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Avant Food Media named Gold Media Sponsor
The International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) announced Avant Food Media as the exclusive Gold Media Sponsor for the upcoming show, set for Sept. 13-17, 2025, in Las Vegas.
Avant will provide in-book and online promotional advertising, editorial coverage and on-site programming through its two titles, Commercial Baking and Craft to Crumb . Though a new player in the marketplace, the media company has proven to be a valuable partner for Baking Expo. Avant’s products, such as the IBIE Monthly Newsletter, Booth Trailers, IBIE Show Guide and Innovation Minutes, played a pivotal role in promoting the 2022 show.
“As an official media partner, the Avant team will once again put our decades of experience and progressive approaches to work, ultimately raising the bar on what’s possible for IBIE-related media,” said Paul Lattan, president of Avant Food Media. “We know how important this event is to our industry, and we look forward to working with IBIE to make it the best one yet.”
Jorge Zarate, IBIE chair and senior VP of global operations and engineering for Grupo Bimbo, emphasized the value of strategic partnerships with trade media in expanding the event’s outreach to broader, more diverse audiences.
“Working with Avant Food Media gives us access to highly engaged, senior baking professionals and the hard-to-reach retail market,” Zarate said. “In a short amount of time, they’ve become a trusted industry voice and an innovator in media.”
The Kansas City, MO-based media company also maintains a cooperative agreement with Food2Multimedia (f2m), a leading euro-international baking publisher. With an eye on international markets, brot+backwaren and baking+biscuit international report on bakery trends, innovations and critical developments relating to raw materials, technology and processes — helping IBIE expand its growing international representation.
Look for QR codes that contain exclusive digital content throughout the issue.
Bimbo QSR: A Mile High and on the Rise
Jill Bommarito: Baking with Love
Cover: With Grupo Bimbo’s acquisition of Mile Hi Bakery, Bimbo QSR is continuing a tradition of Superior Quality Always in the business unit’s first McDonald’s-dedicated plant in the US. Read more on page 22.
WATCH NOW: Joanie Spencer talks about the importance of values and what it means to stay true to your roots. Sponsored by Bundy Baking Solutions.
When a new hire joins our team, I tell her grocery shopping will never be the same again. Having an insider’s view of the industry shatters a layperson’s perception of food manufacturing. Whether it’s a small- or mid-size operation — or one with facilities around the world — baking companies care first about feeding people, and I love seeing our young professionals learn about it.
What the average consumer doesn’t see is that bakers — whether in operations or the c-suite — focus on how manufacturing benefits people and ensures that baked goods can remain accessible and affordable.
I’m not a baker, nor do I play one on TV. But I do apply the lessons I learn from them, and I’ve realized that staying true to the roots is monumental. Earlier this year, my partners and I had our annual founders’ retreat, and we opened with a simple question: Why did we start this company? The answers validated some of our practices, prompted us to reconsider others, and formalized our guiding principles.
On the pages ahead, you’ll read about emerging brands and global powerhouses, bakeries new to automation, and those with the greatest purchasing power. They all have a lot in common, not the least of which is knowing why they’re here and what they stand for.
Good companies set values. Great companies live by them, which requires constant self-reflection. It’s a tenet of our industry and one we can all benefit from. How do your company’s core values prompt hard questions and important business decisions? Reach out and let me know … I’d love to learn from you and share your story with the industry.
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“People-focused stories are data with a soul. It takes the numbers and brings them to life in a way that talking about your product is not necessarily going to do. Focus on your people who are already ambassadors for your brand.”
Jaina Wald | VP of marketing | Puratos On storytelling strategies during ABA Convention 2024
“You are not born to be in a ‘safe box,’ and the danger with that — the trick of that — is that it’s not safe at all.”
Alex Weber | motivational speaker
During
the keynote address at BEMA Convention 2024, speaking on the importance of getting outside the comfort zone
Photo courtesy of BEMA
“Gen Z are pulling back on snacking a bit, but they’re also discovering that as they become adults, they’re not totally sure what to do in the kitchen.”
Darren Seifer | industry analyst, CPG, food consumption and foodservice | Circana Discussing snacking trends at SNX 2024
Photo courtesy of SNAC International
“You want a business that has healthy product margins, doesn’t cost a fortune to distribute and is reaching crazy, gonzo fans … because it’s actually innovative. That’s what going to take you through this venture capital gap, which I’m seeing between launch and getting to $10, $20, $25 million.”
Dr. James Richardson | founder | Premium Growth Solutions
On what early-brands need to get the attention of venture capital investors during The Food Institute Podcast with Chris Campbell
Still making huge
Jennifer
Steiner Pool | president and creator-in-chief | Steiner’s Baking Co.
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Steiner Pool
“Automation holds the promise of enhancing efficiency, consistency, quality and food safety across every facet of our industry.”
Eric Dell | president and CEO | American Bakers Association
Discussing the benefits of automation in baking during ABA Convention 2024
Photo courtesy of ABA
“We’re seeing in the pretzel world that the shape is being considered for how we’re delivering flavor to the customer. Think about how you’re designing the shape of the product to then deliver more flavor.”
