The voice of the canadian baking industry
CRAZY FOR COOKIES
Boost your cookie sales with these top trends
BY LAURA AIKEN
PLANT POWER
As a precipitously carnivorous person, I find myself in a bit of a quandary these days. I used to think nothing of eating a blue T-bone steak the size of a dinner plate — with pride. Now it seems a bit savage. My cupboards house lentils and black beans; former mere acquaintances to my intestinal abode. A slab of beef comes my way and I wonder what it’s doing to my arteries. I wonder if it misses its cow family. I merrily eat it anyway. It tastes so good. But I eat it medium-rare on the rare side now in a step towards civility.
If this momentary-meat-doubt, this flexitarian way of thinking could happen to me, it could happen to you. And it’s definitely happening to your consumers. For ethical and health reasons, plants are climbing the eatery echelon. I ordered a main course a couple years ago that was just a carrot, roasted for some inconceivable amount of hours, and that’s when I knew vegetables had made it.
You don’t have to take my word for it. The trend is all over the media. Mintel called out “Power to the Plants” as one of its Global Food and Drink Trends for 2017. Our Final Proof columnist and leading dietitian Jane Dummer echoed this sentiment in her blog’s IFT 2017 roundup. The ball has been rolling for a while: Latest Vegan News reported that “search interest in the term “vegan” increased 32 per cent in the U.S. from 2014 to 2015.” Much baking is already vegetarian, so I have focused on vegan here and in our feature story on page 24.
OCTOBER 2017 | VOL. 77, NO. 8
EDITOR | Laura Aiken editor@bakersjournal.com 416-522-1595
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A 2015 survey commissioned by the Vancouver Humane Society suggested that 33 per cent of Canadians are either vegetarian (eight per cent) or eating less meat (25 per cent).
First gluten-free became a pretty standard offering in bakeries, and now I see something vegan (made with no animal products) alongside it or in combination with it. It’s not just for the vegan consumer as the cumulative evidence suggests the swell of growth is in the adoption of a more flexitarian approach. A 2015 survey commissioned by the Vancouver Humane Society suggested that 33 per cent of Canadians are either vegetarian (eight per cent) or eating less meat (25 per cent). In April 2014, Harvard Medical School reported that about 2.5 million Americans 55 and older had given up red meat and poultry for a more plant-based diet. Plants are undeniably healthy (except for the toxic ones of course, and the mind-altering ones still up for debate). Vegan is a natural hit for today’s conscious eater, even if only part-time. There is more acceptance that vegan tastes good. There is less questioning of the ingredients, or greater assumption that they are inherently healthier.
As vegan shifts into the mainstream, you will see more prominence in grocery store isles and more expectation from consumers that you have something to offer in that niche. If you haven’t experimented with vegan baking, now is the time. People are receptive. The chances that one person in a group is vegan seems to be increasing.
Plants have always been a big part of baking — look no further than flour and sugar. So are dairy and eggs. This squad is here to stay, but so are the alternatives. If it’s a fit for your bakery to expand your line-up to include vegan offerings, the general sense seems to suggest there’s a market for it. / BJ
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briefly | Find your superconsumers; a new way to lease equipment; consumers look to corporate for health responsibility | for more news in the baking world, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com
New research on superconsumers
The International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) released Superconsumer Phase 1: Setting the Stage , which details the importance of these profitable consumers. Superconsumers are those who are both heavy users of a particular product and highly passionate about that product.
Some of the key findings in the bakery department include:
• Bakery superconsumers make up 10 per cent of households
• Account for 24 per cent of the bakery spend
• Spend 2.4 times more annually
• Stage 1 results suggest that 20 per cent of households are potential superconsumers
The reports are available exclusively to IDDBA members online. Non-members may download one-page research briefs.
EquipmentWallet rolls out
EquipmentWallet launched a website designed to connect small businesses seeking equipment financing and leasing with the best equipment finance companies suited to their needs.
EquipmentWallet is striving to make it simple for business owners to apply for equipment financing through a bid-and-quote process. EquipmentWallet matches a business owner’s company profile with finance companies that are able to offer financing terms specific to the business. In turn, lenders compete to provide the most reasonable equipment financing options to the customer by submitting their quotes for consideration. There is no cost for business owners to use EquipmentWallet to connect with a lender. The website generates revenue by receiving two to five per cent from the finance company as a marketing and origination fee once the deal is completed.
Health and responsibility
Nine out of 10 consumers believe food companies have a responsibility to make sure their diet is healthy, new research shows.
More than 1,000 consumers worldwide were polled in an online survey conducted by Survey Goo on behalf of specialist PR agency Ingredient Communications*. When asked how much responsibility they believed food and drink companies have for ensuring they eat a healthy diet, 52 per cent said they had a lot and a further 37 per cent said they had some. Only nine per cent of consumers thought food and drink companies had no responsibility at all.
However, the survey also revealed that levels of trust in the food industry are relatively low compared with other sources of information about health and nutrition.
Respondents were presented with seven different sources of information about health and nutrition and asked to list them in order of trustworthiness.
Globally, doctors and other healthcare professionals were the most trusted, with 72 per cent of consumers ranking them either highest or second highest. After doctors, respondents put the most trust in government and health authorities (ranked top by 23 per cent) and friends and family (15 per cent).
Food and drink companies came low on the list. Four in 10 respondents (41 per cent) placed them in either last or in second-to-last place, and only five per cent put them top. The list also included celebrity chefs, celebrities (non-chefs), journalists and bloggers.
*Survey of 1300 consumers (50 in Australia; 50 in Canada; 200 in India; 100 in Malaysia; 50 in New Zealand; 200 in the Philippines; 100 in Singapore; 500 in the U.K. and 50 in the U.S.) conducted between 19 and 26 October 2016.
For more industry news, visit www.bakersjournal.com.
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Canadians love their cookies. Here are the latest trends. | BY
JULIE FITZ-GERALD
KOOKY FOR COOKIES
Canadian cookie-makers have been enjoying a steady increase in consumer demand recently, with clients turning to the age-old, customizable treat to complete their party or corporate event. And the stats agree. According to a Mintel report released in July, 72 per cent of Canadians indulge in cookies, making it the country’s most popular sweet baked good by a long shot. The next closest favourite is muffins, coming in at 57 per cent, followed by cakes at 53 per cent and doughnuts at 45 per cent.
