutions when they applied for loans to get the business started and in some cases created a new model and definition of success.

Tracey Muzzolini represents the new generation of Christies Bakery in Saskatoon who stand on the shoulders of her parents, Ennio and Janet, who took over the venerabel bakery in the 1960s and took it to new heights. Muzzolini blazed a trail in male-dominated artisan baking, competing at Louis Lesaffre Cup and other world events, building the pizza side of the bakery and serving as a judge on The Food Network’s exciting Wall of Bakers, which showcases Canadian talent.

Now co-owner of Christies with brother Blair, she says she did not face the same level of discrimination as her mother did in the early days, but she still understands that we’re not quite there yet. She will join us for an exciting Women in Baking panel at Bakery Showcase in May sponsored by Ardent Mills.

}Bakery Showcase will celebrate women’s diverse roles within this vibrant industry! The Women in Baking panel will shine the light on remarkable entrepreneurs.

“I think it is important to highlight the success of women in baking or in any industry,” says Elaine O’Doherty, marketing lead Canada at Ardent Mills and moderator of the panel.

“It provides younger generations with someone to look up to, to aspire to be, thus creating a pipeline for the future in this industry. Highlighting successful women can change things for the better, fostering opportunities that will promote a diverse workforce and elevate underrepresented voices, no matter what or who that underrepresented voice is. I think it can help all boats rise with the tide.”

We at Bakers Journal have been working busily with the Baking Association of Canada to plan an inspiring and useful program of speaker sessions for the BAC’s Bakery Showcase May 14-15, 2023. The program will address key themes and concerns and inspire professionals at bakeries large and small through the sharing of experiences.

And, opening on Mother’s Day, it will celebrate women’s diverse roles within this vibrant industry! The Women in Baking panel will shine the light on remarkable entrepreneurs, including Muzzolini; Mary Mackay, vice-president of innovation and production at Terra Breads Inc.; and Babette Kourelos, owner of Babette’s Bread, TipTree competition judge and cookbook author.

There will be sweet surprises for mums attending, a Women in the Canadian Pizza Industry panel, up-and-coming bakers and a who’s who of women in the industry gathering to network and raise one another up! Showcase is in the West this year, so we strongly encourage you to join us if you can make the trip. The next time Showcase comes to Vancouver will be 2027!

It’s the ideal place to meet and share with inspiring baking professionals. Visit bakeryshowcasecanada.ca for details.

See you there! / BJ

MARCH 2023 | VOL. 83, NO. 2

Reader Service

Print and digital subscription inquiries or changes, please contact Angelita Potal, Customer Service Rep. Tel: (416) 510-5113

Email: apotal@annexbusinessmedia.com

Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1

EDITOR | Colleen Cross ccross@annexbusinessmedia.com 519-429-5227

TECHNICAL

EDITOR | Julie Istead, Puratos Canada jistead@puratos.com

NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER | Stephanie Jewell sjewell@annexbusinessmedia.com 705-826-2254

ACCOUNT COORDINATOR | Kathryn Nyenhuis knyenhuis@annexbusinessmedia.com 416-510-6753

MEDIA DESIGNER | Graham Jeffrey

GROUP PUBLISHER/VP SALES | Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@annexbusinessmedia.com

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER | Beata Olechnowicz bolechnowicz@annexbusinessmedia.com 416-510-5182

PRESIDENT/COO | Scott Jamieson sjamieson@annexbusinessmedia.com

Mailing Address P.O. Box 530, 105 Donly Dr. S., Simcoe, ON N3Y 4N5

PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40065710.

ISSN 0005-4097

Published seven times per year (Feb, Mar, Apr, Jun, Sept, Oct, Nov) by Annex Business Media.

Subscription Rates Canada — 1 Year $ 32.00 USA — 1 Year $73.50 Foreign - 1 Year $84.50 All prices in CAD funds.

Occasionally, Bakers Journal will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above.

Annex Privacy Officer privacy@annexbusinessmedia.com Tel: 800-668-2374

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.

news ¦

BAKING INDUSTRY EVENT!

briefly | New job as head baker helps Ukrainian newcomer find familiarity in Winnipeg; Bartek breaks ground on Stoney Creek, Ont., malic and fumaric acid plant | For more news in the baking world, check out our website, bakersjournal.com

• Mark Dyck will lead an exciting panel of up-and-coming bakers sharing their stories.

• What does a sustainable bakery look like – and how do we get there? Learn strategies from Matt Cimon, Portofino Bakery/Bond Bakery Brands, and Michelle Reid of B Lab/B Corp.

May 14 - 15, 2023 I Vancouver Convention Centre

Bakery Showcase lineup to focus on small, independent bakeries

The Baking Association of Canada welcomes the industry to Canada’s premier baking industry event – the largest and only baking industry business-to-business trade show and conference produced in Canada. Join independent retail bakeries, bakery-cafés and pizzerias and restaurants; wholesale, commercial, in-store bakeries, as well as grocery and food-service outlets in Vancouver May 14-15.