Dulcinea Freymoyer | VP of marketing | Reading Bakery Systems
2024
“The ability to interact and build relationships with so many … in a formally informal setting is the key.”
post describing his BEMA Convention 2024 experience
Photo courtesy of
BEMA
Leading a snacking panel discussion at BEMA Convention
Photo courtesy of BEMA
“Pie used to be the epic dessert. All these cakes and stuff you see on TV shows? It was pie. Pie was the OG epic food.”
Jessica
Leigh Clark-Bojin | celebrity pie artist
Reflecting on the history of pie during the APC National Pie Championships 2024
“Right now, in our global economy, there are people who are trying to create similar products and services and solve similar problems that you are … they don’t have to introduce themselves to you. They don’t have to ask permission to play. They’re just in the game.”
Matt Dunsmoor | co-founder | Octopy
“Despite all the pressure on income, sustainability is our opportunity for storytelling. Give people a reason to spend a little bit more, whether by indicating you’re using cage-free eggs or using signage to show how much the store and its partners care about these things.”
Anne-Marie Roerink | president | 210 Analytics
Sharing insights from The Bakery Playbook 2024 research series during ABA Convention 2024
Photo courtesy of ABA
During the Infinite Game keynote address at IDDBA 2024
Photo courtesy of IDDBA
A MILE HIGH AND ON THE RISE
With its latest acquisition, the Bimbo QSR business unit of Grupo Bimbo is taking quick-service bakery production to new heights.
BY JOANIE SPENCER
At more than 5,000 feet above sea level, BQ Denver, formerly Mile Hi Bakery, is best known for producing buns and English muffins in the McDonald’s supplier network. In October 2023, the 110,000-square-foot bakery was acquired by Zanesville, OH-based Bimbo QSR, a business unit of Mexico City-based Grupo Bimbo, and led by the division’s president, Natasha Galavotti.
Successful acquisitions require seeing not only what’s inside the facility but also what it has accomplished for its customers. For Bimbo, Mile Hi had it all.
“Grupo Bimbo made the decision to purchase the Mile Hi Bakery business because it is well-established and respected within the US market and with its global QSR customers,” Galavotti said. “Bimbo QSR and Mile Hi bakery b usinesses were a natural fit, and together we are well-positioned to deliver best-in-class bakery manufacturing with a focus on superior quality and outstanding customer service.”
To become part of a world-class network that operates in more than 32 countries — and to also represent Bimbo philosophies — the operation had to get up to speed quickly … and do so as a team.
“The first thing we did was validate how the lines ran,” said Didier Moleres, global VP of operations for Bimbo QSR. “Once we filled the line consistently, we could identify where we wanted to invest, whether in training, equipment performance or something else. With that v isibility, we were able to develop a strategy as BQ Denver. From there, we started improving our operations to reach our milestones.”
Hitting those milestones required not only recognizing the viable infrastructure
“Everything that has happened inside these four walls has been with quality, R&D, logistics, procurement, operations and the people department working together.”
Didier Moleres | global VP of operations | Bimbo QSR
but also envisioning what was possible beyond it, both operationally and for the workforce, which saw 80% retention post-acquisition.
With that vision, Bimbo QSR set out on a strategic journey to invest roughly $6 million in operational areas such as packaging line installation and upgrades, workforce training, and other areas based on a standard gap analysis. Bimbo QSR leadership saw potential in the infrastructure with equipment they know well and have in many of their bakeries, and it was clear they could transform it.
“We knew the standard,” Moleres said. “We did our analysis in all the areas — talent, equipment, programs that were in place — and determined the investments we needed to make, regulations that needed to be followed, and permits that were necessary to ensure we achieved business continuity.”
With 33 bakeries around the world, four of which are in the US, Bimbo QSR is one of Grupo Bimbo’s largest business units and the only division with a global footprint. But this acquisition also marks a major milestone. Already a member of the McDonald’s global network, Bimbo QSR has dedicated McDonald’s lines in several bakeries throughout the world; however, BQ Denver is its first McDonald’s-dedicated plant in the US.
“Mile Hi Bakery’s proud history in the US complements our QSR expertise and standards,” Galavotti said. “Together, we have the capacity to leverage our knowledge to better service our customers, create innovative products and build upon our global footprint.”
It’s just the beginning, but it also requires getting back to basics.
The strategy for streamlining McDonald’s production and, ultimately, serving other QSR customers was a five-pronged plan: Achieve overall production stabilization to Bimbo standards; refurbish the English muffin line; restart the second bun line; execute building upgrades, including associate-focused areas such as locker rooms and break areas; and achieve customer approvals on product quality and development.
The team prioritized four operational steps to achieve the goals, with a focus on maintenance and engineering.