“Cookies take the number one slot in terms of popular sweet baked goods, even beating doughnuts – possibly the most intrinsically Canadian of all sweet baked goods,” says Joel Gregoire, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel. “Given their flexibility and portability, it is not surprising that cookies are eaten more than other sweet baked goods.”
In Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood, Sweet Flour Bake Shop has seen business grow by 40 per cent year over year since opening its doors in 2009. Kim Gans, founder and chief cookie officer of the popular bakery, says the store’s concept has evolved from a retail storefront to a production kitchen in order to meet burgeoning online and wholesale orders from across the country. “We kept the storefront for six years, but two years ago we decided to close it and focus our efforts on where the growth was happening.”
}However, the biggest trend she’s noticing right now – and perhaps the most surprising – is customer interest in edible cookie dough.
When the retail store first opened in its Bloor West Village location back in 2009, its concept was simple: pick your cookie dough, place your order and receive your warm cookie in two minutes flat, straight out of the store’s custom oven. Of course, customers were hooked by the fresh-baked goodness and usually took a dozen cookies to-go as well, which spurred on Sweet Flour’s gift business. The result was a second kitchen located in the Junction to fulfill production orders. In 2015, Gans decided to close her Bloor West retail store and turn her
full attention to her corporate and wholesale orders. While Gans’ business model has morphed, her vision remains the same: “We specialize in simple goodness. We use all-natural ingredients with no preservatives and we are still fully-customizable, with a range of 18 to 20 different flavours to choose from.”
With small batches and premium packaging forming the crux of the business, plenty of staff are required to pull off this labour-intensive, hands-on approach. Gans now employs 20 to 25 full- and part-time employees, with that number rising to 45 during the holidays to fulfill cookie orders from across the country. Sweet Flour has also added to its offerings, with custom cupcakes, cookie cakes, gingerbread and shortbread
gracing the menu.
In Port Coquitlam, B.C., Designer Cookies has also been experiencing a growing demand for its themed sugar cookies. Alyson Neufeld, owner and principal cookie artist, started the custom sugar cookie business in 2010 and has seen orders steadily rising ever since. In 2016, she expanded the menu to include designer cupcakes, bringing Sandra Grylls onboard as artistic director and cupcake artist. Together, the pair provides memorable sweet treats for personal and corporate functions. “You name it and we can cookie-fy it,” says Neufeld. “We get clients who start with a bridal shower, then return for their baby shower and then the child’s first birthday, so we get to see families going through these life stages.”
Creating about 25,000 custom cookies in 2016, Neufeld says demand for themed treats continues to grow. She sees more and more parents turning to
Image for inspiration: Halloween themed ginger cookies; (opposite) Sweet Flour Bake Shop specializes in cookies, and founder Kim Gans reports the business has grown by 40 per cent year over year since its inception in 2009.
specially-designed cookies as an alternative to standard loot bags, while corporate clients are using them to attract attention at trade shows, replacing the usual companylabelled pen or magnet with a more memorable logothemed cookie. “Before, we were never turning away orders, but now on a weekly basis we have to. Designer cookies are more and more popular. And it’s nice because it’s word of mouth and it really has just taken off from there.”
Neufeld explains that the cookie trends she’s been seeing have closely followed cake trends, with requests for unicorn cookies continuing to soar, as well as pineapple- and flamingo-themed options and woodland creatures. When it comes to colours, blush pink and gold are leading the way, which suits her personal style
as well. “I like doing really classic cookies with soft colours and rosettes, and I really like doing script writing, personalizing the cookies with names. They’re soft and pretty.”
In Toronto, Gans says her three top-selling cookies are chocolate chunk, followed by her fitness cookie (think oatmeal, blueberry, dark chocolate and almonds) and finally, butterscotch toffee. However, the biggest trend she’s noticing right now – and perhaps the most surprising – is customer interest in edible cookie dough. “People have been eating cookie dough their whole lives, it’s that nostalgia of licking the bowl. But this year people are really starting to sell it like ice cream, so we’ve partnered with some of our retailers to sell it in their ice cream and coffee shops,” says Gans.
Adding a scoop of your favourite cookie dough to your ice cream cone or indulging in a spoonful with your afternoon cup of coffee has been taking off like wildfire. The trend originated in New York City last year and as Gans says, “it went viral.” It was a natural addition to the Sweet Flour menu, as it really spoke to the business’ roots. “Through our history we’ve always had dough shots with a glass of organic milk. We always used pasteurized eggs to make it safe, but then this year with the craze of edible dough, we launched a whole new line made with heat-treated flour to prevent any possibility of bacteria,” says Gans.
Her most popular edible dough flavours are “The Break-Up” and “After Dark.” The former is a plain cookie dough base with brownie bits and salted caramel, while the latter is a brownie cookie batter with marshmallow fluff and crushed Oreos. While this rich treat is currently enjoying its heyday, Gans is careful to see the trend for what it is. “Everyone will always love cookie dough. I think as a stand-alone retail concept I see it as a shortterm play, which is why we’re doing it more online and with our retail customers, like an add-on, as a complement to ice cream or a larger dessert.”
Finding inspiration for new designs and products is an important area for any business-owner. It provides opportunities for growth and keeps things fresh. Both Neufeld and Gans agree that customers are a great source of inspiration. “That was the beauty of having our store; it was our laboratory where we got our requests,” says Gans. “Now we look to the retailers and stores where we sell our cookies. What do customers want that we don’t have? We also use social media to see what people are looking for.
We look less for food trends and more for what ingredients are trending that we can put a twist on.”
Catering to new trends often presents its own set of challenges, which continues to be the case with the still-strong demand for gluten-free products. At Designer Cookies, Neufeld attempted to offer vegan and gluten-free cookies for a period of time before abandoning the offering. “We tried to pull it off, but it got too complicated.”
For a true gluten-free product that’s safe for those with celiac disease, a bakery needs to address how they are going to prevent cross-contamination. Gans has noticed that many of her clients want gluten-free products not because they have celiac disease, but because they simply feel better when they avoid gluten. For this reason, she has a line of gluten-friendly options. “We put a warning label on to stay it’s been produced in a kitchen with gluten. It limits markets, but a lot of our corporate clients who do gifts will order a gluten-free box of cookies, so it works well in that capacity.”
