October 2010

Wanda Beaver, Wanda’s Pie in the Sky, Toronto

BY LAURA AIKEN

A STEP BEYOND SERVICE

Eating great food and getting bad service is like dating a model with a horrible personality. There’s an attractive component, but you won’t be sticking around for the long haul. Indulging in fabulous food accompanied by excellent service is a step towards long-term commitment – if the experience fits in with who you imagine yourself to be. Thus, excellent customer service is great, but a great experience is what keeps your customers coming back. What kind of experience are you really delivering?

Customer experience is the culmination of interactions with your business. Whether it’s waiting in line at your counter or taking the first bite, there is a multitude of sensory data being processed that paints just one picture. That image should resonate with how your customers see themselves. If you’re full of country charm and so is your bakery, your happiest clients are likely to be those who see themselves as country charmers too, and they’ll like seeing others they identify with in your store. They’ll feel like they fit in. We all want to be part of a club. It’s just human nature.

Understand what you stand for and make it part of everyday life in your business. Breathe it into the art on the walls and the tone and mannerisms in which customers are cared for. Expectations range, and it’s important to fulfil and ideally exceed the expectations of your customer. Starbucks will never be Tim Hortons, and vice versa. Yet the success of both brands is still fuelled by the unique experiences they deliver.

}A Harvard Business School article called 'The Three Ds of Customer Experience' reported on a study that found 80 per cent of companies thought they delivered superior customer experience.

You’re already striving to deliver a great customer experience; in that regard I’ve said nothing new of its importance. What should be reflected on is whether customers are actually experiencing what you believe they are. A Harvard Business School article called “The Three Ds of Customer Experience ” reported on a study that found 80 per cent of companies thought they delivered superior customer experience. In actuality, only eight per cent of companies found their customers agreed. The report was focused on large companies that had perhaps lost sight of customer experience in their dominance as customers in effect became statistics, but nonetheless it’s a startling disparity to take note of.

So what are the eight per cent getting right? Three goals were being addressed: design the right offers and experiences, deliver them across every aspect of the company in collaboration, and develop the ability to consistently deliver the experiences every time, creating measurements that keep you accountable for the customer experience.

It’s always a useful exercise to temporarily step outside of your role and be one of your customers. Walk in the front door or pick up the phone and call your company. Imagine what it’s like for your customers. What is the first place your eyes are drawn to? How does it smell? How does the light make you feel? Is there a glaring repair needed that is throwing off the whole vibe? Is it too quiet or too loud for who your customers are? What kind of different textures are present? Are they cohesive, charmingly eclectic or offensively schizophrenic? Precise details comprise the whole picture; they are what make baking art.

One detail I’d like to share is how pleased we are to have Brandi Cowen, our new assistant editor, on board to help make Bakers Journal the best experience it can be for our readers. After all, we’re here to serve you a great magazine experience from cover to cover. / BJ

OCTOBER 2010 | VOL. 70, NO. 8

EDITOR | Laura Aiken editor@bakersjournal.com 1-888-599-2228 ext. 250

ASSISTANT EDITOR | Brandi Cowen bcowen@bakersjournal.com 1-888-599-2228 ext. 278

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PRODUCTION ARTIST | Kelli Kramer GROUP PUBLISHER | Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@annexweb.com

PRESIDENT | Mike Fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com

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HOWA VEMAGDEPOSITOR produceda BETTERLOOKING GOURMET COOKIE

ATRUESTORY: Wemetabakerwho wasproducinggourmetcookies–heavy,thickcookieswithlotsof largechunksofchocolate,fruits, nutsandotherinclusions.Inan efforttoincreaseproduction,she wentfromhand-scoopingtoawire-cutcookiemachine. However,sheranintobigproblemswiththewire-cutmachine: shecouldn’tmaintainportioncontrol;herlargechunkswere gettingcutintosmaller,lessimpressiveones;andtheremaining chunksweresmearedunderthecookiedough.

ThenshecalledReiser.ThesolutionwasourVemag cookiedoughdepositorwithaguillotinecutoff.Evenathigh productionspeeds,theVemagallowedhertorunallofher recipeswithpreciseportioningaccuracy.Herchocolatechunks andinclusionscamethroughwhole.Andtheguillotinecutting systemactuallyexposedthechunksandinclusions. Nowsheisabletoproducemouth-wateringcookies withgreateyeappealthatout-sellalltheothercookies inthebakerycase.

briefly | Tim Hortons sells interest in Maidstone Bakeries | Wheat futures rise | B.C. restaurants hit hard by HST | FOR MORE news in the baking world, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com

Wheat futures rise, will real prices follow?

Wheat prices have soared in recent months, climbing more than 50 per cent since June.

But according to John Lyons with the Canadian Wheat Board, it’s too soon to know how much of this increase, if any, will be borne by bakers.

“Future prices have been increasing quite a bit,” Lyons explains, crediting speculators with temporarily driving up the price of wheat futures. But, he says, “The future’s price can go up and not necessarily affect the [real] prices.”

With the worst drought in more than a century drying Russia’s fields, heavy rainfall flooding Pakistan’s breadbasket, and uncertainty surrounding how much crop major producers like Ukraine will tap for export, speculators are betting on a global wheat shortage. Many have invested heavily in wheat futures, hoping to cash in if demand for wheat does outstrip global supply in the coming months.

In a recent report entitled Canada’s Food Services Industry – Summer 2010, the Conference Board of Canada said those fears have “boosted spot wheat prices to a two-year high.”

It's too early to say how, or even if, rising wheat futures will affect the real price of wheat products.

The report also warned, “This price surge is expected to spread into prices of wheat products – such as flour, bread and pasta – and ultimately affect input prices for the foodservices industry.”

It’s too early to predict how, or even if, rising wheat futures will impact the real price of wheat and wheat products, but

Chestnut flour may add perks to gluten-free goods

Researchers in Turkey have discovered that using chestnut flour in gluten-free products may increase their nutritional and health benefits.

The study, “Utilization of Chestnut Flour in Gluten-Free Bread Formulations,” was conducted by a team within Middle Eastern Technical University’s Department of Food Engineering. The team found that vitamin B, iron, folate and dietary fibre levels were higher in products prepared with chestnut flour than in those prepared with other types of flour, reported www.nutraingredients.com.

Researchers investigated different ratios of chestnut-to-rice flour in gluten-free products to determine what mix produces the best quality breads. They also studied how adding hydrocolloid blend (xanthan-locust bean gum, xanthan-guar gum blend) and emulsifier

to gluten-free dough affects dough formation.

The study concluded that a 30/70 chestnut/rice flour ratio containing xanthan-guar blend and emulsifier forms the best gluten-free dough. In a report published in the Journal of Food Engineering, researchers noted that breads containing higher ratios of chestnut flour tended to crack.

Chestnut flour contains essential amino acids, dietary fibre, vitamins E and B, potassium, phosphorous and magnesium. It is also low in fat and contains high quality proteins.

Other studies have examined how gluten-free products fare when made from corn or rice flour, bean starch and buckwheat. This is reportedly the first study investigating chestnut flour formulations, according to www.nutraingredients.com.

Lyons believes the wheat price spike will be temporary.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for it to come down,” he says. “In the whole world, there’s still an incredible amount of wheat and U.S. production is expected to be huge. Indications are that there is no shortage of wheat.”

Tim Hortons says it will sell its 50 per cent interest in Maidstone Bakeries to Aryzta AG for gross proceeds of $475 million.

The company has a net investment of approximately $75 million in Maidstone Bakeries. The all-cash transaction is subject to receipt of regulatory approvals, and is expected to close before year-end 2010.

Tim Hortons is the fourth largest publicly traded restaurant chain in North America and the largest in Canada. As of July 4, Tim Hortons had 3,627 system wide restaurants, including 3,040 in Canada and 587 in the United States.

Tim Hortons sells interest in Maidstone Clarification

In hindsight, the number of baking establishments published in our previous edition seems low and we would appreciate anyone with numbers to confirm.

B.C. restaurants hit hard by HST

A survey shows the British Columbia restaurant industry’s worst fears about the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) have been realized.

In a province-wide survey by the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA), 72 per cent of respondents said the HST on restaurant meals has had a negative impact on business since it took effect on July 1.

On average, respondents reported a 10 per cent decline in sales compared to the same period last year. The CRFA survey found that only three per cent of respondents report the HST is having a positive impact on their business; 72 per cent say the HST is having a negative

impact; 53 per cent say their customers are spending less; 56 per cent have fewer customers; 47 per cent have been forced to cut back on staff/staff hours to adjust to the HST; and 26 per cent have had to offer more deals and promotions to mitigate the HST fallout.