The first centered around business continuity through people. For a global company, culture is critical. For Grupo Bimbo, that means not only celebrating the cultures of the areas where the company operates but also providing
Bimbo QSR achieved 80% workforce retention after acquiring Mile Hi Bakery.
continuity of culture overall. That can be challenging when a family-owned bakery is acquired by a large parent company. Then again, Grupo Bimbo is also family-owned. Daniel Servitje has served as the third generation and now executive chair, while Rafael Pamais, CEO, leads every business unit with the values set when Bimbo started in 1945.
Safety is the cornerstone of those values. Adhering to the Grupo Bimbo Safety model, every Grupo Bimbo facility places this tenet before all else. Every meeting with four or more people — regardless of business unit, location or topic — begins with a “safety short.” The first meeting at BQ Denver was no exception.
“The first meeting we had here began with safety,” Moleres said. “We wanted to restart everything from the beginning.”
Of course, taking care of people goes deeper than safety. When it’s prioritized, though, empathy naturally follows. The Golden Rule is inherent in the Bimbo culture. As BQ Denver is transforming operationally, it is also adopting the company’s people-first mentality.
“We treat people with respect, trust, fairness and care,” Moleres said. “This is the Grupo Bimbo philosophy, and it is non-negotiable. From there, we could focus on our customers with alignment, passion and trust. The result is we are able to deliver Superior Quality Always.”
That phrase, Superior Quality Always, is tantamount to the Bimbo values.
Achieving that for BQ Denver meant a heavy emphasis on training, specifically onboarding around not only Bimbo culture but also how to use the new and upgraded equipment.
Transforming the bakery into BQ Denver was an effort that relied on several dedicated team members.
“That involved training for all policies and good manufacturing processes,” said Ilse Baltazar, production manager for Bimbo QSR. “It was first the basics. Then, when they understood how we work, we focused on training for individual positions, depending on if it was for specific machines, maintenance or quality. In some areas, we could train the maintenance team and the operators in that area at the same time, so they both would have the same information and could fix problems easier and faster.”
Oftentimes, workers don’t know what they don’t know, according to Baltazar. That creates a gap between knowledge and action, which can lead to inefficiency and waste. The BQ Denver team learned that the workforce craved knowledge from the new leadership; when they gained it, the result was visible improvements in their performance.
“Our people department has been focused on communicating changes
with new rules and policies, and also monitoring how associates feel about those changes and making adjustments as needed,” Moleres said. “It’s an evolution process, but in an agile and high-performance mindset, we maintain flexibility to act immediately, whether in operations, quality, sustainability, finance or people departments. We are all working together.”
Delivering Superior Quality Always while controlling waste and downtime also leads to the second priority: reliability. As the engineering team identified necessary capital investments, that long-term vision became vital to ensuring the process would remain reliable into the future.
Thanks to Grupo Bimbo’s strong supplier relationships, BQ Denver could navigate opportunities with partners such as Burford Corp. and Stewart Systems from Middleby, among others like AMF Bakery Systems, Zeppelin Systems and others.
“We are familiar with the processes and equipment Grupo Bimbo prefers to use,” Moleres explained. “Before we replace or upgrade any equipment, we talk to our supplier partners to ensure we create a win-win relationship.”
In terms of technology, the bakery relies on Grupo Bimbo’s internal IoT design, which provides real-time information to make production decisions on the plant floor.
“We have different maturity levels of those technologies,” Moleres said. “So, we will have a plan for next year with that process in the bakery, and it will involve not only what happens with the process but also areas such as sustainability, which is very important to us.”
As Bimbo QSR’s first McDonald’s-dedicated facility in the US, BQ Denver produces buns and English muffins on new and upgraded equipment with a well-trained workforce.
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After reliability, the next priority is profitability; when the lines are running smoothly, baselines and budgets can be measured and met. That leads to the final priority: benchmarking, which Bimbo QSR leadership refers to as a “virtuous circle.”
To create and maintain that circle, it’s important to remember that what is not measured cannot be managed, whether it’s safety, sustainability or waste.
With all the priorities in place, the Bimbo QSR teams have come together to break boundaries and go beyond the limits of innovation in the quick- s ervice space, beginning with obtaining BQ Denver’s certification for producing McDonald’s products.
WATCH NOW:
Didier Moleres explains the teamwork behind BQ Denver’s transformation.
“Everything that has happened inside these four walls has been with quality, R&D, logistics, procurement, operations and the people department working together,” Moleres said. “R&D helped us set the formula and process standards. Then, quality defined the control process and operations — which includes e ngineering — maintaining that process based on the information we built together.”
Moleres identified operations as the centrifuge, with all other areas working together to reach the bakery’s short- and long-term goals.
They say, “teamwork makes the dream work.” And at BQ Denver, there’s no
“Consistent quality through all of production is the main priority.”
Marina Huixtrenco | R&D manager | Bimbo QSR
dream without teams willing to put in the work together.
“Tuning up the process to deliver Superior Quality Always is not easy,” Moleres said of this operation that’s capable of running up to 1,000 buns a minute. “Once R&D sets up all the process conditions, operations takes over, and we have to perform. Then, quality makes sure everything is correct. With this approach together, we can serve our current customers and expand to new ones.”