Another challenge can be pricing. Using high-quality ingredients and incorporating details like edible gold accents come at a cost. Neufeld offers some sage advice: “Know the price of your product. Those charging too little are fizzling out, so keep it steady and know the value. If people want gold, that’s going to cost a little bit more. The client will return to you if they like your product. I find people come back to us because they like the services and we can accommodate last minute orders.” / BJ
Julie Fitz-Gerald is a freelance writer based in Uxbridge, Ont., and a regular contributor to Bakers Journal.
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RAISING THE BAR
Derrick Pho is a nuclear physicist of chocolate. He builds an exquisite bomb based on molecular science whereupon the atom splits in your belly, detonating a distinct sense of euphoria.
His accolades run the gamut of impressive: member of the gold winning Quebec team at the Frankfurt Culinary Olympics, director of the Chocolate Academy in Montreal, lead developer for the Chocolate Academy in Chicago, and advisor to many, including Costco and the Canadians competing in the 2011 World Chocolate Masters.
The latest credential in his 20-year playbook? Opening chocoDemy, his chocolate technology centre. Opening in the last year, he is operating the school out of Francesca bakery in Scarborough, Ont., while it gets established. His initial offering includes courses for consumers all the way to expert, and small classes of eight to 10 students with Monday/Tuesday scheduling. People interested in taking courses at chocoDemy are encouraged to call for assistance in determining which class is most suitable.
}Francesca staff join Pho for a photo in the kitchen with his newest piece of chocolate equipment: Terina Delima, Mabel Jiang, Pho, Francesca owner Francesco Battaglia and Rosita Leung.
Pho has taken his years of experiencing a variety of programs and places around the world and funneled them into a back-tothe source curriculum.
Pho has taken his years of experiencing a variety of programs and places around the world and funneled them into a back-to-the source curriculum. This means a completely hands-on approach that focuses on the fundamentals of technical skills; how to use technology and knowledge of ingredients. At the heart of it all, is science: understanding the cocoa butter and how to manipulate the food correctly.
“What is the proper way to extract a rose petal flavour — is it cold or hot?” he illustrates, describing the kind of questions that he has encountered in the past 10 years; questions which now infuse the basis of chocoDemy’s programming.
Although Pho can make exquisitely beautiful creations, he says his instruction
is based on what can be learnt then reproduced in the kitchen. Practical things. This, he says, is what must be learnt before you can move on to making beautiful things.
“When I am talking about teaching courses I am not talking about teaching you tempering. I am talking about teaching you what happens with the cocoa butter at different temperatures and different movements…You don’t temper chocolate, you work with the fat and when you understand the fat the chocolate will come in handy and not be mysterious for you too.”
Equipment also falls into the zone of fundamental instruction. The centre is supplied by Savy Goiseau and Thermomix. He is excited by the possibilities of his sous vide machine. While one might picture Pho as a boutique craftsman wanting to do every step by hand, he is a passionate and curious chef clearly
enthused by the possibilities and business sense presented by technology and industrial production. Which is why, he says, it’s important to get the right tool for the job. He’s seen everything from people buying too powerful equipment for their capacity, to purchasing tire compressors instead of ones intended for chocolate.
“We can spend half a million dollars in half an hour buying equipment, but did we buy the right one?”
This penchant for both the small and big batch scale of production is natural to his sense of curiosity, which he credits for much of his success.
“If you are not curious, you won’t get ahead,” he says in reflection of the traits that have lit his path. It is not chocolate that evolves, he says, but the ingredients and equipment. One must be curious enough to always seek out what is new.
“The second thing is adventurous. Taste: don’t look at the product, taste the product. You might miss out on something. You are entitled to say it’s
BAC has responded with a solid NO to Health Canada’s proposal to implement Front of Pack (FOP) warning labels on foods which it deems high in sugars, saturated fat and sodium. BAC believes that a healthy food choice is more complex than basing consumption on one, two or three nutrients and should include the promotion of the healthy benefits of the whole food.
According to Health Canada’s own consultation document, FOP aims to improve food labelling to help make it easier for Canadians to make healthier food choices at the grocery store. However, in its proposal, Health Canada further quoted: “the Codex Committee on Food Labelling supported the need to assist consumers in making healthier choices through the use of simplified, science-based nutrition information on the front of packages…” the system proposed in this same document, while simplified, is not based on the most recent science:
• It only looks at three negative nutrients of public health concerns without addressing the association between excess calories and portion size, a major factor in obesity, cardiovascular
disease, diabetes and cancer.
• It does not look at the nutrients of public health concern that Canadians do not consume enough of, including fibre, potassium, calcium and iron.
• It establishes a warning label triggered by criteria that are neither evidence-based nor universally accepted and which Health Canada itself describes as a “rule of thumb”.
• The consumer food consumption data
Health Canada used to support its proposal is almost 15 years old and woefully outdated.
• Today’s Health Canada’s FOP proposal is a copy of a similar measure implemented by Chile in 2013 which Canada (along with the U.S. and others) at the time strongly opposed at the World Trade Organization Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade over a lack of scientific support.
The Canadian food and beverage processing sector is the second largest manufacturing sector in Canada in terms of the value of production, with sales worth $112.2 billion in 2016.
While exports of processed food and beverage products continue to grow, and stood at a record value of $33.5 billion in 2016, imports are also increasing and were valued at $32.6 billion in 2016.
Canada’s National Food Policy Lacking Focus on Those Who Make the Food
In its comments, the Baking Association of Canada (BAC) has told the federal government that Canada’s National Food Policy discussions to-date have put a lot of focus on nutrition and food security but are not addressing specific economic goals or plans to ensure Canada has the policies, programs and workforce to continue to make good quality and healthy foods for Canadians and the world’s population. The Canadian food and beverage processing sector is the second largest manufacturing sector in Canada in terms of the value of production, with sales worth $112.2 billion in 2016. It is also Canada’s largest manufacturing employer, providing 257,000 jobs in 2016.