Since the HST was first announced more than a year ago, CRFA has warned government that the new tax would result in significantly lower sales for British Columbia’s fourth-largest private-sector employer.

The CRFA survey was conducted online between July 26 and 31, 2010. The findings represent 802 British Columbia restaurants.

Teachers’ sells partial stake in Maple Leaf Foods

One of Maple Leaf Foods’ largest shareholders is selling an 11 per cent stake in the food processor and says it’s open to divesting its remaining 25 per cent interest at the right price.

The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (Teachers’), which invests and manages the pensions of 284,000 teachers, said it will sell 13.7 million voting and non-voting common shares of Maple Leaf to West Face Capital Inc., a Toronto-based investment firm.

Teachers’ spokeswoman Deborah Allan said the fund would consider selling the remainder of its stake in the company – just over 25 per cent – “depending on the offer.”

The transaction will effectively clear Teachers’ holdings of non-voting common shares and warrants in the company, though it will still have a major stake through its voting common shares.

Maple Leaf employs more than 23,000 people worldwide and had sales of $5.2 billion last year.

Probiotic chocolate line launches

Ganeden Biotech Inc. and Agostoni Chocolate have teamed up to offer the a store brand functional snack combining probiotics with premium dark chocolate. The Chocolate Plus Private Label features price flexibility through a mix-and-match approach to product sales. Retailers start with the Agostoni’s Italian dark chocolate, which ranges from 60 to 70 per cent cocoa content, then opt to sell the chocolate with the GanedenBC30 probiotic alone or as a chocolate bar that includes GanedenBC30 probiotic and toasted flax seed, which adds Omega oils to the product.

“Consumers are increasingly demanding both premium quality chocolate and the health benefits inherent to probiotics,” said Andrew Lefkowitz, president and CEO of Ganeden Biotech. “Since this product is the best of both worlds, retailers can position it as an affordable luxury.”

Dr. Antonio Agostoni, head of the chocolate maker’s product development team, reported that GanedenBC30 delivered “excellent results in survivability of the bacteria – for health purposes – and it does not interfere with our final premium flavor, making it an ideal functional chocolate solution.”

¦ technical talk ¦

BY DR. JOHN MICHAELIDES

OMEGA-3s ENLIGHTENED

There are so many benefits to omega-3s, yet consumers are too confused to totally buy in to the many real health benefits they afford.

While consumers understand that some oils and fats are good for their diet, confusion still lurks when it comes to omega-3s. Indeed, this is in part because it is challenging to define omega oils in simplified terms and explain how the various types differ from each other. In the Bakers Journal November 2008 edition of Tech Talk, I described the different types of the omega-3 oils as follows: They are basically three polyunsaturated fatty acids of different carbon chain length. Alpha linolenic acid, or ALA, is a plant origin omega-3 (mainly from flax or sesame but also in others) with 18 carbon atoms.

}Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are mostly derived from fish or algae, and are composed of 20 and 22 carbon atoms respectively.

tion from retina damage. In addition, evidence points to benefiting child development in pregnant women. These long chain fatty acids may improve metabolic syndrome implications. These oils are also beginning prove worthy contributors to skin and hair in the cosmeceuticals market (cosmetics and pharmaceuticals).

There are so many benefits, yet consumer understanding is too muddy to completely influence their buying decisions. Perhaps too many health benefits add to the confusion and introduce an element of suspicion. Adding to the difficulties, many consumers are still under the perception that omega-3 oils in foods will taste unpleasant and fishy.

Omega-3 oils can be incorporated into our diet by eating foods that naturally contain them, such as fish, or formulated food products. For ALA to provide the necessary health benefits, it has to be

There is so much optimism because the science behind the health benefits of omega-3 oils is so solid. Thousands of scientific studies and clinical trials have confirmed positive results.

The definition is rather technical, and clarifying the health benefits of omega-3s for consumers is equally challenging. Nonetheless, consumer interest in these healthy oils is expected to grow. Various U.S. reports suggest that the combined market value of foods containing omega-3s is worth close to $2 billion and predicted to reach $7 billion by 2011. There is so much optimism because the science behind the health benefits is so solid.

Thousands of scientific studies and clinical trials have confirmed positive results. Their conclusions support the multiple health benefits associated with omega-3s, which contribute to cardiovascular and immune system health, improvement of cognitive performance and mood and behaviour, the normal development of the brain in children and overall infant health. Omega-3s may also play a role in the fight against Alzheimer’s. Other studies have shown that omega-3s, and especially DHA, may specifically reduce the risk of developing age-related eye degenera-

converted by the human body into the longer carbon chain omega oils like EPA and DHA. However, only a small amount of ALA is converted into these highly beneficial oils by the human body. The maximum conversion from ALA to EPA is about 20 per cent. The conversion of ALA to DHA is much lower, with a maximum of eight to nine per cent.

Another way is to eat products from animals that have been raised on specific diets to elevate the oil content. Omega-3 eggs are an example of this. The hens are fed a diet containing flax seed resulting in the conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA by the hen and ending up in the eggs. Similar research is being conducted on pigs to produce omega-3 pork meat.

Omega-3 oil ingredients are particularly difficult to blend into baked goods. The challenges are mainly due to the flavour and taste, as well their stability. Traditional fish oils ingredients can be added into various baked goods such as breads, buns, bagels, pizza dough, muffins, cookies and pastries, but the taste and odour are challenges. The

Flax and sesame seeds contain a high amount of alpha linolenic acid

shelf life of fish oil products is very short due to oxidation and development of rancid flavours. The new and improved omega-3 oil ingredients currently on the market are microencapsulated and available in powder form. They are easier to blend into dry products and have longer oxidative stability. The issues of off-flavours and odours are eliminated, and these new formulations have a much longer shelf life. Additionally, new emulsification processes and encapsulating media have been developed that allow greater protection and ability to incorporate higher doses of these omega oils into various food and beverage products. The advancement of the second generation microencapsulated omega-3 powders that incorporate DHA and EPA provides new opportunities for the baking industry.

Flax and sesame seeds contain a high amount of ALA and their addition, either ground or whole, has been practised for a while in the baked goods industry. When these seeds are ground and exposed to air, they are more likely to become rancid and this affects their shelf life. Specialized ground flax is available and has a fairly long shelf life.

The choices of omega-3 ingredients are many. The proper choice needs certain considerations, such as quality and shelf life of the product, food safety and the delivery of the proper and meaningful amounts of DHA/EPA per serving for the consumer. The suppliers of these ingredients will have some information, but experimentation and optimization of the formulation for your product is required in order to be successful in the market. / BJ

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 the GFTC at (519) 821 1246 or gftc@gftc.ca.

ON THE MEND

The effects of the recession are fading in the nation’s foodservice industry, according to the Conference Board of Canada.

A recent report released by the Board found that while employment growth has increased Canadian demand for restaurants, the high exchange rate on the loonie has limited demand from foreign tourists. It also notes that as the global economy recovers from recession, inflationary pressures will re-emerge, driving up the price of food and reversing the price cut that benefited the industry during the recession.

Between the second quarter of 2008 and the third quarter of 2009, real personal expenditures on restaurants and accommodations declined by 3.8 per cent. However, from the third quarter of 2009 to the first quarter of 2010, a 2.5 per cent increase in these expenditures allowed the industry to recover roughly 60 per cent of what it lost during the recession.

This recovery can be at least partially attributed to this past February’s Vancouver Olympics, which pushed expenditures on restaurants and accommodation up 1.8 per cent through the first quarter of 2010. Although foodservices employment in British Columbia declined by 2.4 per cent during the second quarter, employment across the rest of Canada increased 0.8 per cent. Nationally, this represents two consecutive quarters of growth.

GAINING BACK LOST GROUND

During the recession, the foodservice industry cut its workforce by approximately 2.8 per cent and reduced the average number of hours worked from 22.5 to 22.2. Despite these cuts, a 3.2 per cent increase in the 2009 average wage increased labour costs by 1.6 per cent.

The increase in the foodservice industry is higher than the average for all Canadian industries. It continues a trend that has seen the industry’s average weekly earnings exceed the economy-wide average for the past four years. In 2010, the average wage rate is expected to increase by 1.8 per cent, and 2011 is anticipated to bring a 1.3 per cent increase.

Throughout 2009, growth in costs outpaced growth in revenues, and profits

dropped sharply despite cost-cutting measures taken across the industry. The Olympics brought a jump in profits that is expected to vanish in the second quarter. The Conference Board of Canada predicts that in the coming years, profits will gradually recover to pre-recession levels.

Last year’s foodservice revenues posted the second-weakest growth in the past decade. The 2.2 per cent growth rate was the weakest since the SARS scare of 2003. In fact, the report states that revenues only increased due to the 3.5 per cent price increase experienced industry-wide; on a price-adjusted basis, sales actually declined by 2.3 per cent.