Enjoy the company of fellow bakers (including moms!), recharge and benefit from an exciting lineup of speakers, education sessions, competitions and

demonstrations, chosen with independent bakeries in mind:

• Baker and podcaster Mark Dyck (Bakers4Bakers.org) offers guidance on how to tell the story of your bakery . . . and how it can help your bottom line.

• A powerhouse panel celebrating Women in Baking, sponsored by Ardent Mills, that includes Tracey Muzzolini of Christies Bakery in Saskatoon, Babette Kourelos of Babette’s Bread of Langley, B.C., and Mary Mackay of Terra Breads Inc. of Vancouver!

• Great Canadian Baking Show finalist Zoya Thawer!

• Top bakers and pastry chefs from Vancouver Island University and Vancouver Community College demonstrate techniques, including program chair Aron Weber on Beekeeping and the Baker.

• Demonstrations by champion pizza chef and owner-operator Diana Cline and other top pizza chefs.

• Canadian Pizza Summit Chef of the Year Competition. Discover trends! Compete!

• An engaging Canadian Women in the Pizza Industry panel.

• A relaxing Captain’s Feast evening dinner cruise courtesy BAC’s BC Chapter lets you network while raising funds for baking and pastry students. Sign up now at baking.ca! Watch bakersjournal.com for updates and register now at bakeryshowcasecanada.ca!

Workplace injury results in fine for industrial

bakery

Toronto industrial bakery Niche Bakers Corp. has been fined $50,000 after a worker was seriously injured on March 22, 2021, while cleaning out an industrial dough mixer. Contrary to safety procedures, the machine’s control switch was not locked out to prevent it from being activated, the Ministry of Labour said. As a result, the worker was injured by the moving blades. The business pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the machine’s control switch was locked out to prevent it from being activated as prescribed by section 76(a) of Regulation 851, and contrary to section 25(1)(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the ministry said (news.ontario.ca).

Join Canada’s industry professionals from pizzerias and bakeries (retail, wholesale, commercial, in-store), grocery and food-service outlets at Canada’s ONLY Business-to-Business Baking event!

• Connect with suppliers and learn about the latest ingredients, bakery equipment and services for the baking industry!

• Education sessions exploring such topics as baking techniques, improving your shop’s design and setup, making your bakery sustainable and more!

• Watch demonstrations by top bakers and pizza chefs!

• Experience exciting student competitions!

• Pick up trends at the Canadian Pizza Chef of the Year competitions!

• And much more!

a year’s worth of market research – all in one place over two days!

FOCUS ON P.E.I. CHOCOLATE D

riving around Prince Edward Island on a beautiful day, you will wander through small towns with inviting shops. Here, you will always find something sweet to eat, with a hint of nostalgia.

ISLAND CHOCOLATES

Island Chocolates, founded in 1987, is a family-based business in the tiny tourist village of Victoria-by-the-Sea. With a population of just 139 residents, it is located halfway between Charlottetown and Summerside.

Linda Gilbert and her late husband Ronald learned the art of chocolate making from Charlie and Joan Sigvardsen of Charlie’s Chocolate Factory, in British Columbia, before opening Island Chocolates. Today, their two adult children are also part of the business. Emma attended the Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Belgium, while Eric attended in Montreal. Then, he learned the entire craft of chocolate making, from seed to final product, by volunteering at the Kallari co-operative in Ecuador.

}’The recipe is from an old cookbook we received as a wedding gift almost 50 years ago.’ – Jean Sullivan, The Very Best Candy

When it comes to chocolate production, Linda says, “Quality is more important to us than the brand, but we do use a lot of Callebaut. We hope to increase the in-house production of our Ecuadorian chocolate, so it will be a larger source of chocolate for us.”

Moulded chocolates featuring sea-themed creatures are a hit. Think lobsters, fish, seashells and Catch of the Day bags containing an assortment. Chocolate boxes crafted in milk or dark chocolate are also popular. “We have lots of antique moulds, many of which are still used. Most of the moulded items are from new moulds, including

some that have been custom-made for us,” Linda explains.

Hand-dipped chocolates are also part of the mix. “This method allows 30 per cent more chocolate-to-filling ratio than enrobed chocolates, and the dipping technique allows us to identify the centre with a distinct marking. We only make flavours we like,” Linda says. “Eric is always experimenting and loves making one-of-a-kind batches.”

What are the top sellers? “Lemon-lime, and seasonal fresh fruit including raspberry, blueberry, and cranberry, as well as salted caramel and peanut butter.”

When it comes to chocolate bars, Linda says, “Our single-source semisweet bar

“We only make flavours we like,” says Linda Gilbert of Island Chocolates.

with Ecuadorian chocolate is our most popular bar, but supply is always limited. We also do a Christmas bar with dark chocolate and crushed candy cane pieces.” Be sure to visit on Sundays. Island Chocolates offers chocolate waffles with local honey butter syrup, warm chocolate, fresh fruit and real whipped cream.