Bakery R&D for foodservice customers can be a tricky concept in terms of innovation, especially when the customer is globally known for the consistency of its product. While Bimbo QSR serves foodservice operators that desire new product development or seasonal offers, the McDonald’s business focuses on high-volume production for a few key items that must stay within the parameters of strict specifications.
“Consistent quality through all of production is the main priority,” said Marina Huixtrenco, R&D manager for Bimbo QSR. “That can come with challenges in keeping regularity for production. That’s why team communication is so important here; the process is 80 percent quality and 20 percent formula. The team can’t use ingredients like emulsifiers and have a good product if the machines aren’t working properly and the people aren’t properly trained. Work can be done on the formula, but proper communication is also needed with all the teams.”
This rhythm is critical to baking — at elevation — a product that looks, tastes and feels exactly the same as one made at sea level. And it’s not just the altitude; in the Mile High City, temperatures can swing in any direction, at any time, on any given day.
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“The Denver location results in a plant that is different in the day and at night,” Huixtrenco said. “When a climate has four seasons, essentially you have two plants: one in the summer and a different environment in the winter. But in Denver, the team has to consider conditions associated with four plants because it’s one environment in the summer that varies between night and day, and then it’s a completely different one in the winter, depending on night or day.”
From the time they joined forces at BQ Denver, the R&Doperations synergy has been critical to ensuring the process and product meet Bimbo standards.
“Reliable equipment is key,” Huixtrenco said. “There’s nothing R&D can do without that as a starting point.”
Getting the machines up to speed required investment up front, but the long-term ROI will be significant. In addition to investing in key equipment areas such as packaging, the company also focused on upgrades for mixer heads, compressors and ammonia systems, along with revamping the English muffin line.
Because BQ Denver has accomplished continuity and reliability, the bakery operation can now focus on profitability and reaching that ROI.
BQ Denver makes buns and English muffins that are known for their consistency.
This is where Bimbo QSR leadership recognizes the virtuous circle. Once the reconstruction is complete, the team can move into benchmarks, and the circle continues.
And then the importance of training comes in, allowing the bakers to do what they do best.
From the R&D side, it’s critical that the people on the floor have a part in the process. Bimbo QSR leadership believes that the front-line associates are the ones who have the best relationship with the dough.
The bakers on the line may not have the same technical knowledge as formulators or Q&A experts, but they have a relationship with the dough and the machines it runs on. That makes these operators some of the most important associates in the bakery. Leadership can know a lot about the formula, but the operators know even more about the dough. If there’s a problem, line or mixer operators often have the best insight. If there’s a problem at the oven, the bakers at the proofer can explain how they see the product, or if it’s normal to see certain issues.
Lines can run up to 1,000 buns per minute, but the operators are a critical factor.
Ultimately, the team ensures associates are trained well and that there’s true two-way communication.
This is true also for technical troubleshooting with the equipment.
“The associates standing in front of the divider, the mixer or the oven can tell if there’s a problem and can point out what the technicians need to know,” Baltazar said. “If you leave equipment inspection to only the technicians, it’s not efficient; when you empower 30 to 40 people on the shifts along with the technicians, it’s much more reliable.”
Breaking boundaries doesn’t happen in a vacuum. This startup — and the team responsible for it — is a result of collective efforts from across Grupo Bimbo’s global network. In addition to the facility’s current workforce, BQ Denver collaborated with Grupo Bimbo DGO operations in Mexico City, led by Jorge Zarate, executive VP of global supply chain, as well as Bimbo Bakeries USA facilities in the Denver area and other Bimbo QSR facilities. It also included coaching from Rogelio Arreguin, director of global engineering for Bimbo QSR.
“We did not face this startup as a ‘plant,’” Moleres expressed. “We couldn’t have done this alone in such a short time. We brought in the best talent from the Grupo Bimbo network.”
BQ Denver is expected to double its production within a year, and that’s what the team is most passionate about.
With synergies between Bimbo QSR and its broader network, BQ Denver can tap into vast resources from a global operation with a people-first, e ntrepreneurial mentality to springboard opportunities and support customers throughout the quick-service industry well into the future. CB
INNOVATIONS FROM THE BAKERY FLOOR
Grupo Bimbo’s acquisition of Mile Hi Bakery marked a milestone, becoming Bimbo QSR’s first dedicated McDonald’s facility in the US. Living by Bimbo’s core philosophies and an agile high-performance mindset, the bakery is primed to go beyond in serving Bimbo QSR customers. Below is a list of supplier innovations that can be seen on the bakery floor.
AMF Bakery Systems dividing, dough makeup, proofing, pan washing
Burford Corp. seeders and toppers
Capway Systems depanning
Intralox conveyor systems
Mettler Toledo metal detection
LMC packaging equipment
LeMatic slicing and packaging
Stewart Systems cooling, packaging, tray stacking
Zeppelin Systems USA DymoMix hydration
BQ Denver relies on equipment suppliers known for their relationships throughout the Bimbo network.