The Board reports that in the fourth quarter of 2009 and the first quarter of 2010, sales volume increased by 1.2 and 0.8 per cent, respectively.

FOOD PRICES

The industry was dealing with a strong food price inflation before the recession, reports the Board. Demand was increased by several factors, including a rise in need for grain-based biofuel production, lower world grain stocks (especially wheat and corn), and people in developing countries consuming more as their income level went up. When the recession struck, many of these factors were temporarily miti-

gated, and the pressure on world agricultural commodity eased. The biggest saving for restaurants came from meat. Prices of meat declined by about six per cent between the summer of 2008 and the summer of 2009, mainly because meat producers were benefiting from lower feed prices, but also because demand

FUTURE GROWTH TO COME SLOWLY

In the coming year, the Conference Board of Canada expects real sales for the foodservice industry to grow at an annual rate of 5.1 per cent from 2010 to 2014.

With the economy in recovery and consumer demand increasing, the industry has begun hiring again, creating 45,000 jobs in the first quarter of 2010. These additional workers are expected to drive the industry’s labour costs up by five per cent in 2010.

Overall, the industry recorded an 18 per cent drop in profits in 2009. After receiving a temporary boost from the Olympics in the first quarter of 2010, the Conference Board of Canada expects profits to “fall steeply in the second quarter and to grow only slowly in the remaining quarters of the year.”

The Board warns that profit margins will “stay thin throughout the forecast period and profit growth will be only modest.” / BJ

Things are looking up for bakers in Canada post-recession.

new products ¦

From MIWE’s new oven to the next generation in egg substitutes, Bakers Journal keeps you “in the know.” for more on new products for the baking industry, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com

Nordica Cottage Cheese reduces sodium Nordica Cottage Cheese is now serving up its entire lineup with 25 to 30 per cent reduced sodium compared to its original formula, including its four per cent, two per cent, one per cent and fat free cottage cheese products. www.gaylea.com

The next generation of egg substitutes

Rich in nutrients, cholesterol-free and vegetarian friendly, the ProOVO Egg Replacer is a proven egg alternative. ProOvO Egg Replacer products are able to replace liquid, powder and whole eggs in bakery, noodles, pasta and bread products.

H&A Canada, makers of ProOvO, report retailers will experience a 30 per cent cost savings over eggs, while maintaining and even improving upon the quality of finished products. www.HAcanada.com

MIWE introduces lift-in rack oven

At this year’s International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) in Las Vegas, MIWE presented the MIWE lift-in rack oven. Together with the MIWE roll-in e+, it has already won an award at the Europain in Paris. The lift-in rack oven will be available in spring. MIWE America is also introducing a new integrated loader for the condo range of deck ovens. www.miwe.com

The Cupcake Tower

This stand folds flat for easy storage and displays cupcakes in a beautiful tower. Applications include weddings, showers, parties, etc. The tower has a thin laminate coating so that it wipes clean easily. It also has a ribbon detail that can be removed and replaced with different colours and patterns for different occasions. www.thecupcaketower.com

Creating special cake effects

Samrock’s released two new products designed to dazzle. The Cake Fountain is cake safe with no residue or smoke and provides about 35 seconds of entertainment. Their Colour Flame candles, which are biodegradable, smokeless and non-toxic, burn with red, purple, green, blue and orange flames. The candles are sold in packs of 12 and include clear plastic holders (26 packs in a counter top display). shamrock@telus.net.

See how OMG Baked Goodness went from home-based wholesale to destination retail | BY

OMG BAKED GOOD

NESS

The bubblegum pink and brown storefront of OMG

Baked Goodness pops like a boxer’s punch amongst its subdued peers in the Brockton Village neighbourhood of Toronto. It’s a good thing it’s tough to miss, because pastry chef Lesley Mattina has customers from far and wide stopping by. What started out as a wholesale business two years ago morphed into a neighbourhood bakery concept that has ultimately evolved into a destination.

Mattina, a particularly endearing juxtaposition of petite and sweetly animated, buzzes around between the cozy retail nook at the front of the store and vast canyon of kitchen beyond, while I make myself comfortable on the wooden bench near the door in preparation for her interview with Bakers Journal. As she pours me a glass of lemonade, the artfully arranged cupcake tree on the counter and menagerie of savoury pastries and sweet treats below inspire a fierce growl of the stomach, and I doubt I’ll get out of this place empty handed.

BUILDING THE BRAND

While the food has caused a stir in the local press since Mattina opened the doors in October 2009, the artist’s bent to the interior is equally worthy of conversation. Baking trays make up a front for the counter. A tree trunk with antlers attached serves as part display table, part pure whimsy. A large mural of a cupcake local by graffiti artist Elicser dominates the left wall. Photographs and prints for sale are hung around it. She has developed a strong face for OMG in the front of the store, but curious onlookers are openly privy to the back where they’ll see Mattina and staff standing on milk crates, hands deep in their work. The whole scene looks professionally planned, but in fact Mattina, had only three weeks and the help of family and friends to get OMG’s retail doors open on schedule.

}She has developed a strong face for OMG in the front of the store, but curious onlookers are openly privy to the back where they’ll see Mattina and staff standing on milk crates, hands deep in their work.

that before as a wholesaler, I just had to have a logo and delicious food … luckily I have really talented friends. It definitely developed in a very natural, organic way. My friend had these beautiful antlers and we thought: What should we do with them? They don’t have anything to do with cupcakes, but they’re interesting and beautiful.”

“I did a lot of product development and recipe testing. Vegan baking wasn’t something that I specialized in – at all – so I had to do a lot of work to create the product I wanted to make … I describe it as the best chocolate cupcake you’ll ever have, and it just happens to be vegan.”

“I had to come up with what OMG was going to look like. I didn’t need to do

The antlers may not have anything to do with cupcakes, but OMG sure does. Their signature item (that contributed a lot to the hype) is the vegan chocolate cupcakes, which are sold in full and mini sizes. The cupcakes were a request from a wholesale client in Kensington Market, a trendy Toronto neighbourhood where people are often looking for specialty products.

Baking itself wasn’t an original specialty of Mattina’s. She graduated from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ont., with a psychology degree, but she landed at On the Twenty restaurant in Jordan, Ont., training under celebrity chef Anna Olsen and her husband Michael. It was at On the Twenty that she discovered a love for baking.

Mattina has created signature products out of rather scientific baking, producing melt-in-your-mouth vegan cupcakes and flourless chocolate tortes. Yet, she prefers to work outside the confines of a recipe.

“I know how recipes work and I do have recipes, but I would never say here’s a recipe, follow it to the exact T. I love a

A large mural of a cupcake adorning one wall was painted by local graffiti artist Elicser.

little bit of this and a little bit of that cooking and baking … I think instincts and food are meant to be together.”

EXPANDING THE BUSINESS

When Mattina secured 1561 Dundas St. W. as a location, she decided to use the vast space for community benefit. Not only does she hold events there, but she rents the space out to fellow bakers. As a former homebased wholesale pastry chef, she says finding a place to bake was always a problem.

“It’s a space for people to rent to test their products and make sure it’s a viable business. I wanted to be able to take advantage of the vast space that we have here, so we’ve had some entrepreneurs come in and do some testing and baking for farmers markets. I love the fact that it’s a community space.”

Moving from a home-based business into a leased space had its challenges. Securing financing was a huge hurdle in making her dream a reality. Her young wholesale business wasn’t eligible for its own bank financing, so it was all loaned to her personally, creating the “most extreme, skinniest, shoestring budget that you could ever imagine.”

For bakers looking to expand their operation, Mattina advises to start with less than what you think you will need. It’s easier to add new equipment and build up, rather than sell equipment and pare down.

Having a good and steady clientele that will help keep you propped up as you expand is also key. Mattina’s previous

employment in the industry served her well when she opened as a wholesaler, which is still the bulk of her business. Her first invoice was sent to the first company she ever worked at in the food industry. Tapping into old networks can be a great tool for new growth.

MARKETING IT ALL

Launching the business on a tight budget was tough enough, and left little money for a splashy ad campaign to attract the public. Instead, Mattina made the most of social media.

“My marketing budget consists of chalkboards, Twitter and Facebook. Social media marketing has done very well for me … I walk a fine line on those social media sites of being OMG and of being Lesley. I don’t think people would identify with me as much if I was just an anonymous OMG website or Facebook. I like to do a nice balance of personal messages from me, and messages that are strictly business related.”

She gauges it as effective by all the feedback she gets from the sites. She also purposely works the front of the shop a lot, and is diligent in finding out what brought people in that day. This is how she discovered the true nature of her boutique business.