In addition, the sector is a vital link in the agri-food system, acting as a major buyer of Canadian primary agriculture products and providing a secure source of supply for retail and food service distributors. As stated in the Advisory Council on Economic Growth’s report: “The Council believes the first step to prosperity is ensuring the right conditions are in place to promote growth in all areas in the Canadian economy. However, we also believe that certain sectors of the economy have significant untapped potential that will require focus and attention to unlock. To realize this potential, the Council suggests an approach that uses carefully selected policy actions to remove obstacles (for example, policy barriers such as excessive regulations …) and seize opportunities (for example, by convening private and public actors and setting a sector-wide aspiration).”
Currently the Government of Canada is challenging the sector to be a world leader in food production and to invest in innovation to order to help grow the economy and to address the global demand for food which is expected to triple internationally by 2050. While industry welcomes the challenge, there is a concern that a lack
of policy attention and the large number of regulatory activities currently underway will shift investment funds away from innovation and growth and into regulatory compliance.
The introduction of new food inspection regulations combined with new food labelling requirements and marketing restrictions, are imposing additional burden and costs on food manufacturers. The total net cost of the proposed label changes alone, when refined to address the different complexity of change by product type and the impacts on label size, equipment and retailer slotting fees, are estimated at $2.2 billion.
Continued prosperity depends on the sector’s ability to maintain an economically viable manufacturing base. Taking inflation into account, in real terms, manufacturing sales were flat during the last few years and did not keep pace with population growth in Canada. While exports of processed food and beverage products continue to grow, and stood at a record value of $33.5 billion in 2016, imports are also increasing and were valued at $32.6 billion in 2016. Although the industry’s trade surplus of $883 million compares favourably to its deficits of the last few years, it remains far behind the industry’s peak surplus value of $5 billion in 2004.
Furthermore, in recent years, both productivity growth and profit margins in the Canadian food processing sector have been lower than those in the United States. Several factors influence the success of this sector, yet the proposed Food Policy neglects to focus on the food manufacturing industry as a first step in making sure that Canada can produce enough food to feed its population.
A National Food Policy needs to be integrated with Advisory Council on Economic Growth’s recommendations to ensure the growth and prosperity of Canada’s food manufacturing industry.
BAC Responds to Canada’s Food Guide Consultation
In August BAC provided comments to Health Canada as part of its second consultation on Canada’s Food Guide’s revision.
TOO NARROW AN APPROACH ON WHAT MAKES HEALTHY EATING
BAC disagrees with Health Canada’s narrow approach to healthy eating which simplifies the cause of obesity to higher intakes of sugars, sodium and saturated fat. According to the McKinsey Global Institute report on obesity: “Obesity is a complex, systemic, multicausal problem, rooted in the sedentary nature of modern post-industrial life, more widely available and more affordable food, a change in the nature and mix of diets, psychological stimuli such as stress and epigenetic triggers, and potentially even physiological disruption to the gut microbiome.”
Among the main findings of the report “education and personal responsibility are critical elements of any program aiming to reduce obesity, but they are not sufficient on their own. Other required interventions rely less on conscious choices by individuals and more on changes to the environment and societal norms. They include reducing default portion sizes, changing marketing practices, and restructuring urban and education environments to facilitate physical activities.”
WHOLE GRAINS AND REFINED GRAINS
BAC is supportive of the guidance of increasing the consumption of whole grains as documented by research in the “Evidence Review for Dietary Guidance”. BAC however does not believe the
evidence warrants lowering of the consumption of “refined grains”. Specifically regarding the recommendation of regular intake of whole grains, Health Canada implies that the regular intake of whole grains means a reduction in the intake of refined grains. Health Canada cites dietary patterns such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet to support their guidance to increase fruits and vegetables, whole grains and plant based protein food. BAC reminded Health Canada that the DASH diet supports the consumption of “refined grains” in identical amounts or higher than whole grains allowance.
Health Canada’s recommendation to reduce consumption of refined foods may result in more birth defects and increased health care costs.
On November 11, 1998, fortification with folic acid of all types of white flour, enriched pasta and cornmeal became mandatory in Canada. BAC was and is a supporter of the voluntary and then mandatory fortification of white flour etc. and is delighted with the resulting public health impact of this initiative which has resulted in a reduction in the rate of neural tube defects (NTDs) by some 48%.
BAC has researched the positive health outcomes of folic acid fortification and estimates that since its commencement more than 5,000 children and families have been saved from the nightmares of NTDs with a corresponding estimated savings to the Canadian healthcare system between $3.5 and $4.5 billion in direct cost, not including billions more in indirect and opportunity costs.
BAC recommended that Health
Canada incorporate guidance on portion size, calorie intakes and nutrition education in school and at home.
Health Canada recently published new regulations for nutrition labelling where serving sizes have been updated to a larger serving size to reflect the portion Canadians are currently eating vs. what is recommended as a reasonable portion size. Based on Health Canada’s and the food industry’s investment in new information about portion size, BAC finds it surprising that this proposed Guiding Principles does not address portion size and calories.
BAC is disappointed by the lack of proposals for improving consumer nutrition literacy.
Planning and preparing healthy meals and snacks requires more than knowing which foods are healthy and which foods are unhealthy. BAC is disappointed by the lack of commitment towards education and food skills development such as parental education, introducing healthy meals in schools and workplaces, changes in the school curriculum to include nutrition education and more physical exercise which are costeffective in reducing obesity.
The stated primary focus of Health Canada’s proposed healthy eating recommendations is to support health. BAC offered that it is not sufficient to tell people the ideal of healthy eating, or to encourage industry to reformulate their products to meet Health Canada criteria. It is necessary to implement policies that will promote education and knowledge transfer that will help Canadians be better equipped to make educated food choices and to prepare their food at home.
Federal Government Proposes to Ban Marketing of Unhealthy Foods
– what does that mean?
BAC views the federal government’s recent proposal to ban the marketing of “unhealthy foods” to children as fraught with contradictions and raising more questions than answers. Specifically BAC has questioned:
Quebec, the only province that restricts advertising to children, defines a child as under the age of 13. Health Canada however is proposing that the definition of a child should be under the age of 17. However, this is contradictory to other rights enjoyed by those above 13 across Canada including:
• A 14-year-old can apply and work as an employee in a fast food service restaurant, or in convenience/grocery stores selling foods that would be restricted from marketing to children by this consultation.
• A person 14-17 years old can make decisions on their own health care including decisions on reproductive rights.
• A 16-year-old is able to drive a motor vehicle.