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Baking with Love
Carrying on her grandmother’s legacy, Jill Bommarito, founder of Ethel’s Baking Co., focuses on baked goods that care for people.
BY MAGGIE GLISAN
There’s a saying that goes, “If you try to be everything to everyone, you won’t be anything to anyone.” It’s a common mistake many entrepreneurs make as they grow. They make a great product that fills a specific need in the market, but then, they start to spread themselves too thin. They make knee-jerk reactions to every consumer trend or customer request, and suddenly, they’ve lost sight of what made them so special in the first place.
That’s not a mistake Jill Bommarito plans to make. In fact, being that “something special” is baked into everything she does as the founder and president of Shelby Township, MI-based Ethel’s Baking Co. The company, which makes hand-crafted gluten-free dessert bars and cookies, is named after Bommarito’s grandmother, Ethel St. John, who instilled in her a love of baking … and the kind of love like she was the only person in the world.
That’s what Bommarito has been doing for people with celiac disease since 2011. That was the year she decided to make a career pivot and start a food business that made people who eat gluten-free feel “like the rock star of the party.” Celiac disease runs in her family, and after experiencing years of celebrations filled with more gluten-full treats than decent gluten-free options, Bommarito decided to do something about it.
Photo
courtesy of Katherine Stevenson
She set the bar high from day one. Her goal was to create something that would be No. 1 in the overall dessert bar category, not just No. 1 for gluten-free. At the time, gluten-free options were few and far between, and those that existed were usually underwhelming alternatives to their wheat flour counterparts.
“The standard was, if it’s good enough for gluten-free, it’s good enough for the marketplace,” Bommarito said. “I thought, ‘If the people who were running [these] organizations had to eat that way, they wouldn’t feel that way.’”
Fueled by those memories of baking with her grandmother and a commitment to using simple ingredients and baking with love, Bommarito set out to make dessert bars that everyone could enjoy without compromising taste.
“There’s magic behind what we do,” she noted. “There’s always a little something behind pushing us forward.”
That’s not to say there haven’t been challenges along the way. In the early days of Ethel’s, Bommarito’s biggest hurdle was learning how to manage growth and cash flow.
“What I’ve learned is no matter how great your product is, no matter how great your people are, if you don’t really understand your numbers, you will be highly challenged,” she said. “What I didn’t realize is that growth is the fastest thing to shut a business down. It can happen so quickly that you take on new customers, and you don’t have terms that are proper with everyone on your purchasing side, and you can find yourself as a young business with nowhere to turn.”
Building great relationships with her suppliers and learning to negotiate
“I believe there’s enough business for all of us, and that if we help each other, we help each other rise.”
Jill Bommarito | founder and president | Ethel’s Baking Co.
mutually beneficial terms with her customers was essential to keeping her company going during those growth spurts.
Additionally, managing internal relationships and building a positive company culture have also been key ingredients in Bommarito’s recipe for success. She has built a high-energy environment where cowbells are rung for every little win and team members communicate openly. It’s important to Bommarito that her team members feel like they are a part of the bigger picture.
“I tell new team members, ‘You spend more of your waking time with us than you do with your family,’” she said. “They have to feel safe and cared for and enjoy being here.”
Kindness, hustle and laughter are paramount to the positive, joyful culture Bommarito strives to create. Having an open mind and a willingness to learn, grow and change is also imperative.
“If you don’t like change, you will not like working at Ethel’s because growth requires change constantly,” she said. “We love learning from each other, so that’s the environment we have. What it is today, it won’t be tomorrow. We’re going to improve on something every day, and that’s what we work for together.”
Keeping a growth mindset has been a boon to Bommarito in every aspect of her business. Maintaining that mindset
LISTEN NOW:
Jill Bommarito shares her legacy goal and the role of team members in a successful company.
means she likes to surround herself with smart people with more experience, whether that’s within Ethel’s or with fellow bakers in the industry.
“I believe there’s enough business for all of us, and that if we help each other, we help each other rise,” she said.
Even during COVID-19, inflation and supply chain challenges, Bommarito remained solution-oriented and focused on q uality, integrity and partnerships. Those traits were key to fulfilling 100% of orders and delivering products on time during those turbulent years, and she is carrying those values into the future as Ethel’s evolves.
Recent innovations, such as the launch of seasonal programs and a new cookie line, speak to Ethel’s commitment to moving forward while staying true to its modern nostalgic roots. Sure, Bommarito listens to her retailers and buyers and pays attention to what’s happening in the industry, but when it comes to new product development, she starts with flavor.
More than that, Bommarito is committed to the promise she made to her consumers from the beginning. That includes having a clean label and the mouthfeel expected from any traditional baked good. So, when she receives requests for a dairy-free bar — and she receives a lot of them — she’s cautious to react too quickly or put a product out that doesn’t hold up to her high-quality standards, even when she feels a personal responsibility to make something else that’s special in the marketplace.