“I thought this would be very much a neighbourhood spot, but it’s not. Instead, it’s become a destination, and people are coming from Peterborough and Etobicoke and Burlington. Of course, they’re coming from up the street too, but I expected that. I did not expect the destination.”

As the company “grows up,” Mattina envisions select products being more

widely available at a “boutique” commercial level. She wants to continue building the retail side as a destination. While there are about 40 products in the company’s line, she says the focus will be the runaway hits. Currently, the savoury turnovers, vegan cupcakes and herb and garlic focaccia make up the bulk of sales. Growth on the savoury side of the business is outpacing everything else. She stresses that all of her products, including the specialty items, are made with the basic ingredients found in a home kitchen, manipulated in a way that makes them work.

“I cook and I bake how I want to eat. I don’t want to put things in my food that I wouldn’t have in my own kitchen. It needs to make sense in my brain and in my heart and in my mouth.” / BJ

6 TIPS FOR GROWTH

• Lean on the artistic talents of family and friends to lend a unique and personal face to your brand.

• Consider inviting local artists to sell their work on your walls.

• Help other bakers in your community where you can.

• Balance your social media efforts between business and personal messages.

• Be diligent in interacting with customers and finding out what brought them to your store.

• Take a second look at the people in your old network and see who could be a new customer.

OMG carries about 40 different products with plans to expand on the signature sellers. At left, Mattina made creative use of baking trays for her counter front.

THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

Wedding shows are the ideal way for local businesses to showcase their products and services to blushing brides- and grooms-to-be. These shows are usually held in January and February to capitalize on those couples who got engaged over the Christmas holidays, or those who are starting to choose vendors for their summer nuptials. This is when you need to bring out your A-game and make sure your products and services for the 2011 wedding season truly target the hottest wedding trends. Late fall is the perfect time to fine-tune that lineup. Here are some trends worth noting to help you plan a successful campaign for the wedding market.

THEMES AND DREAMS

According to Catherine Lash of The Wedding Co. in Toronto, weddings no longer fit into the “one size fits all” framework. “It’s more about what the couple wants than what anyone else wants,” says Lash. Themed weddings are popular, which is a trend bigger in the United States, but gaining steam here. This may stem from the fact that couples are older and more independent when they marry, meaning they’re looking for vendors who can listen well and bring their vision to life. One couple from Smithville, Ont., wanted to weave their love of Scrabble into their reception theme. Beautiful wrappers on Caramilk® chocolate bars spelled out their names with Scrabble tiles. When you think of your promotional strategy for 2011, make sure you showcase your ability to customize.

THE CAKE TAKES CENTRE STAGE

As reception décor becomes more important, the cake takes its rightful place as the focal point and statement piece. Cakes are getting bigger and

more refined. The topsy-turvy Alice in Wonderland cakes are yielding to a Breakfast at Tiffany’s sensibility. As we saw at the wedding cake competition at Bakery Showcase, designs are tailored and pretty with restrained but elegant finishing touches, like cameos or brocade. Jennifer Harrison of Layers Wedding Cake Design in Nova Scotia is taking her cue from the china.

“We recently created a cake for Grace Ormonde Wedding Style that resembled a china pattern: classic navy blue and white with a sugar teacup on top,” she says. The taste of the cake must be equally stunning. The day of the “stunt cake” simply serving a decorative function has ended.

“Food at a wedding is incredibly important to the ceremony,” says Lash. “It’s where we gather and what we gather over to share the moment.

Harrison points out that groom’s cakes are becoming more popular too. “Grooms are big followers of the new cake shows on TV right now. They are more interested than ever, which makes it fun for everyone.”

CAKES OVER CUPCAKES

Cupcake trees as a replacement for the traditional wedding cake are a slowing trend.

“I had cupcakes at my wedding 12 years ago!” exclaims Lash with a laugh. “It’s time for a change.” It will likely take a few years for cupcake requests to dwindle, but they can play an important role in your promotional strategy.

}important cause. A wrapper on a baked good or chocolate can be an effective way of communicating this gesture. The Wedding Co. is sponsoring a project which encourages couples to create origami cranes and send them to the company. The goal is to collect 10,000 cranes from couples all over the world. In return, The Wedding Co. will donate 50 cents for each crane to the Princess Margaret Hospital. At press time, they had collected over 8,500 cranes with a few months to go.

FASHION TRENDS

According to Michelle Mospens at www. mypersonalartist.com, grey is giving way to chocolate brown and mocha. This is good news for bakers with great chocolate as it fits the colour scheme perfectly. Oranges, all shades of purple and violet are shown as either bright tropical shades or earthy vintage (think velvet) manifestations. Celebrity weddings always influence trends, and Chelsea Clinton’s crystal belt worn on her Vera Wang wedding dress has generated an interest in sparkly things. Layers Wedding Cake Design taps into this trend nicely by offering crystal cake toppers for their clientele. When we ask Harrison if shows such as Grey’s Anatomy have been driving an increased demand for red velvet wedding cakes, she confirms that she is seeing this trend.

“Absolutely, red velvet has been a big

As we saw at the wedding cake competition at Bakery Showcase, designs are tailored and pretty with restrained but elegant finishing touches, like cameos or brocade.

“It’s probably better to serve cupcakes at a wedding show to showcase the cake’s taste,” says Lash. “A cupcake will stay fresher than a slab cake that’s been cut and sitting out for hours.”

GIVING BACK

For brides and grooms who have already established households, receiving yet another casserole dish isn’t necessary. Many couples are registering with a favourite charity instead of a department store. Guests make a donation in their honour and get a tax receipt. Alternatively, some couples are making a donation themselves instead as a way of remembering a lost family member or supporting an

request for us this year and I imagine it will be even more next year.”

The wedding sector is a cornerstone of the bakery industry but dragging out the same tired designs and pictures year after year would be a kiss of death. For most brides, it’s their red carpet moment, and they want to strike that balance between making a personal statement and being trendy. Remember, too, that more and more grooms enjoy being closely involved in the wedding experience. Show couples how you can add a truly unique and customized touch to their special day and you’ll find yourself part of the marrying magic. / BJ

Pizzey’s Whole-Milled BevGradTM and SelectGradTM flaxseed is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acid (22%). Also a good source of dietary fiber and protein, Pizzey's flaxseed does not require refrigeration and is gluten free.

Email: sales@pizzeys.com www.pizzeys.com

From WinCoS.r2’s customized automation to Unifiller’s Cake Finishing Centre, Bakers Journal keeps you “in the know.” for more on new products for the baking industry, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com

WinCoS.r2 customized automation

This system allows makers of bakery products – from small bakeries to large-scale industrial operations – to achieve production processes which satisfy the most rigorous standards. This innovative technology aoptimal utilization of resources. Its modular concept allows WinCoS.r2 to grow in order to meet increased operational demand, and to incorporate new technologies and modules. The system keeps full records of the production process, enabling full traceability, from start to finish. wwwbuhlergroup.com

Quick freeze

Master-Bilt rolled out a new line of MasterChill™ MBC model reach-in and under counter blast chillers/ freezers. The MBC series self-contained units are built to rapidly and uniformly decrease the temperature of hot foods to either a chilled or frozen state. Through the chilling cycle, food temperature is dropped from 194 F to 37 F in 90 minutes. In the freezing cycle, the food temperature is reduced from 194 F to 0 F in four hours. Quick temperature reduction enhances food safety, increases storage life and improves production efficiency. www.master-bilt.com

Unifiller finishes the cake

Unifiller has launched The Cake Finishing Centre, which allows bakers to keep pace with large band ovens. The Cake Finishing Centre gives bakers the ability to automatically adjust top and side icing parameters to suit the consistency of the icing. It can top and side ice round cakes, and add borders such as shells or rosettes. Unifiller’s cake decorating system uses patented applicator heads that automatically correct for the imperfections of a baked sheet cake. The final product deviates from the traditional combed look for an attractive alternative. www.unifiller.com

Metal detector release for vertical packaging

Mettler-Toledo Safeline designed a new metal detector specifically for the inspection of free falling products in vertical packaging applications. A new software algorithm in the Super Throat metal detector identifies signals given off by metal contamination and discriminates between these signals and those generated by the product itself, offering enhanced detection performance. www.mt.com/safeline

October

Consumers Confused and Concerned about use of Acrylamide-reducing Enzyme Asparaginase

Individual Canadians have expressed significant concern regarding Health Canada’s regulatory proposal to allow the use of asparaginase as a food additive to mitigate the development of acrylamide in bread, flour and whole wheat flour, and unstandardized baked goods, French fries, potato chips, and ready-to-eat breakfast cereals. Acrylamide is a chemical that naturally forms in certain foods, particularly plant-based foods that are rich in carbohydrates and low in protein, during frying, roasting, or baking at temperatures above 120 °C.