THE VERY BEST CANDY

The Very Best Candy is a two-person e-commerce candy business in the oceanside town of Summerside, with a population of 15,000. Run by Jean and Michael Sullivan, the business is based on just two types of candy. The first is the almond crunch candy using California almonds, Swiss dark chocolate and Prince

What sets Maritime Marzipan apart is the company’s commitment to making marzipan from scratch.

Edward Island butter.

“The recipe is from an old cookbook we received as a wedding gift almost 50 years ago,” Jean says. “I’ve adapted it over the years.”

To make the almond crunch candy, roasted almonds are set on a baking sheet and caramel sugar is poured over top. Next, comes a layer of chocolate, followed by a liberal sprinkle of crushed almonds. Once cooled, the candy is flipped over and the topping is repeated.

September to December is the busiest time when the couple, now in their seventies, spend two days per week producing small batches of almond crunch candy. The total weigh-in is 25 pounds. “That’s enough work and we aren’t interested in expanding our business,” Michael says.

The Very Best Candy also creates melt-in-your-mouth buttery caramels. Flavours include classic caramel, chocolate, chocolate mint, cappuccino and licorice.

MARITIME MARZIPAN/FRITZ CHOCOLATE

German-born Jessica and Mike Fritz moved to St. Peter’s Bay in 2016. The town with a population of 250 residents is located 45 kilometres north of Charlottetown. Baking and creating sweets with marzipan is common in Germany. Enter Maritime Marzipan.

What sets Maritime Marzipan apart is the company’s commitment to making marzipan from scratch. “We only use key ingredients like almonds, sugar and natural flavours where applicable,” Jessica explains. The product is stabilized with natural preservatives only, invert

sugar, sorbitol and invertase. Every natural flavour has its own shape. For example, the orange blossom flavour is in a flower shape, and rose water is in the shape of a heart. Our marzipan potatoes are dusted with cocoa powder. Very fitting for Prince Edward Island.”

Most of the company’s marzipan confections are chocolate covered. “That is more accessible to Canadian customers who often don’t know what marzipan is.”

Working with chocolate-covered marzipan led to a second small business when customers started asking if they had anything made just in chocolate. The result was Fritz Chocolate featuring hand-made Belgian chocolate bars and confections.

“The special appeal of our chocolate bars, in addition to the high-quality chocolate we use, is the fun packaging with puns, Jessica says. Top sellers include the artfully named Mermaid’s Kiss, a semisweet chocolate bar with sea salt; Udderly Delicious, a classic milk chocolate bar; and Hazey Days, a milk chocolate bar with whole hazelnuts.

OH FUDGE

Just east of St. Peter’s Bay lies the town of Souris, with a population of 1,173 residents. This is where Oh Fudge, an artisan fudge shop, is located. Patricia McLean Ettinger opened the shop four years ago. Today she also has an outpost at Founders Food Hall in Charlottetown. Intriguingly, the fudge is made with Prince Edward Island potatoes.

“Potato fudge is an old recipe. My grandmother made fudge from mashed potatoes and icing sugar. I wanted to make a healthier option,” Patricia says.

Oh Fudge in Souris sells over 25 flavours of fudge such as chocolate cheesecake, lemoncranberry and even maple.

“My fudge does not have sugar added to the pureed potatoes. Instead, it is sweetened with just good-quality chocolate. I use dark, milk or white chocolate depending on the final fudge flavours I am making,” she explains. “Blending potatoes and chocolate makes a smooth fudge that is rich and creamy. It’s lower in sugar and calories. It’s almost all gluten-free except for the gingerbread and the cookies and cream.”

There are over 25 flavours of fudge such as chocolate cheesecake, lemoncranberry and even maple. “My favourite fudge is lemon pie,” Patricia says. Other top flavours include sea-salted caramel, chocolate sea-salted caramel and chocolate mint. ‘We make seasonal flavours like pumpkin spice, candy cane and coconut key lime pie.”

The Traditional Mix box includes chocolate, white chocolate, marble sea-salted caramel and chocolate sea-salted caramel. The Party in a Box is alcohol infused. Think brandy, rum runner, moonshine and fireball whiskey.

Oh Fudge makes between 80 and 100 pounds of fudge per week depending on the season or holidays. Everything is produced in a small production kitchen with a dedicated space for packaging. “During the summer, I have 12 employees. Right now, I have four employees full time.”

A leisurely drive around the island will reveal that Canada’s smallest province is full of small towns that are big on flavour. / BJ

Karen Barr writes about arts, culture and cuisine. She is a graduate of George Brown College and a Red Seal pastry chef.

WOMEN RISING

Mother’s Day falls on May 14, Day 1 of Bakery Showcase. To honour women and moms everywhere, the BAC’s annual gathering will celebrate successful women who lead in the dynamic baking industry. “It is important to highlight the success of women in baking or in any industry,” says Elaine O’Doherty, marketing lead Canada at Ardent Mills, sponsor of the Women in Baking panel at Bakery Showcase in May.

O’Doherty will moderate the panel, which includes Tracey Muzzolini of Christies Bakery in Saskatoon, Mary Mackay, Terra Breads Inc. in Vancouver, and other successful entrepreneurs.