“While it’s easy to try to think of quick ways to expand a line that might create extra revenue, I’m not willing to cut corners,” Bommarito said. “If I’m going to launch cookies, they’re going to be grandma-worthy every bit of the way, and you’ll never know they’re gluten-free.”
Ultimately, Bommarito is here for the long game. And her hope is to build a legacy brand that takes care of people long after she’s gone, the same way her grandmother Ethel cared for her all those years ago. CB
Family is the foundation of Ethel’s Baking Co., and Bommarito values the input of family members such as Nick and Linda Niedecken, her uncle and aunt.
Photo courtesy of Vince Bommarito
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Rolling Onward
After five years in business, Sweet Fields is eyeing growth beyond the East Coast.
BY ANNIE HOLLON
With indulgence and lifestyle attributes top of mind for consumers, established and early-stage companies alike are shifting to meet the demand. For the Baltimore-based emerging brand Sweet Fields, it’s checking all the boxes with just one product.
The Black woman-owned gourmet cinnamon roll company is growing from its origins in festivals and farmers markets into retail and foodservice, making its frozen vegan desserts more accessible to consumers, especially those with dietary restrictions.
According to the American College of Gastroenterology, approximately 85% of adult African Americans are lactose intolerant. This statistic, in addition to USD Analytics figures that indicate the vegan dessert industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.5% through 2030, u ncovered a niche for indulgent, better-for-you sweet goods that Ms. Fields, founder and CEO of Sweet Fields, intends to fill.
“We are creating vegan treats that don’t sacrifice taste and answering the evergreen question, ‘What’s for breakfast or dessert?’” Fields said.
The origin of Sweet Fields’ cinnamon roll recipe can be traced back a few generations to Fields’ grandmother’s dinner roll recipe, which was created in the 1930s. Fields’ grandmother,
The Baltimore-based baking company got its start at festivals and farmers markets before scaling to commercial.
EMERGING BRAND
whom she affectionately called Nanny, and great aunt formulated the roll recipe in their early teens while working as a cook and nanny, respectively, in Ottawa, OH.
“This recipe comes from a not beautiful place, but it became something beautiful later,” Fields said. “I’m sure that when my grandmother and her sister were trekking through the cold of Ohio with inadequate winter wear, they had no idea that working for pennies would turn into a product her granddaughter would one day turn into something that creates wealth.”
Over the years, Fields became one of three people to learn the family dinner roll recipe. With a couple of adjustments, she made a vegan version to accommodate her lifestyle. After she used the adjusted recipe to create cinnamon rolls for her family, the seeds were planted to grow a national bakery brand.
Fields started the company in 2019, investing a few thousand dollars and bootstrapping expenses for the first year or so. She began selling Sweet Fields cinnamon rolls at festivals and farmers markets in the months that followed. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Sweet Fields shifted gears, leaning into corporate orders. This was the first large-scale production for the baking company, which at the time operated out of a commercial kitchen in Baltimore.
Sweet Fields’ operations have since expanded to two co -manufacturers, though the brand occasionally operates out of its commercial kitchen to remain cost-efficient on smaller orders. Fields works closely with both co-manufacturers to ensure the artisan quality and product flavors Sweet Fields cinnamon rolls are known for are up to brand standards.
“It’s my name, my reputation,” Fields emphasized. “Sweet Fields has a taste and quality, and I’m not going to produce anything I don’t approve.”
With efficiency, cost and quality in mind, Fields has been conscious of ingredients and processes throughout the company’s growth.
“I think where some businesses struggle is picking processes or ingredients that in a small batch would be fine, but on a mass scale become either too expensive or unrealistic,” Fields said. “I’ve been very cognizant about those things from the start.”
Sweet Fields’ operations have scaled up through a partnership with two co-manufacturers.
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One key milestone in the brand’s journey was its acceptance into Cohort 4 of ACT House, an accelerator program that supports Black and Latino founders, in fall 2023. The baking company was one of nine selected out of 236 applicants and one of two food and beverage brands in that cohort. Participating in the ACT House program helped Sweet Fields launch in the frozen baked goods section of supermarket chain Giant Food.
“There’s definitely a lack of understanding around what it requires until you are deep in it,” said Fields, reflecting on her efforts to get her product into retailers. “I was naive about what it would require from a capital expense standpoint, and I’m so grateful to [ACT House] because it allowed me to do it the way I wanted to without having to sacrifice quality or throw something out there. I was able to do it the way it should be done.”
As part of the six-month program, Sweet Fields received a $70,000 capital investment from ACT House with 0% interest and 0% equity.
The emerging bakery brand was also named a 2024 winner of Stacy’s Rise Project, a program that empowers and supports woman entrepreneurs through funding, mentorship and community. Fields received $25,000 in business grants for Sweet Fields — which Fields shared will help the brand expand its manufacturing capabilities — as well as guidance from executives at PepsiCo.
Though other accelerator programs offered essential insights into business operations and financials, Fields shared, having PepsiCo as a resource is invaluable for an emerging CPG brand such as Sweet Fields.