Dietary exposure to acrylamide has been identified as a potential concern by a number of international bodies, including the World Health Organization, and research is underway internationally to determine potential negative health outcomes.

The addition of the enzyme asparaginase has been identified as one method of mitigating the formation of acrylamide in a number of foods, including bakery products.

Health Canada has received submissions for the food additive use of the enzyme asparaginase and undertook a web based public consultation that was concluded in late February, 2010.

The consultation received more than 600 comments from consumers, health professionals, health organizations, and food and agricultural organizations. Over 97% of the comments received were from individual consumers. In addition, the consultation attracted a number of media stories.

The majority of comments were not in favour of the Health Canada’s proposal. However, Health Canada has concluded that “most of the unfavourable comments were based on misconceptions and inaccuracies about how asparaginase would be used as a food additive”. Indeed, adding to the confusion is that asparaginase is currently authorized as a chemotherapeutic drug in Canada and consumers expressed concern regarding its use in food products. Other concerns expressed included:

• Could the side effects associated with L-asparaginase (the prescription drug) also be experienced by people who are exposed to asparaginase in foods?

• Is Health Canada proposing to add a genetically modified enzyme to foods?

• Has Health Canada conducted toxicity tests for the asparaginase enzyme?

• What are the long-term health effects of asparaginase in humans?

• What are the effects of the breakdown products of asparaginase on human health?

• Are there real benefits to human health in using asparaginase to reduce acrylamide levels in foods?

• How does the addition of asparaginase to numerous “junk foods” fit into the overall mandate of Health Canada to promote healthy food and lifestyle choices?

• Will asparaginase be labelled on the list of ingredients of pre-packaged foods so that consumers can avoid it if they so choose?

In response to the consultations, Health Canada’s Food Directorate has prepared documents available on its website that both summarize comments received and provide a response to the most common questions that were posed.

These documents may be found on the Health Canada website via the following links:

Summary of Comments from Health Canada’s Proposal to Amend the Food and Drug Regulations to Permit the Use of Asparaginase in Certain Food Products –http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consultation/init/ asparaginase_web_con_sum-eng.php

Questions and Answers Regarding Health Canada’s Proposal to Amend the Food and Drug Regulations to Permit the Use of the Enzyme Asparaginase in Certain Food Products –

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/ asparaginase_qs_as-eng.php

Health Canada as of this writing has not approved asparaginase as a food additive, nor has it provided a timeframe for such approval.

Entertainment Central

70 Interchange Way, AMC Plaza Vaughan (Hwy 7 and Hwy 400) http://www.entertainmentcentralinc.com/

Program:

Cocktails: 6:00 pm

Dinner: 6:30 pm

Dueling Pianos: 6:30 pm

Yuk Yuks Show: 9:00 pm

Berlin Night Club: 10:30 pm

(All under one roof)

CASH BAR

Registration Fees:

$69.00 per member

$79.00 per non-member

Pre-Register by November 8th, 2010

Reservations for tables of 8 accepted

Vegetarian meal requests must be provided in advance.

A block of rooms have been reserved at the Courtyard by Marriott (walking distance from the event).

Call to make reservations at 1-866-239-3202.

Special Baking Association of Canada rates $115 plus taxes

The room block will be released October 26th.

Annual Holiday Social

Friday, November 26th, 2010

A Night to Remember

Your evening

includes:

• Dining with us at the Dueling Piano Cabaret

• Followed by Entertainment provided byYuk Yuks

• And finish the night with a bit of soft shoe at the Berlin Night Club

All under one roof!

Join us and celebrate the season with Excellent Food, Great Entertainment and Good Friends in the Baking Industry.

Event is limited to 120 guests (Only 15 tables)

Book early to avoid disappointment!

¦ concepts forsuccess¦

BY DIANE CHIASSON

6 IDEAS TO BOOST HALLOWEEN SALES

Follow these six great tips for scaring up Halloween business and have some fun with one of the year’s biggest days for treats.

Halloween is coming up soon, so it’s time to step up your marketing and promotions to scare some extra business into your bakery. Halloween is a special time for food. It’s not just about the candy gathered from door to door. The holiday’s essence is very artistic and a wonderful time to showcase your talents. See how spooky you can make your bakery and get into the Halloween spirit to help make your sales soar. If you're looking for inspiration, try researching the customs of different countries and cultures. Here are six other great ideas to boost your sales this Halloween.

1. CREATE SPOOKY AND FUN DISPLAYS

}pumpkin cookie or cupcake. Award the winning pumpkin carver a loaf of pumpkin bread or other pumpkinrelated dessert. You can even create a pumpkin gallery to attract interest from passersby and your regular customers.

3. DRESS UP IN COSTUMES, HOLD A PARADE

Get into the spirit of the holidays and have your staff dress up in costumes for work. Hold a costume parade a few days before Halloween. Invite all the kids in your neighbourhood to come in the Saturday or Sunday before Halloween, and march them around the block while holding some signs advertising your bakery and daily specials. Give the kids a small treat and a bag of candy for participating. Take photos and post them in your store. A parade also gives children another opportun-

Invite all the kids in your neighbourhood to come in the Saturday or Sunday before Halloween, and march them around the block while holding some signs advertising your bakery and daily specials.

Halloween is a big holiday and people love falling prey to all the gimmicks they can get. To draw in extra customers – especially kids – turn your bakery into a haunted house. Visit your local Halloween store and purchase inexpensive decorations, or invest in more high-end, mechanical decorations that you can use year after year. Kids will be begging their parents to visit your operation over and over again. Remember, the creepier your store, the better your chances of keeping your young customers returning and boosting sales.

2. INVITE CUSTOMERS TO CARVE PUMPKINS

If spending hundreds of dollars on decorations isn’t in your budget this year, consider carving a bunch of pumpkins to display all over the store. If you don’t enjoy carving pumpkins, or are not very artistic, hold a pumpkincarving contest. Have customers come in to carve a pumpkin to receive a free

ity to wear their costumes. Parents will appreciate seeing the costumes getting an extra day of use after spending a small fortune on them.

4. HOLD A PROMO FOR HALLOWEEN NIGHT

Halloween is a big night for take-out and/or pizza operators, as most families are holding parties or busy getting their children ready for trick-or-treating. Consider working together with your local pizza operator or other restaurant to create a Halloween night package, where they supply pizza and you supply the cake. Split the cost of a direct mail campaign to advertise your special offer.

5. CREATE HALLOWEEN-THEMED TREATS

Use your imagination to create a line of Halloween-themed breads, pastries, cookies, cakes and other desserts. Think of items that will appeal to children, as children are Halloween’s largest and most enthusiastic market base. Hold

Consider having a pumpkin-carving contest as a way to get customers interactive with you and your bakery.

special promotions for customers, for example, after spending a certain amount in your bakery, they will receive a free Halloween cookie or treat.

6. GET YOUR STAFF INTO THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT

People love holidays because they are fun. In order to create the right ambience and atmosphere in your establishment, all of your staff must be involved. Get your staff to dress up, crank up the music and boost enthusiasm all around. If your staff is having a good time, it will rub off on your customers. And if your customers are having a good time, they will more than likely come back for more. / BJ

Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping restaurant, foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 25 years. Her company provides innovative and revenue-increasing foodservice and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns, and much more. Contact her at 416-9261338, toll-free at 1-888-926-6655 or chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com.

GOING WILD FOR BLUEBERRIES

The fields of Canada’s Atlantic provinces, Quebec and Maine are the only places in the world wild blueberries are commercially cultivated. Harvested in late summer, these little gems have been linked to a range of antioxidant benefits.

The Wild Blueberry Association of North America (WBANA), an alliance of growers and processors in the Canadian cultivating provinces and in Maine, is a great resource for information on what makes wild (lowbush) blueberries unique. Wild blueberries have a particular tangy and sweet flavour, compact size that delivers maximum berries per portion and great performance in keeping their shape, texture and colour through a variety of manufacturing processes.

The WBANA compiled the results of various scientific studies to show the promise of blueberries as a functional food. Their high cellular anti-oxidant activity and ability to fight oxidative stress was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and Journal of the American College of Nutrition respectively. Blueberries were observed to improve motor skills and the short term memory loss that comes with aging at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center.

Another study by the same research centre showed that a diet rich in blueberries was found to have a positive impact on inflammation at a cellular level, which resulted in better cognitive test results.

The Rutgers University Blueberry Cranberry Research Center showed that blueberries, like cranberries, have compounds that prevent the bacteria linked to urinary tract infections from attaching to the bladder wall.