The scope of the proposed marketing restrictions is also a contradiction. According to Health Canada the purpose of these restrictions is to prevent the marketing to children of unhealthy foods which are those that contain inappropriate levels of saturated fat, sugars or sodium. However, Health Canada also admits that the “occasional treat can be part of a healthy lifestyle”. Health Canada has not explained how an occasional treat can be part of a healthy lifestyle and at the same time must be banned from advertising.
The proposal also raised questions regarding potential new legislated changes to packaging design. Food packaging is designed to differentiate products from competitors and to appeal to the primary shoppers. Yet Health Canada appears to want to put new restrictions on the vast majority of food product labels under the guise of this proposal.
One of the major unanswered questions in Health Canada’s proposal is how it plans to enforce its marketing and advertising bans. As an example, online marketing, one of the focuses of this proposal, originates from jurisdictions beyond Canada’s border. BAC has called on Health Canada, in the interest of openness and transparency, to make public its enforcement plan to restrict internationally based online marketing from being seen by Canadian children with specific reference to international agreements that allow Canadian officials to extend Canadian legal jurisdiction to foreign domains.
A 14-year-old
Quebec,
A person 14-17
the only province that restricts advertising to children –defines a child as under the age of 13.
can apply and work as an employee in a fast food service restaurant in Canada.
years old can make decisions on their own health care in Canada.
Festive Night at the Races 2017
Mail cheque and registration form to: BAC (Attn: Gillian Blakey)
Suite 202 - 7895 Tranmere Dr. Mississauga, ON L5S 1V9
Cheque Payable to BAC
Send this form with credit card information to: Fax: (905) 405-0993
Email: gblakey@baking.ca
Cardholder: Signature:
Phone: 1 (888) 674-2253 ext. 21 Tickets to be picked up at the door 7895 Tranmere Drive, Suite 202, Mississauga, Ontario L5S 1V9
Te l: (905) 405-0288, 888-674-2253 Fax: (905) 405-0993
Email: info@baking.ca Website: www.baking.ca
Annual HOLIDAY SOCIAL
Friday November 24th 2017
New location
Terrace on the Green is located in West Brampton bordering Mississauga with easy access to the 401 and 407. Known predominantly as a renowned venue popular for corporate events in the GTA area for over 25 years. Terrace on the Green places an emphasis on fresh, quality, locally sourced ingredients, presentation and impeccable service. This facility will transport you instantly from the GTA to a remote spot in Europe.
6:00 pm • Cocktails (cash bar)
7:00 pm • Dinner
8:30 pm • Entertainment & Prizes
Entertainment
Dance the night away with live music provided by Freedom Train. This power-trio features the four octave vocal range of vocalist / bassist Carl Jennings, the inventive two-piece kit drumming of Tim Jennings and the creative guitar stylings of Ed Mitchell.
Registration Fees
$145 per member
$155 per non-member
Pre-register by November 10th 2017
Reservations for tables of 10 accepted
Raffle Prize donations happily accepted. If interested in sponsoring the entertainment portion of the evening, please contact Kate Tomic at ktomic@caldic.ca Limited to 3 sponsorship opportunities.
Your support is greatly appreciated!
TERRACE ON THE GREEN
Ontario Chapter Event Registration
Annual HOLIDAY SOCIAL
Friday November 24th 2017
TERRACE ON THE GREEN
8672 Mississauga Road • Brampton ON L6Y 0C4
Please note all registrations received after Nov. 10th 2017 will require a credit card payment. No refunds will be given.
Please list names of all attendees: (attach separate sheet if necessary)
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Name:
Company:
Company:
Company: Company: Company: Company: Company:
EVENT IS LIMITED TO 150 GUESTS
Reserved table of 10 for Company Sign:
Main contact information
Name:
Address: City, Prov: Postal code:
Attendee information Payment information
# of attendees X $145 per member
# of attendees X $155 per non-member
= Sub total X 13% HST (Tax# 887064798) = Total enclosed
Please make all cheques payable to: Baking Association of Canada
Baking Association of Canada only accepts:
Card #: Name on card: Expiry date: Signature: Tel: Email: VISA MASTERCARD CHEQUE AMEX
Send completed form with payment to: Baking Association of Canada, 7895 Tranmere Drive, Suite #202 Mississauga, ON L5S 1V9 Tel: 905-405-0288 • Toll Free: 888-674-2253 • Fax: 905-405-0993 info@baking.ca • www.baking.ca
All registrations will receive an emailed confirmation and receipt
NEW BAC MEMBERS
Rachel Arseneau GX TRANSPORTATION
Mitch Botts HERO AG FOOD SERVICE NORTH AMERICA
Riley Boudreau TECHNOLOGY BREWING CORPORATION
Marco Cassano VILLA ITALIAN BAKERY
Alexander Duncan KITCHENAID COMMERCIAL
Kurtis Hall KEN HALL CONTRACTORS LTD.
Eric Riggle RADEMAKER USA
Mike Salatino ECOPACK CANADA INC.
Andre Simard ANDRE’S BAKERY
James Smith FANSHAWE COLLEGE
Nathaniel Pilar
Bakery Technology Unit I & Unit II
André Simard
Bakery Technology Unit I & Unit III
A.M. Nuran Chathuranga
Certified Bakery Specialist (C.B.S.) Diploma
For information on correspondence courses for baking industry employees and the Certified Bakery Specialist (CBS) program, please contact ext. 21 at the BAC office or check out our website at www.baking.ca
BY DIANE CHIASSON
REALITY CHECK PART 2
This article is the second in my series on what you need to consider when opening a bakery.
So you really want to open up your very own bakery?
Welcome to part 2 of my opening a bakery business reality checklist. Once you have decided what type of bakery you want to run, got the proper business legal papers, permits, and licences, as well as your business plan together (part 1), it’s time to think of the equipment, display cases, and packaging that you will need.
1. EQUIPMENT FINANCING
As part of your bakery’s business plan, you must conduct thorough market research on the type of equipment you will need to make sure that all of your bases are covered. You first need to know how much space you will have for your bakery equipment, and then you have to prepare a list of equipment and supplies needed to make all of your baked goods, as well as finding out the associated cost. Here is a list below to help you figure out which option is right for your bakery needs.