‘It is important to highlight the success of women in baking or in any

industry.’

“It provides younger generations with someone to look up to, to aspire to be, thus creating a pipeline for the future in this industry. Highlighting successful women can change things for the better, fostering opportunities that will promote a diverse workforce and elevate underrepresented voices. When this happens, we see amazing results. Diverse backgrounds, experiences and viewpoints lead to new ways of thinking, doing things and innovating.”

O’Doherty says employee resource groups (ERGs) also can help provide a supportive environment for those feeling marginalized, for example, Ardent Mills’ Women of Wheat, known as WOW.

“Recently we expanded WOW outreach to be more impactful to team members across the organization including Lean-In Circles for women at Ardent Mills. These allow for engagement with allies, help educate and empower team members to drive improvement in women’s careers, help with recruitment and retention of women in this industry, and foster much needed conversations such as micro-aggressions and work-life balance.

“I got involved to support this work. WOW focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion by recognizing where we are now,

and then driving change through education, networking and career development. Women are feeling more connected and yearning for more information, more networking and more resources to support their growth. We want to grow our representation of women in roles across leadership and management.”

O’Doherty points to Angie Goldberg, the company’s chief growth officer, or CGO, as a leader in the industry. In the three years she’s been in the position, Goldberg has brought leadership change to Ardent Mills, and a fresh perspective, O’Doherty says.

O’Doherty, who has worked for many years in what has essentially been a male-dominated industry, says that when any demographic is underrepresented, their voice can be muted. “They may be too afraid to speak up, or the majority just does not see your way of thinking, and if you can’t have your voice heard, ideas are not shared and changes may not be adopted.”

O’Doherty suggests women build leadership skills by joining company or industry associations: “Lead where you can even if it is not in your discipline. For years I organized and ran the company golf event, was part of the safety committee and put my hand up when there was a need for help.”

Another helpful tool is mentorship. O’Doherty recommends women and anyone entering a new role or industry ask someone they admire to help with career development.

“We need to continue to cultivate a culture of inclusion and empower people to bring their entire selves to their role. Everyone has a voice, and it should be heard. The more we can have teams and companies with diverse perspectives and experiences, the better we can serve our customers and retain our employees. I am encouraged by the progress that I have seen over the last several years that has brought positive changes for the better.

O’Doherty is excited the Showcase panel will highlight women in the baking industry and tell their stories.

“We all need examples to shine the light on what is possible. Ardent Mills is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect and equity, where each person is comfortable being themselves and is valued for being unique. Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion mission is to lead our industry toward a more inclusive, diverse and equitable environment in which all belong and contribute.”

Come out to the panel talk on Sunday, May 14, at 11 a.m. to learn from top entrepreneurs in baking, ask questions and find inspiration to apply to your own work! / BJ

Vemag Cookie Dough Depositor

n Produce exact-weight, ready-to-bake portions

n Gently handles dough, inclusions are not damaged

n Fast, easy changeovers

n Increase production and grow your business

¦ concepts for success ¦

BY DIANE CHIASSON

SIX WAYS TO PREPARE FOR SPRING

Spring is an ideal time to freshen up your space and attract new customers

As the snow melts and the weather gets warmer, it will soon be springtime. Spring is a time of renewal and the perfect time to clean things up and get your bakery back on the map. It is also the ideal time for you to look at your operations from a whole new perspective and freshen your space to attract customers. Here are six fresh ideas to prepare your bakery for spring success.

1. SPRING CLEAN AND REFRESH

Spring is when you should make your bakery more inviting, and attention to detail is key. You will improve the customer experience by making sure your staff members maintain the cleanliness of your bakery. Floors, carpets, counters, wall units and restrooms must be thoroughly mopped, cleaned, scrubbed and sanitized.

}prepare many colourful creations with leafy greens and delicious fruit. Spring also brings an excellent opportunity for your bakery to partner with local farms and suppliers to incorporate their products into your menu. Whenever possible, try to use farm-to-table ingredients to give your recipes an artisanal, homemade quality. For example, source the crispiest lettuce you can find and mix in arugula or cilantro for a bit of kick.

3. BRING ON THE BRUNCH

Have you ever thought of offering a brunch? Brunch works well as people are more inclined to enjoy lazy mornings in bed, followed by a good brunch at their local restaurant. Did I say local restaurant? Nope. How about their local bakery? Brunch is an excellent way to attract new customers who may not have heard of your bakery. Since brunch menus are not found in most bakeries,

Brunch is a great way to attract new customers who may not have heard of your bakery. Since brunch menus are not found in most bakeries, you will be sure to stand out.

you will be sure to stand out from the crowd. Adding brunch could make you a bunch of money.

and Victoria Day.

You could also give back to the community with a charity event or a fundraiser. You will definitely attract locals with the promise of supporting a good cause. Set up a private lunch party for your loyal customers. Use your windows and easel signage to help you attract customers to your special spring event.