These are just a few of the published scientific trials listed by the WBANA.

Quoting research from the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the

WBANA points out that wild blueberries rank number one in total antioxidant capacity per serving when compared with 20 other fruits. Scientists have linked wild blueberries to potential benefits in the areas of brain health, cancer prevention, and heart, urinary tract and vision health.

Wild blueberries are also low on the glycemic index. The fruit scored 53 on the Glycemic Index (GI) scale in a study conducted by Glycemic Index Laboratories Inc. A score of 55 or under is considered low and bear in mind the score can change under factors such as ripeness and cooking process. Wild blueberries also have a low glycemic load (GL), which is how fast the carbohydrate turns into sugar and how much of that carbohydrate the food contains. A half a cup of wild blueberries measures 6.5. A GL of 20 or more is high, 11 to 19 is medium and 10 or less is low. Low GI foods assist in stabilizing blood sugar levels and are of special interest to your diabetic clientele.

The WBANA licences their certification mark if you are looking to brand the ingredient on your packaging. Wild blueberries are available year round in various forms, including individually quick frozen, dried/dehydrated/sugar infused, canned, concentrate, puree, powder, extract and frozen fresh. They’re in season in August and September.

The WBANA website (listed below) also provides contact information for Canadian suppliers.

WILD BLUEBERRY OAT MUFFINS

Recipe courtesy of The Wild Blueberry Association of North America www.wildblueberries.com

INGREDIENTS

Makes 24 muffins.

2 cups wild blueberries, frozen

2 cups old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 cups skim milk

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp grated orange rind

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

GARNISH

1 cup wild blueberries, frozen 6 tbsp powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix oats and milk in a bowl. Soak for about 10 minutes. Add egg, sugar, oil, orange rind and stir until well blended. In a separate dish, combine flours,

baking powder, baking soda and walnuts. Mix well and fold into oatmeal mixture until just moistened. Gently fold in 2 cups of blueberries.

Fill muffin pan 2/3 with batter. Sprinkle a few wild blueberries on top of each muffin. Bake for about 20 minutes at 425 F.

Using a strainer or sifter, sprinkle muffins with powdered sugar as they cool. *This recipe was doubled in quantity from the original. / BJ

ONE-STOP SWEET SHOP

Pastry chef Rosalind Chan must have an impressive number of frequent flyer miles. One who makes round trips from Toronto to Malaysia eight times a year would have to. For Chan, the opportunity to teach, bake and sell her products is worth all that airplane food.

This past March, Chan and partner/ co-owner Evalin Chong opened Sugar Tiers, a bakery in Markham, Ont. This unique three-in-one retail concept is at once a bakery, a baking and decorating supply store and a classroom.

Chan is also the CEO, founder, and owner of the International Centre of Cake Artistry in Malaysia. Made up of three cake-decorating schools, it follows the same café, retail centre and training concept. She continues to run the professional series courses, travelling back to Malaysia an average of eight times a year.

In addition, she is a certified International Wilton Method instructor, and the only international instructor for United Kingdom-based Squires Kitchen. In August this year, she received certification as a sugar artist from the International Cake Exploration Societé. She travels regularly throughout North America and the United Kingdom, “training the trainers” and honing her craft.

}Sugar Tiers ran the Topsy Turvy cake class with a total of six students, providing the cake and buttercream icing for each. Pictured from left to right: Emily, Michelle, Abena, Sanji, Alison, and Angela with their instructor Antonella (centre).

Chan could no longer deny her dream of working as a pastry chef, describing the struggle as “passion versus day-to-day practicality.” With her husband’s blessing, she left the corporate world behind.

product. They can see your work and taste what you can do.”

did with the schools in Asia. Chan runs the business with four regular staff members. Apprenticeships can bump that number up to five.

Chan lives just north of Toronto in Richmond Hill, and despite her international success, she was eager to make her mark here where her family and friends are. Hoping to move away from being known as “just” an instructor, she wanted a showcase for her work, and so her first Canadian baking and cake-decorating centre was born.

“In North America there were no places that offered the three-in-one model,” Chan says. “Businesses seem to focus on one area or the other.” At Sugar Tiers, “Students can [take] classes, buy supplies, and taste the

She describes the taste factor as supremely important. Your creations can look good, but if the taste isn’t there you haven’t succeeded, she says.

Chan also stresses cleanliness and health, one of the biggest reasons she wanted to have an open-concept kitchen in the bakery.

“You can see how we work and see how clean we are,” she says. It also lends the store a great behind-the-scenes feel.

The store itself is modern, stylish, colourful and bright. Chan designed and decorated everything herself, just as she

Sugar Tiers is about 1,400-square-feet, which Chan describes as “a good space to start off. Obviously the bigger it is the better, because there can be more space for training.” But she also stresses that a large amount of space isn’t essential. What’s more important is that it be well thought-out.

“You have to be very practical, and if you’re not good at designing you will need to hire the help of an expert. A proper organizational expert will be able to draw the layout and design the store in the most efficient way.”

BAKING IN HER BLOOD

Chan’s mother was a beautician who loved to bake as a hobby. She made

This

beautiful cakes for friends and family, often with her daughter at her side. When Chan began her own studies in England, she thought, like her mother, that baking was just a hobby, so she went into law and business administration.

But baking proved a hard habit to break. She worked full-time in a legal firm and focused intently on business when she was in the office, but she took decorating classes at night. She gained recognition quickly, and soon got to the point where she was using all her vacation time to teach abroad.

“I was travelling more than my boss,” she laughs.

Chan could no longer deny her dream of working as a pastry chef, describing the struggle as “passion versus day-to-day practicality.” With her husband’s blessing, she left the corporate world behind.

Now, she’s an award-winning sugar artist with more than 20 years of experience. She earned a masters in French pastries at the renowned Ritz Escoffier School in Paris, and she holds a baking arts certificate from George Brown College in Toronto.

Partner and co-owner Chong comes with her own set of impressive credentials. An experienced chocolatier, a Wilton Method instructor, and a certified wedding planner, she is someone Chan describes as “more of a baker than a cake decorator.”

Chong came to Canada from Malaysia in 1995. She earned a diploma in food and beverage management and, like Chan, worked for a few years in a completely unrelated field. She took cake-decorating classes, learned French pastries and cake design, and also entered the baking arts program at George Brown.

One day she saw Chan on TV and thought it would be neat to learn from her. The pair met when Chong was a student in one of Chan’s classes.

“I was one of her students, then became a good friend,” says Chong. The duo’s French training shows through at the store’s bakery counter, where there are classic French pastries and traditional French macarons, as well as an assortment of cupcakes.

“Our desserts are done in the European style. They are smaller in size and use less sugar,” says Chan. “I cut the sweetness level down due to market demand.” Her Asian and European customers, she says, tend to prefer less-sweet desserts.

Their “banana rama” cupcake illustrates the Sugar Tiers philosophy: a banana bread base with a mildly sweet Swiss meringue buttercream icing, artfully topped with chocolate shavings and a single banana chip.

Chan likes to infuse her baking with Asian flavours, crediting her frequent travels as inspiration. Black sesame and green tea sit alongside red velvet, strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate, and are in fact two of the store’s most popular flavours.

BUILDING THE BUSINESS

The in-house bakery creates custom wedding and celebration cakes, and is soon hoping to expand its reach in the wedding market. Decorating courses run the gamut from beginner to advanced. Classes include fondant animals and gum paste flowers, Wilton method cake decorating, and a variety of 3-D cake workshops.

On the retail side, they sell a wide range of state-of-the-art tools and supplies that, thanks to Chan’s extensive travelling, are sourced from the United Kingdom, South Africa, and North and South America. Students are often surprised by the selection.

For bakeries thinking of expanding their business, she offers this advice.

“To develop the retail side of the business, you have to have connections with the right kinds of suppliers and manufacturers to bring in the different kinds of products. If you want to get into training, paper credentials and recognition in the industry count a lot.”

So far, business has been solid. “We have a lot of word-of-mouth referral,” says Chan. Some of her customers travel to the store from downtown or Mississauga.

Sugar Tiers is certainly a dream come true for Chan, but it is just one of several. She hopes to establish a name for herself in the GTA, with hopes of one day cracking the city’s downtown core.

“I want to build up this concept in Toronto, to build it up in some of the more prominent areas,” she says.

For now, Chan is content to nurture her latest business venture and to continue flying across the globe in service of her passion. All those frequent flyer miles can’t hurt either. / BJ

Sue Kanhai is a Toronto-based freelance writer.