}utility bill and it’s better for the environment. Don’t forget to discuss warranties and return policies. Last but not least, try to deal with a bakery manufacturer and supplier who has a qualified and professional team of bakery engineers on staff. This will ensure that you get access to the best information and high quality equipment available in the marketplace.
Baking equipment: There are various types of mixers, including floor, cake and dough mixers. You will need a few tabletop and hand mixers, and some larger commercial floor mixers if you anticipate a high volume of baked goods. You will also need dough dividers and sheeters, holding and proofing cabinets, commercial walk-in refrigerators and freezers or reach-in, and undercounter units, chillers, retarder/proofer, food processor or chopper, slicer, and a few sturdy work tables.
Smallwares: In addition to ovens,
The heart of any bakery is its oven. Don’t just get any run-of-the-mill oven. This is the most critical piece of equipment that you will need.
Commercial ovens: Before you buy or lease commercial ovens, make sure that you know how many ovens you will need for all the types and quantity of bakery products you will be producing. Ovens vary considerably in price and quality. The heart of any bakery is its oven. Don’t just get any run-of-the-mill oven. This is the most critical piece of equipment that you will need. Ensure you purchase the right ovens and get the best for your money.
There are many types of commercial bakery ovens such as convection, deck, roll-in rack, and revolving. You should keep in mind that you will need even heating, it to be airtight, self-cleaning, and almost always have a ventilation hood. Some may include proofing and deck ovens. Look for energy-efficient equipment; it will help you cut costs on your
refrigerators and mixers, there are other smaller items that you will need to buy such as baking sheets and cooling multi-levelled shelving racks. A variety of baking tins for muffins and cupcakes, pans, baking sheets and trays for pies, cakes, loaves, springforms, and breads, as well as a good selection of metal cutters, dough cutters/scrapers, sifters, mixing bowls, decorating equipment ingredient and storage bins, scales, packaging paper, and all kind of baking utensils.
Storage and display cases: You will also have to think of what kind of storage you will need for your bakery. The last thing you need is to find spoiled ingredients in your bakery, and this is why you have to invest in some storage bins or units to keep all your ingredients safe and free from spoilage.
In terms of bakery display cases, as you know, presentation is key to attracting customers. You want to buy the best display cases in order to show off your bakery items, and how you display your bakery products will make or break a sale. You will have to consider refrigerated and
non-refrigerated styles, depending on the type of bakery products you plan on selling. Remember to choose a display case with a good lighting system. Proper lighting display cases will not only increase the visibility of your products but will attract more customers. You also need to consider whether you want a self-serve display case or one where customers will be served from behind the counter.
2. GET GOOD QUALITY PACKAGING… BUT WAIT… DON’T PRINT YET!
Once you have done your research on what type of equipment you should buy for your bakery, you need to consider good quality packaging options. Packaging is not only essential as a way to protect your bakery goods from damage, but it will also help promote your bakery’s brand. Think very carefully about the size, weight, and design/ composition of your bakery items. Don’t worry if your bakery products go out in a plain white paper bag or box for a while, it’s all right. You don’t need to brand every single item in your bakery store before you open your doors. You first need to know what’s selling for a few months before having hundreds of bags, boxes and coffee cups printed. Use custom stickers or labels to decorate your bags and boxes until you really know what’s working. After a few months, and once you know the right size for each bag or box, you are now ready to maximize the marketing potential of your bakery by ordering your branded products. Don’t forget that offering eco-friendly packaging is also an excellent way to show your customers that you care about the environment. / BJ
Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 30 years. She is recognized as the industry leader in providing innovative and revenue-increasing foodservice and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns, and much more. Contact her at 416-926-1338, toll-free at 1-888-926-6655 or chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com.
no good after you taste.”
His third pillar is passion. “If you have no passion then you go nowhere… What is the definition of passion? Not just a chef that love his kitchen, but one that loves the ingredients and where they come from. That’s why a lot of hotels and golf courses now have their own garden.”
For Pho, being curious, adventurous
and passionate have been primary over traditional chef characteristics, such as attention to detail.
Pho is the main instructor at chocoDemy, but he has recruited some additional notably passionate chefs, including Sergio Shidomi, pastry chef and head chocolatier at Old Firehall Confectionary and former world chocolate masters contestant, and Michael Cotard, the 2015 Canadian chocolate master.
WELLBAKE SILO SYSTEMS
• High Capacity Modular Aluminum or Stainless Steel Silos
• Micro Ingredients Silo Systems
• Reticular Silos in Trevira Fabric, Aluminum or Stainless Steel
WELLBAKE COMPLETE PRODUCTION LINES
• Laminating Lines
• Make-Up Lines: Sweet Goods
• Make-Up Lines: Flat Breads, Pizza, Ciabatta, Baguette, Crackers
WELLBAKE MIXING SOLUTIONS
• Planetary Mixers
• Single and Double Spiral Mixers
• Caroussel Linear Mixing Aluminum or Stainless Steel
• Horizontal Mixers
WELLBAKE BREAD SYSTEMS
• Bread Dividers
• Industrial Concial Rounders
• Singe and Double Inlet Intermediate Proofers
• Bread Moulders
• Complete Roll Lines Solutions with 4,5,6Pocket Applications with Production Capacity of up to 12,000 pieces per hour.
FULLY AUTOMATED SYSTEMS
• Automatic Proo ng
• Customized Baking Solutions
• Cooling Systems
TRENDS AND JOB PROSPECTS
It is an exciting time to be gaining chocolate skills, and Pho sees the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) as a land of opportunity. There are many fine chocolate shops in Montreal, he notes, but only a handful around the metropolis of Toronto. He says when it comes to chocolate, Toronto is about 10 years behind Montreal and this is in part why he chose to establish the school here and help those west of Quebec.
In terms of trends, he sees chocolate moving past single flavour formulations such as cinnamon and saffron and into more complex spice blends, like a chef in the kitchen would use to make a paella or a pasta sauce. He is seeing a lot of trending that marries savoury and sweet,
}For Pho, being curious, adventurous and passionate have been primary over traditional chef characteristics, such as attention to detail.
as well as a bridging of complex eastern flavours and western style cooking techniques like sous vide.
The consumer market is diverse these days, he says, but it is important for all to keep in mind that people are looking for healthier products with fewer calories and less sugar. He says the industry needs to be at the forefront in educating the consumer about what clean label, or organic or fair trade is, and to think critically about these terms.