5. FRESHEN UP YOUR PATIO

If you have an outdoor patio, consider everything you can do to make the outdoor seating enjoyable. Now the winter is over, you can dust off your outdoor area, including the tables and chairs. Consider replacing worn-out cushions and putting a new stain on your wooden tables. Time to replace these old umbrellas or torches, fix any unstable tables and bring anything else back to life! Include not only some great entertainment but also heaters, floral displays, great outdoor lighting using light strings, LED wall washes, and some other cool installations to brighten up your patio and make it more visible to passersby. How about always having fresh ingredients on hand by adding a small garden on your patio?

6. POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA

It’s also important to freshen up your décor. How about adding some colourful flowers and foliage to your counters, tables and around your entire space? Put up bright and welcoming artwork. Look at your table and seating layout. Check your lighting. Your outdoor space and décor should feel like a continuation of your indoor space using the same colour scheme and theme.

2. ADD SPRING MENU SPECIALS

Updating your menu is a must for your spring preparation. Your customers will soon be looking for lighter and healthier options. Spring is the season of fresh produce, so it’s time to consider serving less comfort food and adding more fresh salads. Freshen up your menu with unique offerings, including lighter meals like summer salads, sandwiches and small plates. In the spring, you can

You probably offer the best coffee and pastries, so how about pancakes and waffles? You could make it easier on yourself by preparing large amounts of easy breakfast food like scrambled eggs, bacon and pancakes ahead of time. Freshen up with the sweet taste of fresh berries and crisp greens. Then, plan a nice, colourful, healthy brunch or brunch buffet and advertise it through your website and social media platforms. People love going out for brunch on a beautiful spring weekend.

4. GET READY FOR HOLIDAYS

You As you know, the spring season is full of fun and exciting holidays. It will give you a lot of ways to run promotions to attract customers and increase your revenue. Don’t forget to celebrate spring holidays, including mid-winter school break, which I think should be a big holiday for moms, Easter, Mother’s Day

Aside from sharing high-quality photos of your delicious spring-prepared dishes, it is a great idea to share behind-the-scenes photos and videos of what goes on in the kitchen, inside your bakery and on your patio. Make sure your kitchen is spotless and showcase your new preparations. Then, show off your new spring dishes, events and more through interactive landing pages on your customer’s mobile devices. / BJ

Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 35 years by providing innovative and revenue-increasing food service and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns. Contact her at 416-926-1338, send her an email at chiasson@chiassonconsultlants. com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com

STEADY GROWTH AND AUTOMATION

Mark-Crest Foods Ltd. in Langley, B.C., is a family-owned and -operated company that has grown sales by placing a high value on good-quality products, strong customer service and the well-being of their employees.

Founded in 1963 by Emil and Hilda Glukler, Mark-Crest began life in the basement of B.C. Ice & Cold Storage and began producing frozen tart shells and pizza crusts for a few clients. The company has since expanded to a location in Langley with customers across Canada and in the United States.

In its SQF-certified facility, the thriving business now produces nearly 300 products, including tart shells, pie shells, pie tops, puff pastry, fully baked heat-and-serve meat pies and appetizers.

When the company started, frozen foods were becoming relatively common. “My father was a pastry chef by trade, then an executive chef,” says son Trent Glukler, president. “He found that labour was becoming expensive and ingredients not so expensive. He saw a niche to create very high-quality products that chefs would be proud to use.”

}Mark-Crest’s path to automation started in the 1980s with a goal to alleviate employee fatigue.

Emil and Hilda met in 1953 coming over from Europe on the same ship, he from Switzerland and she from Germany. Trent says, “Father was trained as a pastry chef. He was going to California to start a candy company, ended up staying in Canada with Mother and the rest is history.”

Emil made a name for himself as a chef in the Harrison Hotel in Harrison Hot Springs, B.C., and in 1960-61 at the Biltmore, where he worked while building Mark-Crest, finally leaving to run the business full time while Hilda took care of the books. Older brother Michael started with the company in 1975 and Trent started in 1980. “They needed a truck driver and I started

driving to help them out. I enjoyed it, stayed and learned the business from ground up: production, dough-making, foreman and president starting in the mid-1990s. Michael, now retired, still talks over the business with Trent and is occasionally called in to consult.

The factory is over 32,000 square feet with about 50 staff. “This year we’ve been hiring a number of university students part time one or two days a week,” Trent says. Some recent hires have been referrals from current employees. With several longtime employees, staffing is stable at MarkCrest. This is due in part to their commitment to the principles of Lean, a system developed by Toyota for continuous process improvement that focuses

Trent Glukler is president of the company started by his parents, Emil and Hilda Glukler, in 1963. “My father used to always say he wanted Michelin quality and McDonald’s consistency.”

on reducing and eliminating waste.

“In Japan they turn the power pyramid upside-down. People on the front lines are at the top, and as you move down the pyramid, it’s more about support. It’s been very successful for us and I think our staff feel more appreciated now than ever.”

“Everybody has a buy-in. That’s been huge for us, creating that culture of respect. We want them to stop the line if there is a problem.”