“I’m taking the wisdom of those who have been in this game for a while, and intentionally growing at a rate I can keep up with.”
Ms. Fields | founder and CEO | Sweet Fields
“It’s been extremely beneficial for me to be a part of a program that caters to consumer packaged goods because they have a different lens on those businesses than other accelerators do,” she said. “I’ve really appreciated the experience, and I’m absolutely grateful.”
With some additional financial backing and guidance, the company has made some key hires in product management, baking, marketing and public relations. Intentionality in hiring team members to support the business’ growth is an important part of Sweet Fields’ long-term strategy.
“People who take pride in the work of their hands and the work that is attached to their name, even if they don’t like what they’re doing, they’re going to do it well,” Fields shared.
Five years later, Sweet Fields products are still available at local farmers markets and sold direct to consumers through the brand’s website and distribution outlets such as UNFI. The company still benefits from the direct feedback from consumers at farmers markets.
“You get to see what demographics go after which products,” she shared. “You can also see what factors — either weather, holidays or external factors — affect your sales, so you can best understand how to produce and present your product, who to present it to, when and where.”
Sweet Fields also has a QR code on its retail packaging prompting consumers to send in their feedback.
Consumer feedback is also key when it comes to testing out new flavors, such as with Sweet Fields’ upcoming Lemon Blueberry variety.
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“The demand for that was outrageous,” Fields said. “We couldn’t keep that flavor at all; it sold out immediately. Things like that let us know what people are drawn to.”
Sweet Fields’ flavors vary throughout the year, with its core products supplemented by rotating seasonal offerings, special events, and how consumers previously responded to similar flavors. The brand’s creativity is reflected in innovative flavors such as Lavender Hibiscus and Orange Ginger.
As the brand grows in the vegan market, Sweet Fields’ founder envisions the possibilities for this emerging brand to become a household name and the global standard for how consumers enjoy vegan-friendly treats.
“Being that we make vegan treats that don’t sacrifice taste, we’re really focusing a lot on the breakfast sector and dessert,” she shared. “We have some really fun things that we plan to roll out.”
In addition to Giant Food, Fields pictures a future for Sweet Fields’ products to find a space in the frozen aisle of major retail chains at a national level.
The company is looking toward foodservice, though it plans to keep one foot in the directto-consumer market.
“We have five SKUs that are ready to launch; it’s just a matter of time,” she said. “I’m leaning more towards the foodservice contracts because I believe it’s a better avenue for us.”
Moving into the next five years, Sweet Fields is growing at an intentional rate and being decisive about where it chooses to grow next.
“I don’t want to grow too fast and the bottom fall from underneath me,” Fields said. “I’m taking the wisdom of those who have been in this game for a while and intentionally growing at a rate that I can keep up with. I’m not biting off more than I can chew.” CB
Sweet Fields aims to broaden its distribution through foodservice outlets and national grocers.
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The Final Countdown
The compliance date for FSMA’s Food Traceability Rule is right around the corner. Here’s what bakers need to know.
BY MARI RYDINGS
Ever-present threats to food security have food manufacturers under a regulatory microscope, the intensity of which is only expected to increase. The compliance date for the last of the series of FSMA regulations — often referred to as FSMA Rule 204 or the Food Traceability Rule — is Jan. 20, 2026. While that may seem a long way off, food safety regulation experts advise commercial bakers to start preparing now.
The primary goal of FSMA Rule 204 is to speed up the identification and removal of contaminated food from the supply chain. The rule requires companies that manufacture, process, pack or hold foods included in the FDA’s Food Traceability List (FTL) to keep additional records beyond current regulations. The data must be stored for 24 months and made available to the FDA within 24 hours upon request.
“The FDA’s final rule imposes three key recordkeeping requirements for these facilities,” explained Rasma Zvaners, VP of government relations for the American Bakers Association. “They must maintain records containing Key Data Elements (KDEs) for C ritical Tracking Events (CTEs), assign Traceability Lot Codes (TLCs) to FTL foods, and develop and maintain a food traceability plan.”
Although nut butters and shell eggs are on the FTL, most bakers will likely not be responsible for maintaining full-scale traceability records because of one key factor: the kill step.
“One thing to think about when looking at the Food Traceability List is that whatever is on the list must be in the form that’s stated,” said Ben Miller, executive VP of regulatory and scientific affairs for The Acheson Group, a full-service global food safety consulting company. “For example, leafy greens have to be fresh. So, if a food on the list goes through a validated kill step, as in the baking process, then it no longer needs to be traced.”
However, bakers aren’t completely off the documentation hook. They still need to keep track of FTL foods they receive and provide proof they will apply the kill step.
“The FDA requires a written agreement stating that either the receiver or a subsequent entity in the supply chain other than a retail food establishment or restaurant will apply a kill step,” Zvaners said.
Bakers who add an FTL food to a product after the validated kill step — such as garnishing a dessert with fresh herbs, certain fresh or fresh-cut fruit, or a peanut butter glaze — must maintain traceability records, assign TLCs for those specific products and share that information with its downstream supply chain, including distributors.