Pho has applied his own sense of fairness to his additional new venture, Sambirano Valley Chocolat, which specializes in pure Madagascar origin chocolate. He chose to give jobs to people in the community instead of to machines, even though he says it is less productive. The chocolate company is another offshoot of his passion, one that led this time to cultivating chocolate that uses 100 per cent Madagascar ingredients right down to the packaging.
He is challenging himself in new ways by taking his own advice.
• Freezing and Pan Handling Solutions
“Keep raising the bar. Never, never stop where you are. When you stop, you will get behind.” / BJ
BY LAURA AIKEN
VEGAN BAKING
There are diet trends that become quite popular then subside from front page news. The Atkin’s diet comes to mind; it was a real blow to bakers and its low-carb sentiments have sure stuck around. These trendy diets often seem rooted in weight loss or addressing a specific health challenge.
Other diets seem more rooted in lifestyles. These diets are self-authenticating and encompass broader reasoning in some combination of moral, overall health, hopes for longevity, cultural traditions and religious beliefs. Different types of vegetarian diets fall under this lifestyle category, and can be a boon rather than a bane to bakers. Meat isn’t as necessary to a successful bakery as carbohydrates.
There is a spectrum to the vegetarian approach. Here is a summary as outlined by the Harvard Medical School:
}• Semi-vegetarian (chicken and fish, but typically no red meat)
Fuller, a vegetarian, says demand hasn’t come as much from vegans as it has from people with allergies to eggs or dairy.
cupcakes, chocolates and various tempting sweets.
• Pescatarian (no meat/poultry but fish/seafood)
• Lacto-ovo (no meat/fish/seafood but dairy/eggs)
• Vegan (no animal products)
Of all the subsets, vegan is the strictest. It is also the most fitting to discuss for bakers. Many bakery products are already lacto-ovo vegetarian by nature, which leaves vegan as the true growing specialty.
Ange Fuller of Fuller Confections in Fredericton opened her bakery in 2013 as a mix of vegan and traditional baking. Fuller, a vegetarian, says demand hasn’t come as much from vegans as it has from people with allergies to eggs or dairy.
Eventually her bakery fine-tuned to full vegan, and she says she has “absolutely” seen an increased interest in the past few years in vegan products. Vegan chocolate cake and energy balls are top sellers, along with ice cream and ice cream sandwiches in the summer. The bakery offers an assortment of cakes,
The biggest challenge Fuller identified as a vegan baker is the price of ingredients. “You have to find the work around for eggs or dairy, and it costs more and is harder to find.”
She prefers local and seasonal products, and finds berries, apples and pumpkins all to be good for moisture in products. Nuts are a pantry staple for her, and she says although avocados are not local, they are great for baking.
On the West Coast, Phil Sedlacek owns and operates Edible Flours, a solely vegan organic bakery in Vancouver. Sedlacek, who has been a vegan for more than 20 years, bought the bakery about a year and a half ago. He is a home baker by training, and says he has grown the business since taking it over.
Made-to-order celebration cakes are the biggest money maker for the bakery. Cupcakes and cinnamon rolls, peanut but bars and Nanaimo bars are also great sellers at Edible Flours. The bakery serves a variety of cookies, rolls, scones
and loaves with some items also being gluten-free. In terms of challenges, he says it’s difficult to replicate the taste of cheesecake with something like tofu or cashew, although “you can get pretty close. It’s also tough to do a quiche.”
For regular items like cookies or cupcakes, he says you’re really just replacing eggs and milk, and the alternatives work well.
“Baking soda and apple cider vinegar give a nice lift,” he says, for your cakes and cupcakes.
When it comes to milk alternatives, he says you don’t taste the nuts in the nut based milk as it is masked by other flavours, such as the sweetness of sugar. He prefers to use rice milk for a couple reasons, one being it also avoids allergies to nuts or soy. Two, it is a bit more economical than the nut milks when purchased in large quantities.
He uses Earth Balance products as a butter substitute, and says it’s important to find a good margarine.
Although his bakery is dedicated vegan, his clients are not necessarily so. Like Fuller’s bakery in Fredericton, Edible Flours attracts consumers with allergies to foods such as eggs or milk. He doesn’t advertise in the shopfront that it is dedicated vegan, which means he also
Cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, peanut butter bars and Nanaimo bars are great sellers at Edible Flours vegan bakery in Vancouver.
gets walk-in traffic that come in looking for something tasty and aren’t concerned whether it’s vegan or not. He notes that the Vancouver market is quite receptive to vegan products.
THE MARKET FOR VEGAN BAKING
Market research company Mintel’s “Global Food & Drink Trends 2017” listed Power to the Plants as one of six identified trends. Mintel reports consumers are looking to be healthier and are motivated to eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. This has prompted more product launches with plant flavours and/or functionality. The growing interest in plants is the precursor to more excitement about vegetarian and vegan products, suggested the report.
Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD) saw a 25 per cent increase in vegetarian claims and 257 per cent rise in vegan claims on food and drink launches when comparing September 2010 to August 2011 and September 2015 to August 2016. This included new products and ones that were naturally animal-free but added the claim.
On a global level, Mintel recorded this trend as mainstreaming in Canada, which means it is gaining traction. Some vegan products arose in response to a desire to lessen food waste, sustainability being another trend Mintel noted worldwide. One innovative product out of the U.S., Sir Kensington’s Fabanaise, is made with liquid from chickpeas (also called aquafaba).
Vegetarian/vegan products have a close association with a healthy lifestyle, which now bears a sense of pride suggests Mintel’s “Healthy Lifestyles Canada 2016” report. Consumers who claim “being healthy gives me a sense of pride” accounted for 82 per cent of households earning $100,000 or more, 78 per cent of households earning $75,000-$99,000, 76 per cent of households earning $50,000-$74,999, 74 per cent of households in the $25,000-$49,999 zone and 69 per cent making less than $25,000.
Market research provider Euromonitor International’s “Health and Wellness in Canada” May 2017 report confirms sentiments that health and wellness is a big category sales driver, particularly in low growth or declining sectors.
The report highlighted opportunities for specialty food retailers, such as bakeries, to offer a bigger selection and have more emphasis on health and wellness, customer service and product knowledge.