THOUGHTFUL AUTOMATION

Mark-Crest’s path to automation started in the 1980s with a goal to alleviate employee fatigue. One Christmas, after struggling to keep up with tart production for about three-and-a-half months, they

decided to make a change, Trent says. “The next year we bought ourselves a Rademaker automated tart line. After that we got a Rademaker puff pastry laminating line and a Rondo make-up line, then a Canol puff pastry sheeting line.”

When they spoke to Bakers Journal in December, Trent reported record high sales in November. They were looking to invest some of the profits from the Christmas season into equipment and considering buying a new automated pie line from Rademaker and adding to their x-ray machines that can identify a larger number of potential contaminants than can metal detectors.

Staff usually welcome new equipment, he says. “In general, we try to target labour-intensive tasks. As a Lean manufacturer, we do

Mark-Crest employees handle pie shells for packaging.

things that may not pay off for another 10 years, but in keeping people we’re far ahead.

For example, our vacuum lifts – staff can basically lift up bags or boxes of shortening or vegetable fats using two fingers. We didn’t save a lot of money by installing them. In the long run it works for everyone. It protects people’s backs and they go home not exhausted.”

“As I try to tell all our new

staff, our working life is the most stressful part of our lives. Wouldn’t it be great if you came into your job every day and didn’t feel exhausted? You knew what to expect, you didn’t dread work?”

Trent reports that staff feel supported, not replaced, by automated equipment. “They know we don’t lay people off. When it’s quiet we put them to work on things like deep cleaning and special projects.”

THIRD GENERATION

Anticipating retirement, Trent is pleased the family’s third generation – Trent’s niece Alora (Michael’s daughter) – aims to eventually lead the company and is learning the ropes. “I think she’ll do great. She’s a really nice person, she understands the culture, works in production and in the office. We’ve got a great team, including a fabulous head of QA who is intent on staying in a role that normally rotates. He sums up their priorities: “We’re not growth driven. We’re not the biggest company. We want slow and steady growth spread over several customers.” / BJ

For more on Mark-Crest’s journey, including photos and video, visit bakersjournal.com

In Crust, award-winning author Richard Bertinet continues the revolutionary and simple approach to breadmaking that won him so many accolades for his first book, Dough, but this time he delves deeper, showing you how to bake gourmet breads at home with ease and confidence.

These inspirational recipes are accompanied by stunning step-by-step photography and expert techniques to help you along the way.

| Item# 0857839169

Notes from the Executive Director

MATTERS LIGHT AND SERIOUS

Bagels have been in the peripheral news recently. First of all, Nike came out with a Montreal Bagel sneaker. I was delighted. What better way to celebrate our culture and our industry? And comfortable too. I thought I would purchase a pair and flaunt them at Showcase. Maybe even buy a pair for all of the Baking Association’s directors. All I would have to do is phone up Nike and ask them. They would probably be wondering why I hadn’t contacted them to construct a campaign to conjoin both organizations. I had the catchphrases already penned with terms like “Great Jump” and “Spring” or “The Ring is our Thing.” Anyway, after a few fruitless attempted phone calls when I realized that Nike does not take any phone calls, I set my sights a little lower and decided to purchase my own pair for $120. Sounds like an easy task? Not so. They all sold out within an hour! If that happened at a real bagel shop you would make another batch! If I want to have a pair, now I have to go on Poshmark, through a reseller, and they are going for US$500!

The second mention of bagels in popular culture is the “Everything Bagel” depicted in Everything Everywhere All At Once. The award-winning movie, staring Michelle Yeoh and directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, is an absurdist comedy-drama navigating interpersonal issues through

the allegory of the infinite multiverse. Apart from dazzling us with back-hole theory and the Schwartzchild radius theory, what we have in this movie is the perfect representation of all life in the universe as manifested in (or from) an “Everything Bagel.” I am happy to debate the finer points of all this, but I am convinced, and all bakers know this, that boiled dough with a (w)hole in it is an easily defended definition of the meaning of life!

However, we have some serious matters to consider. We are often talking about labour issues, staff retention and job satisfaction. “Focus and Simplify” by Karen Bornarth from the Bread Bakers Guild of America, explains an initiative by the Good Jobs Institute in the U.S. Please read Karen’s thoughtful editorial on page 18 as it is so relevant to all of us as we try to navigate our human resources challenges in a constantly changing environment.

As some of you know, membership in the BAC includes a free one-year membership

Celebrating the “Everything Bagel”

Focus and simplify: Guest editorial from BBGA B.C. and Ontario Chapter golf tournaments!

in the Bread Bakers Guild of America. With that comes access to the forum and their publication Bread Lines, a wonderful journal full of innovative technical recipes and products as well as reports of their interesting workshops. We are proud of our affiliation with our partners at the BBGA. If you would like to access both institutions from Canada, please sign up at www.baking.ca/membership. It’s free to Canadian baking and pastry students enrolled in a full-time or apprenticeship program!

Martin Barnett

Executive Director

Baking Association of Canada mbarnett@baking.ca

The BAC’s mission is to empower our members in providing nutritious and delicious baked goods to consumers in Canada and around the world through leading public policy, knowledge transfer and networking.