Chocolate Chip Cookies Rated Best In Region

At age 20, owner Gordon Arthur Evans offered to work for free if he could apprentice with a baker who had started out in the 1930’s. Gordon took the older man’s baking secrets to his father’s business, Art’s Grocery & Bakery. Art’s, half deli and half bakery, has served the Erie, Pennsylvania region for 55 years.

Mr. Evans’ father, Arthur Gordon Evans, ran the deli side, while Gordon handled the bakery. Perhaps best known for elderberry pies, Art’s chocolate chip cookies have also been rated the best in the region by local newspapers.

Mr. Evans cites raising four children as his greatest accomplishment, but his business accomplishments are also impressive. Three years ago, Mr. Evans replaced the old Art’s building. And, despite competition from several new supermarkets, Art’s has doubled its business.

For Gordon Evans, International® Bakers Services’ flavors are a key to consistency. “I’m really sold on flavors from International®. They are really top notch. I like BLO&V®, and Butterscotch is my favorite.” Using butterscotch morsels in his butterscotch cookies didn’t work, so Mr. Evans turned to Butterscotch Flavor.

The cookies became a big hit and their sales doubled. Mr. Evans offers this advice to other bakers: “The customer respects two things, price and quality. The customer will buy product for a good price but will come back for good quality.”

According to Mr. Evans, consistency is very important in the bakery business. “Your product can’t vary,” he said. “And that comes down to consistency in ingredients.”

Let International Bakers Services help keep your customers coming back. Contact us toll-free at (800) 345-7175, by fax at (574) 287-7161, or in writing at 1902 North Sheridan Ave., South Bend, Indiana 46628. We have the flavors your customers deserve. ®

¦ the business advisor ¦

BY WAYNE GELB AND BRUCE ROHER

5 STEPS TO WEIGHING WORTH

Although the current economic climate promises to present significant challenges for some businesses, it is an opportune time for well-managed and well-financed companies to consider a strategic acquisition that will position them for growth.

Welcome to the Ask the Business Advisor series.

Over the next year, watch this space for valuable information on how to run a profitable business. This column is designed to help you work on your business. We will cover topics that span the lifecycle of a business, beginning with subjects related to investing decisions, then moving to preserving value (operations management) and ending with realizing value (managing the exit process). Fuller Landau LLP, home to this series’ authors, is a full-service chartered accounting and business advisory firm that assists business owners through all stages of the business lifecycle with the ultimate goal of helping business owners increase their net worth.

}balance. Conducting a thorough internal assessment of your management strengths and operations will allow you to determine all available options. You also need to be aware of external factors such as availability of capital, cost of capital, and local, national and global industry trends.

It is also important to have a full understanding of your own growth limitations. If, for example, your road to future success lies in expanding through new products, brands or geography, but the capital and time commitment of pursuing growth organically is too high, then an acquisition strategy may be the ideal approach.

FIND THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFIT

With a well-defined strategic plan, and a keen eye for the right opportunity to

With a well-defined strategic plan, and a keen eye for the right opportunity to complement an existing business model, an acquisition can prove to be the way to overcome any growth hurdles

complement an existing business model, an acquisition can prove to be the way to overcome any growth hurdles.

there be any regulatory, licensing or safety requirements or approvals required?

PERFORM DUE DILIGENCE

Before you close any deal, you need to perform some level of due diligence. Due diligence is customized to each individual transaction and takes a focused look into the financial and operational status of the target. It includes, among other things, quality of earnings, quality of assets, potential tax exposures and liabilities, organizational infrastructures, quality of management and technology.

A SOLID ACQUISITION STRUCTURE TO PREVENT TAX IMPLICATIONS

How you structure your proposed acquisition from a tax standpoint is an important consideration. You could structure your acquisition through a corporation, a partnership, an individual purchase or as a trust.

Each of these structures has different rules on how and at what rate the income from the investment will be taxed, and each has different benefits or consequences depending on your needs.

Questions are encouraged! Please feel free to send them in to the business advisors via laiken@annexweb.com.

The first article in the series is dedicated to determining if the business you are looking to buy is worth the investment. There are a number of companies on the market for sale and you may even have your eye on one or two right now. While they may be attractive at first glance, carefully assessing a potential acquisition is critical to the success of this endeavour.

While there is no simple formula for approaching a potential acquisition, the following five steps should be considered.

UNDERSTAND YOUR RISK TOLERANCE

It is critical to understand your company’s risk tolerance to ensure you obtain the appropriate risk/reward

For example, you can obtain greater market share by purchasing a competing business at a great price. This strategy can also allow you to diversify your product offering, production options or distribution channels.

DEVELOP A PLAN

Every deal you are considering should start with a coherent and definite plan that will show how the transaction would generate value to your existing business. For example, it should answer questions like: What cost advantages could be obtained by producing new products with the same raw materials? What efficiencies can be leveraged from using existing distribution channels? Are new distribution channels needed? How will the acquisition affect staffing? Is there existing plant capacity, or will the plant require renovations to accommodate production of the added products? Will

In today’s uncertain economic climate, or even when the financial landscape is thriving, no acquisition is without risk. However, with a well thought out strategy and the right expertise on hand, healthy businesses can significantly reduce those risk factors to drive stronger, more profitable results. / BJ

Wayne Gelb is a partner in the audit and assurance practice and Bruce Roher is a partner in the valuations department at the Toronto office of Fuller Landau LLP.

ASK THE ADVISOR

QUESTION / I found a business that I want to buy. The vendor wants to sell me the shares but I’ve been advised to purchase only the assets (i.e., inventory and equipment). What’s the difference? FOR THE ANSWER, GO TO www.bakersjournal.com

¦ industry news ¦

FOR MORE news in the baking world, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com

BEST award in baking

Sara Lee and Lime Energy were honoured with this year’s Building Environmental Sustainability Together (BEST) in Baking Award.

The two companies were recognized for their joint effort to save energy and reduce operating costs in 17 bakeries across the United States.

Energy saving improvements included rolling out new energy efficient lighting at Sara Lee’s Downers Grove plant, including its baking operations, warehouse, office and some exterior portions of the plant. Together Sara Lee and Lime Energy achieved an estimated 8.1million kilowatthour per year reduction in energy demand, which is the equivalent of taking 933 passenger cars permanently off the road. In addition, the pair has reduced peak demand by as much as 990 kilowatts, or enough energy to power 800 homes.

Further environmental benefits from the reductions at the Sara Lee plant include avoiding the emission of 10 million pounds of carbon dioxide and preventing the emission of 26,000 pounds of nitrogen oxides, which are believed to be the leading cause of smog and acid precipitation.

“We are delighted to receive this award in recognition for the work we have done for Sara Lee and happy to deliver these savings to our customer,” says Dan Parke, president of Lime Energy, in a news release. “The baking industry has raised the bar by establishing this award, and by making a statement that it supports solutions that promote sustainability. Lime Energy is committed to working with our customers to design and install solutions that save energy and reduce operating costs.”

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VAMOOSE TO THE VERMIN

Whether you work in a small boutique bakery or mass produce bread loaves purchased by major supermarkets, pests are definitely not on your ingredient list. Perhaps your worst nightmare would be having a customer take a bite of your product, only to find it contaminated by vermin.

In an industry where perfection is demanded on a daily basis, having just a few pests in a facility can irreparably damage your reputation. Establishing and maintaining an effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program can help prevent pests before they become a problem. IPM focuses on proactive techniques such as sanitation

(to minimize pest attractants like food and water) and facility maintenance (to stop them from getting in the building). In addition to implementing these measures, there are several pest management tools that can help protect your facility against pests without using chemical treatments.

SMALL PESTS, BIG PROBLEMS

For the baking industry, small pests like flies and stored-product pests present a big problem. Flies harbour bacteria, and spread diseases by breeding in waste outside your facility and then landing on products or preparation surfaces inside your building. Stored-product pests can also threaten your bottom line. They penetrate packaging and

spread to surrounding goods, forcing immediate disposal of all affected products. Follow these simple steps to help prevent a pest problem.

INSTALL INSECT LIGHT TRAPS

Insect light traps, or ILTs, utilize ultraviolet light to attract flying insects to non-toxic sticky boards. The light initially draws the insects into the trap unit, and the sticky boards capture them for later analysis by your pest management provider. ILTs are an important early detection tool for identifying sources of insect activity.

CHANGE EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Florescent light attracts flies, and any lighting immediately around the exterior of the building should use sodium vapor bulbs instead, which are less attractive to insects. However, florescent bulbs used for exterior lighting should be located a distance from the building to draw pests away.

USE POSITIVE AIRFLOW

Use positive airflow to prevent pests from entering through common openings, such as doors and windows. Positive airflow occurs when air is forced out of the building, rather than into it. Forcing air out of the building creates a barrier that can prevent pests from entering your facility. Work with your maintenance team to confirm you have positive airflow.