The report forecasts the economy outlook for next few years as modest and challenging, and the overall food and beverage market is expected to remain sluggish. Despite this, the health and wellness trend is supported by demographic changes (older populations, millennials getting more money), rising healthconsciousness and the demand for premium food and beverages.
Drawing on Euromonitor’s data in Canada, vegan packaged food had a retail value (RSP) worth US$29 million, forecasted to reach US$31.5 million by 2020. Vegetarian packaged food accounted for US$140.7 million with a forecasted growth to US$179.5 million in 2020.
It seems plants have indeed taken centre stage, giving a whole new momentum to the phrase “eat your veggies”. Bound up in this are opportunities to create vegan products that appeal to not to only vegetarians or vegans, but those with allergies, or people on the hunt for ingredients that most appeal to their sense of health and wellness. / BJ
1-800-661-4122 ext. 239 nparent@drader.com
(DIVISION OF A & L FOOD DISTRIBUTORS INC.)
SUPPLIER OF FROZEN AND RAW INGREDIENTS FOR THE BAKING INDUSTRY
Tel: (416) 252-4660 Fax: (416) 252-9993 25 - 8 Connell Ct., Toronto, ON M8Z 1E8
IN THE HANDS OF A BAKER
A must-have guide for successful bakery and pastry operations.
In the Hands of a Baker from The Culinary Institute of America helps bakers and pastry chefs identify, understand, and utilize the tools and equipment needed for successful professional baking.
This indispensable book provides in-depth information on how to choose the best equipment for any baking job—from scaling and measuring tools to cutting and confectionery tools, and from small appliances to bakeware and beyond—along with proper techniques for handling and maintaining that equipment.
The text also covers basic and specialized tools for every area of expertise in the craft, including baking bread, making chocolates and candies, and creating cakes and pastries. Chapters range from organizing a station to understanding the differences between home and professional equipment.
Well-established, major industrial equipment supplier is hiring:
• SALES REPRESENTATIVE with experience in the bakery equipment field. Clean-cut persona with professional manner; strong self-starter with technical background; must be willing to travel. French/Spanish languages are an asset.
• MECHANICAL ENGINEER for equipment & machinery manufacturing project. Must have min 10 years’ professional experience with 5 years in the food/bakery industry and be Registered P. Eng. Previous experience in customized equipment design, construction & fabrication. Please submit resumes by
BY JANE DUMMER, RD
FOOD SAFETY
From recalls to FSMA, food safety is under the looking glass. Let’s take a look at the latest in revolutionary technology that ensure food’s safe.
With consumers’ changing eating habits, the implementation of the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the number of recalls over the past few years including the most recent one for wheat flour, the baking industry is looking at food safety through a magnifying lens to address these changes.
In the baking industry, dust-borne pathogens including salmonella, e. coli and listeria, have always been a concern. The California almond community conducted research over a nine-year period and learned there is a low level presence of salmonella in the soil across the California almond growing region, regardless of location, soil type, growing practices or age of orchard. In 2007, The California almond industry implemented a regulation requiring pasteurization for California almonds shipped within North America. Traditional methods include blanching, roasting, and steaming. The industry decided to pasteurize almonds as they felt they had a responsibility to provide a safe, pathogen-free, nutritious food product, reported the Almond Board of California in “The “Raw” Deal: Facts about Almond Pasteurization” (www.almonds.com/consumers/ about-almonds/food-safety).
factors, therefore, the baking industry needs to model how the almond industry responded after the salmonella outbreaks. The idea is to identify any opportunity for food safety improvements along the entire supply chain to reduce the risk of contamination that will equal overall total improvements. Then recommend reduction processes that can be validated but don’t change the taste, nutrition and functionality of common baking components, including gluten.”
Food safety was a popular topic at the Institute of Food Technology (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo I attended in Las Vegas at the end of June. At the meeting I had the opportunity to meet Robert Wong, president and COO of Agri-Neo. Wong’s company developed Neo-Pure, a revolutionary organic, non-thermal food safety solution that is
}In the baking industry, dust-borne pathogens including salmonella, e. coli and listeria, have always been a concern.
As a seasoned, international food safety expert, Irwin Pronk, principal advisor at Toronto area based-HACCP by Design, says “With more raw baking ingredients in granola bars and energy bites, the industry needs to gather, conduct research and identify the best systems to guarantee a 5-log reduction among the potential pathogens. Then be able to validate the best practices for ingredients including nuts, grains and seeds. We’re in a gap based on a few
validated to address the risk of pathogens and unwanted microbes in seeds, grains, nuts, and sprouted foods without impacting the taste, gluten structure or nutritional value of the product. Wong explains: “It’s derived from plants and applied directly onto foods as a liquid solution. After destroying pathogens like salmonella and e. coli o121 it completely biodegrades, so food is kept raw, organic, and viable. Neo-Pure is a preventative pathogen control that helps companies meet FSMA’s risk assessment requirements, and improves food safety, which diminishes the likelihood of recalls.”
“The baking industry faces the same safety concerns as the rest of the food industry,” says Wong. “And while bakers have traditionally utilized heat as their pathogen kill step, changes in food trends driven by health-conscious consumers are forcing the industry to look at new methods of pathogen control. This includes the increasing use of ingredients in their raw form. For example, walnuts sprinkled on the top of
a cake are added after the baking process, and from a food safety perspective, they never pass through a heat step. At Agri-Neo, we are actively expanding the types of products and ingredients Neo-Pure is validated on for pathogen control and this includes wheat flour.” Agri-Neo’s base system starts under $500k.
Dianne Donaldson, product development manager at Everspring Farms (a BRC certified company) located in Seaforth, Ont., selected the Neo-Pure system to lower the risk of having a pathogen present in the grain and seed products they produce. Donaldson explains: “The system adapts to a wide variety of grains and seeds which was important for us since we produce over 20 different sprouted grains and seeds. It’s important that this system can be used for organically certified products and the process doesn’t alter the sensory profile of the seed or grain. It was also a lower initial capital cost compared to alternative microbial reduction options. Not only does this improve our food safety system, it has also been a great benefit for our customers in assuring them they are sourcing the best quality ingredients.” / BJ
Jane Dummer, RD (www.janedummer.com), known as the Pod to Plate Food Consultant, collaborates and partners with the food and nutrition industry across North America.