ONTARIO CHAPTER EVENT

Annual Golf Tournament and Dinner!

COME AND JOIN US FOR A DAY OF GOLF AND CAMARADARIE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR BAKING AND PASTRY STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

Enjoy a day of golf, networking, dinner and prizes – all to raise funds to support scholarships for our baking and pastry program students!

The format will be similar to last year’s with registration and a BBQ lunch starting at 12:00 pm and shotgun start at 1:00 pm.

For dinner, enjoy your choice of chicken, tilapia or vegetarian. See the BAC website’s Ontario Chapter page for full details and to register online.

Don’t miss out on this exciting annual event! We look forward to seeing you all there! www.baking.ca

BOND HEAD GOLF CLUB

4805 7th Line, Bond Head ON, L0G 1A0

TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 2023

START TIME 12:00 PM

SHOTGUN (SCRAMBLE) START 1:OO PM

• BAC MEMBERS: Tickets @ $295 (golf cart, lunch and dinner); Tickets @ $120 (dinner only)

• NON-MEMBERS: Tickets @ $310 (golf cart, lunch and dinner); Tickets @ $150 (dinner only)

• Gold sponsorship $750

• Silver sponsorship $500

• Bronze sponsorship $250

SCAN THE QR CODE TO REGISTER

Register now at www.baking.ca/ontario-chapter-activities/ Registration questions? Phone: 905-405-0288 or 1-888-674-2253 For more information, contact Gary Franklin, Phone 416-252-9435, ext. 5211 or email: gfranklin@lantic.ca

FOCUS AND SIMPLIFY

By Karen Bornarth, BBGA

In my former role in workforce development at Hot Bread Kitchen (HBK), I developed an initia-tive to improve job quality in food production and service businesses. The initiative was based on the work of an organization called the Good Jobs Institute. GJI was founded by MIT opera-tions professor Zeynep Ton who spent years researching the practices of retailers like CostCo, Mud Bay, QuikTrip and others, and came to the conclusion that companies, even those in low-cost service environments, can thrive by improving jobs.

Out of Ton’s work emerged a framework or definition for job quality, as well as a strategy for improving jobs and business performance simultaneously. The framework posits that work should provide for basic needs including fair wages, scheduling stability, security and safety and opportunities to advance, as well as meeting higher needs such as a sense of achievement, belonging and recognition. The strategy consists of four key operational principles: focus and simplify, standardize and empower, cross-train and operate with slack. These operational choices work best with a capable and

motivated team, and thus require a sustained investment in people.

In the HBK quality jobs initiative, we recruited a cohort of ten bakeries in New York City, many of them Guild members, who are committed to the idea that good jobs are good business, and we spent time together studying the Good Jobs Framework and Strategy and identifying oppor-tunities for impactful change in each bakery’s operations and people management practices. This work began early this year, already deep into the pandemic, and one interesting fact that emerged in our sessions was that all of the bakeries had already adopted the first principle: focus and simplify.

The pandemic really forced the choice to focus and simplify onto these operators and owners. Labor shortages, supply chain issues, pandemic restrictions and cash flow challenges required these bakeries to rethink their models and make some big changes, including eliminating prod-ucts or entire product lines, dropping some or all wholesale customers, and reducing retail hours – in some cases from seven days per week to just three or four.

For each owner and operator in the quality jobs cohort, these changes were not to be a tempo-rary measure. In every case, the businesses were stronger, more streamlined, faced fewer op-erational and people issues as a result of focusing and simplifying. And, in every case,

their customers embraced the change and appreciated the improved customer service experience that came along with it.

I am certain that many more of our member businesses have already focused and simplified their menus, operations and business practices, and perhaps have also adopted some of the other operational principles of the Good Jobs strategy. I would love to hear (as I am sure other members would, too) about what changes you made in the last few years, and how they have impacted your business and your team.

Another part of the work with the quality jobs cohort was peer consulting sessions, in which the participants met virtually to discuss adaptive and technical challenges within their opera-tions and share ideas for possible solutions. These sessions were sort of our Guild email forum come to life, and everyone in the cohort agreed that there were immensely valuable. We would like to create something like this for our members in 2023 – a consistent and systematized opportunity to learn from each other and connect more deeply. If you would like to partic-ipate or learn more, please drop me a line at karen@bbga.org

Karen Bornarth is executive director of the Bread Bakers Guild of America. This article originally appeared in Bread Lines Volume 30, issue 3. It is reprinted with permission from the author.

Annual Golf Tournament and Dinner!

COME AND JOIN US FOR A DAY OF GOLF AND CAMARADARIE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR BAKING AND PASTRY STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

Enjoy a day of golf, networking, dinner and prizes – all to raise funds to support scholarships for our baking and pastry program students!

The format will be similar to last year’s with registration starting at 11:30 am and shotgun start at 12:30 pm. See the BAC website’s B.C. Chapter page for full details and to register online.