ADJUST THE THERMOSTAT

Lowering the temperature in your facility by just a few degrees can make the environment less appealing to stored-product pests. For example, Indian meal moths are more active at 23 C, but are less active and reproduce slower at 18 C. Storing susceptible products in cooler areas of your facility will slow down insect development, but don’t forget about the effect that temperatures may have on your finished products.

PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN

Roaches are the scourge of every facility. These insects usually enter a facility by

hitch-hiking on incoming shipments or, at times, they may even use small openings to enter from outside. Once inside, they will reproduce rapidly. Cockroaches are not only unsightly, but they carry many different diseases and typically reside in cracks and crevices close to a food source, making them difficult to spot until they reproduce and you have a full-blown infestation on your hands. While keeping your facility clean can be an effective tool for preventing infestations, use insect monitoring tools, such as sticky boards, as a supplemental measure.

MONITOR WITH GLUE TRAPS

Using glue traps or sticky boards (with or without pheromones or food lures) in high pest traffic areas can be an environmentally friendly technique to both manage and monitor roach populations and other crawling insect pests. Once your pest management provider is able to identify the pest and how large the population is, you can put a specific treatment in place for that issue, versus indiscriminate or routine pesticide applications.

TAKE THE BAIT

These formulations are a better alternative to traditional spray treatments, as they minimize airborne chemical exposure to staff and food preparation areas. Working with your pest management professional, you can strategically place these products in the most effective, yet inconspicuous areas in your facility.

GET BIRDS TO FLY THE COOP

Birds target buildings for a variety of reasons, such as socializing, feeding, mating and nesting. Pest birds, including pigeons, sparrows and starlings, can carry and spread diseases. Managing these pests can be very challenging, because in some cases, birds are protected by law. In addition to consulting with your pest management provider, you can use several exclusion and trapping techniques to manage this nuisance. Prevention always plays an integral role in protecting your facility.

Repellants discourage birds from perching on ledges and can effectively deter socializing or breeding. These repellants can be physical, such as bird spikes or tacky gels, or they can include electronic or ultrasonic devices, which can frighten pest birds away. Consult a licensed professional to determine which form of repellant to use.

Using netting around areas where birds gather can discourage them from congregating, sleeping and mating near your facility. This is done in a safe manner that forces the birds to find an alternative location. Key netting areas include HVAC systems where birds tend to build their nests, rooftops where these pests socialize in flocks, and in the rafters where the birds sleep. For protective and legal purposes, it is important to have a trained and licensed professional relocate any birds that may currently inhabit your facility. Adding these tools to your pest management program can be a beneficial (and best of all) environmentally friendly alternative to traditional pest control methods that rely on chemical applications to control pests. Work with a licensed pest management professional to identify areas where pests may take up residence in your facility, and together you can work proactively to discourage pests before they become the decorations on your cake. / BJ

Bill Melville is Quality Assurance Director for Orkin PCO Services. Melville has 35 years of experience in the industry and is an acknowledged leader in the field of pest management. For more information, e-mail bmelville@pcocanada.com or visit www.orkincanada.com.

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BY JANE DUMMER, RD

IS SUGAR A SUGAR?

When it comes to sugar and consumers, it’s a confusing marketplace these days. Where did the communication go wrong?

Recent media headlines report that high levels of fructose in people’s diets are responsible for a variety of health problems, ranging from obesity to cancer. Journalists are using the terms fructose and high fructose corn syrup interchangeably, confusing consumers. Sara Lee announced it would remove high fructose corn syrup from its Soft and Smooth and 100 per cent whole wheat bread lines in the United States because of consumer concerns over fructose. However, fructose and high fructose corn syrup are not chemically the same.

While fructose is made up entirely of the fructose monosaccharide, high fructose corn syrup consists of roughly equal parts fructose and glucose. Fructose is 100 per cent the monosaccharide fructose, whereas high fructose corn syrup is two monosaccharide compounds, averaging out to be about 50 per cent glucose and 50 per cent fructose, depending on the grade.

}tively low-priced sugar has been cited as an important competitive advantage in encouraging several food processors to locate in Canada. It has also minimized the need for cheaper alternatives.

Dr. Thomas Wolever, professor in the department of nutritional sciences at University of Toronto, and president of Glycemic Index Laboratories, says that sucrose is widely used in the Canadian food industry. Unlike fructose, a monosaccharide, sucrose is a disaccharide. Once consumed, the human body converts sucrose into glucose and fructose (the same two compounds that make up high fructose corn syrup). Wolever adds that humans metabolize glucose and fructose differently. Therefore, when scientific studies report health concerns about the consumption of fructose alone, we need to review the data to verify if the diets in the study are artificially contrived (not resembling a typical diet) and if there is over feeding of one particular

Many journalists are using the terms fructose and high fructose corn syrup interchangeably, confusing consumers. However, fructose and high fructose corn syrup are not chemically the same.

sugar or ingredient, so that we can fully understand and interpret the information.

It’s time to cut out the confusion about sugar.

the media (even qualified health journalists) have done a very poor job of translating scientific information about sugars – including disaccharides, monosaccharides, sweeteners and sugar substitutes – into accurate, easy to understand information for the consumer. It seems that carbohydrate chemistry and human metabolism of it is more complex than we originally thought and understood.

In many countries, high fructose corn syrup is a cheap alternative to expensive sweeteners. For decades, corn syrup reigned as the industrial sweetener of choice in America. Trade barriers made sugar pricier for American consumers, and corn subsidies made the grain-derived corn syrup far less expensive. In recent years increased ethanol production has boosted the price of corn, and consequently, corn-based sweeteners. The average price of high fructose corn syrup during the 2009 fiscal year was 31 cents per pound, while sugar prices averaged 36 cents per pound, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

Sandra Marsden, registered dietician and president of the Canadian Sugar Institute, explains that the price of Canadian sugar is significantly lower than the price of sugar in most developed countries, including America and Europe, where the costs of domestic subsidies for farmers are passed on to consumers. In fact, Canada’s compara-

John White, president of White Technical Research in Argenta, Ill., cites a recent scientific study conducted by Melanson et al. in Nutrition, which found that when fructose is consumed in the form of high fructose corn syrup, the measured metabolic responses don’t differ from those observed after the intake of the fructose made from sucrose. White describes high fructose corn syrup as having many functional advantages compared to sucrose. For example, it is already in a liquid form, is more fermentable, holds moisture better and is cheaper than sucrose in most developed countries outside of Canada. White says confusion stems from ignorance on the interpretation of scientific studies with artificial diets. He notes that we consume a mixture of sugars (over-consumption, but still a mixture) in a typical North American diet, and not just fructose or glucose isolated in large quantities.

As I was researching the information for this article, I became very concerned that

As North America continues to struggle with lifestyle-related chronic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, we are still looking for an easy-to-blame culprit, whether it be fat, sodium, fructose or high fructose corn syrup. This type of finger pointing only brings confusion to the marketplace. The answer to chronic diseases caused by lifestyle mismanagement is multi-faceted. Over-consumption of foods and beverages and under-activity of the consumer is the foundation of the problem. The food industry has turned to rebalancing by focusing on cutting calories while maintaining taste and flavour in an effort to fix the problem. For example, one cookie company removed half the sugar (sucrose) from its products and replaced it with a mixture of soluble fibre and low calorie sugar substitute, creating a lower calorie option for a population plagued by over-consumption. The question is whether the consumer will eat fewer of the rebalanced cookies, or will they actually eat more, defeating the purpose of offering a healthier option? Only time will tell, as we continue to follow news about rising obesity rates, the nutrients we eat and the industry’s response to ever-changing customer demand. / BJ

Jane Dummer, RD, is a leading dietician for the Canadian food and nutrition industry. Jane offers services specializing in agri-food, functional foods and food Safety. Visit her website, www.janedummer.com.

Mai 1 & 2 May Place Forzani • 4855,

A BAKING EVENT WHERE YOU CAN:

• Join industry professionals including bakers (retail, wholesale, commercial), grocery and foodservice outlets

• Visit the trade show – over 30,000 sq.ft.

• Learn at the Exhibitor produced seminars

• Network and enjoy yourself at the social functions

• Located in the greater Montreal area – the “Island City” that blends the best of European and North American charm – Place Forzani is easily accessible via Autoroute Laval 440.

Last held in the Montreal area in 2007 and not scheduled to return until 2015, Congress 2011 is the Baking Specific Event to see the newest, the best and your favourite products, ingredients, equipment, services, technology and baked goods (fresh, proof & bake, par-baked, freezerto-oven, thaw & serve) for 2011!

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