Don’t miss out on this exciting annual event! We look forward to seeing you all there!

www.baking.ca

NEWLANDS GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

21025 48 Ave, Langley, BC V3A 3M3

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2023 START TIME 11:30 AM SHOTGUN START 12:30 PM

• Spot(s) for golf and dinner @ $150 each

• Spot(s) for dinner only @ $50 each

• Golf Passport (booklet covers mulligans, prizes, 50/50 draw @ $50 each, available the day of the tournament)

• Platinum sponsorship @ $500

• GST included in prices

SCAN THE QR CODE TO REGISTER

These inspirational recipes are accompanied by stunning step-by-step photography and expert techniques to help you along the way.

BY JANE DUMMER, RD

MAKING INTENSE DARK CHOCOLATE

DELICIOUS

Consumers seek unique experiences, artisanship and storytelling about the cocoa origin of dark chocolate

With the increasing consumer focus on health and well-being, people are showing interest in high cocoa content dark chocolate. The pigment contributing to the dark colour contains antioxidants that impact both brain and heart health. Dark chocolate carries a rich and intense flavour. As a result, intense dark chocolate can be bitter and astringent, plus brittle in texture. Therefore, the sourcing and processing of the cocoa beans are necessary steps to create palatable ingredients and products.

}

When it comes to chocolate, consumers continue to seek unique experiences, artisanship and storytelling about the cocoa origin, especially for dark chocolate. Darsh Mehta, product manager – chocolate, Puratos Canada explains: “Belcolade goes beyond typical industry standards to have a real impact on better health, better life and better planet. The living conditions of cocoa farmers, the inequality of value along the supply chain and the future of chocolate are all important matters to us. That is why Belcolade and Puratos developed the Cacao-Trace sustainability program. It starts by selecting a farming community and committing to buy 100 per cent of their cocoa beans at a premium price. We train farmers and work hand in hand with them to deliver wet beans of the highest quality.”

Consumers are craving inventive options beyond the typical, sweet milk chocolate available in the market.

mission of Belcolade’s chocolate experts is to preserve the uniqueness and richness of these cocoa beans. They

Dark chocolate carries a rich and intense flavour. As a result, intense dark chocolate can be bitter and astringent, plus brittle in texture.

develop chocolate recipes and adapt the process methods to best enhance the natural distinctive flavour notes. This is possible thanks to the combination of Belcolade chocolate taste proficiency with the mastering of Cacao-Trace cocoa fermentation and overall fermentation expertise. Belcolade has added ingredients like fermented buckwheat in its ‘So’choc’ product which creates unique taste profiles for our customers.”

time to taste their food.”

Nicholson says, “When we developed our Terroir Noir (LH Dark Chocolate) we had the intention to bring a more complex chocolate to the Canadian market. Most dark chocolate at that time was super sweet with little interest or flavour notes. The Terroir Noir is smoky and sour, with highs and lows on the palate. The ability to use dark chocolate has allowed the industry to cut back on sugars and to educate consumers about the flavours that they are experiencing. It’s a huge shift in the marketplace.”

TJ Mulvihill, vice-president – marketing, North America, Barry Callebaut says: “Our data shows consumers are gravitating towards multi-sensorial experiences when it comes to baked goods. In the confectionery segment, one trend is dark chocolate tablets being combined with flavours like mint or orange to make the higher cacao content more palatable. Our Gertrude Hawk Ingredient products allow customers to extend this trend to the baking aisle. We offer miniature dark chocolate cups with fillings such as peanut butter, raspberry or mint. These products are used as inclusions in cookies or toppings on baked goods. They offer the intensity of dark chocolate while providing a multi-flavour and -colour experience, which is on trend today.”

Mehta adds, “We also invest in local Post-Harvest Centers equipped with professional fermentation and drying equipment. There, the wet beans are fermented in an optimized process by well-trained master fermenters to deliver superior quality beans. The

Intense dark chocolate offers a range of robust flavours that consumers want to experience. They are craving inventive options beyond the typical, sweet milk chocolate available in the market. Rachel Nicholson, executive pastry sous chef, Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa, explains: “In 2016, we created our own dark chocolate with Cacao Barry in France. We wanted to showcase our property’s terroir. The base flavour notes are smoke, earth, leaves and berry. It’s very intense with a clean finish. Consumers’ palates are more educated now. There is an interest in where our food comes from. And people are taking more

Mulvihill adds, “Data from a proprietary research study we conducted in 2022 shows that 66 per cent of North American consumers find big chunks of chocolate appealing in a cookie. Irregular dark chocolate chunks are another great inclusion bakers can use to provide dark chocolate intensity to consumers while creating baked goods that appear more artisanal or ‘perfectly imperfect.’ ”

Not too sweet and not too bitter, intense dark chocolate ingredients and products are offering unique taste experiences for bakers and bakeries to meet consumer demands. / BJ

Jane Dummer, RD, known as the Pod to Plate Food Consultant, collaborates and partners with the food and nutrition industry across North America. janedummer.com

PHOTO: BAIBAZ / ADOBE STOCK