The good news is that because of the documentation required under existing food safety regulations, the majority of bakers are likely already doing at least some of this recordkeeping.
“Baking operations have pretty good ‘internal traceability’ processes, with
“Get started now. A year and a half seems like a long time, but traceability is a group project, and group projects always take longer than expected.”
Sara Bratager | senior food safety and traceability scientist | Institute of Food Technologists
the ability to link incoming ingredients to the outgoing product,” Miller said. “The biggest change is going to be on the shipping side because they’re going to have to maintain specific key data elements, one of which is going to be that traceability lot code. They have to make sure they pass information forward to their supply chain and distribution customers.”
While bakeries may have many of the pieces required by FSMA Rule 204 in place, that doesn’t mean they’ll be considered compliant come January 2026. There’s still work to be done.
“Get started now,” advised Sara Bratager, senior food safety and traceability scientist at the Global Food Traceability Center, which is part of the Institute of Food Technologists. “A year and a half seems like a long time, but traceability is a group project, and group p rojects always take longer than expected. First, look at the food traceability list to determine if you handle any ingredients on the list. Then, start talking with your trading partners to make sure everyone is on the same page with what and how data will be collected and shared. Finally, take time to train your employees. Data doesn’t magically collect itself, and you need to make sure you’re collecting the right data in the right way and getting it to the right place.”
Another factor to consider is whether it makes sense to have a separate process for tracing products containing FTL items.
“We are seeing more entities in the supply chain saying, ‘We’re going to have one system for everything because it’s just too hard to differentiate between this cake, which has sliced strawberries on top, and this one that doesn’t,’” Miller said.
“Consider if it’s going to be more work maintaining two systems versus creating a central approach to traceability.”
How FDA will track compliance on a routine basis outside of an outbreak investigation isn’t clear yet. The current sense from Miller and Bratager is that compliance checks will eventually become part of existing food safety audits such as the British Retail Consortium Global Standard and other Global Food Safety Initiative-recognized programs.
“I think it will be a mix of food safety audits combined with trading partner interactions that check to see how traceability is being implemented,” Bratager predicted. “Customers want to know their suppliers are following the law. Food companies will outnumber the amount of staff the FDA has to conduct compliance checks, but a customer saying, ‘You’re not following the laws so you can’t be my supplier anymore,’ can be just as damaging as a slap on the wrist from the government. You absolutely want to have your ducks in a row.”
On an impact scale of low to high, Miller anticipates FSMA Rule 204 will fall somewhere in between.
“For food manufacturers, a lot of this is already happening,” he said. “It’s more about standardizing what’s already occurring and making sure there’s good data exchange from your suppliers. It’s not going to require a huge internal change for most manufacturers, but maybe some tweaks here and there. It’s going to have less of an impact than it will on other industry segments like the food distributors.”
FDA’s restructuring of its Human Foods Program, which is currently underway,
is expected to create a nimbler organization better positioned to maintain the safety of the US food supply and respond faster to food-related emergencies. It’s a move that could affect future enforcement activity related to food traceability.
“There has been an ongoing conversation over the years about how to more quickly react in a recall scenario and pull the impacted products,” Zvaners said. “It will be interesting to see how traceability evolves in the future and whether it becomes a more mainstream ‘requirement’ without a regulatory obligation in the supply chain.”
While industry awareness of FSMA Rule 204 requirements is growing, there is still some ambiguity in certain sections of the supply chain. Engaging in collaborative conversations now can minimize confusion and ensure affected food manufacturers, their suppliers and distributors are fully compliant come 2026. CB
“It will be interesting to see how traceability evolves in the future and whether it becomes a more mainstream ‘requirement’ without a regulatory obligation in the supply chain.”
Rasma Zvaners | VP of government relations | American Bakers Association
The compliance date for the last of the series of FSMA regulations — the Food Traceability Rule — is Jan. 20, 2026.
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Limited Time, Countless Opportunities
Through new twists on classic offerings, baking companies appeal to a range of consumers.
BY MAGGIE GLISAN
When consumers think of an OREO, a few attributes likely to come to mind: black and white, chocolaty and crunchy, with a creamy filling. But for people who have ventured into the cookie aisle in search of said OREO in the past decade, there’s a good chance their attention’s been grabbed by not-so-ordinary flavors of the iconic sweet snack. Dirt Cake, Churro, Sour Patch Kids … those are just a few of the varieties that have made their way to store shelves in the past year alone.
This Mondelez International brand is not the only baked good brand making bolder, unexpected flavor choices. Some of the industry’s biggest p layers — including Hostess, Little Debbie, Sara Lee and Pepperidge Farm — are also pushing the envelope with flavordriven line extensions, limited-time offers (LTOs) and seasonal offerings.
There’s a method to all the flavor madness, according to Russell Zwanka, director of the food marketing program
at Western Michigan University. Large legacy brands have the advantage of brand equity and safety, which are key in releasing off-the-wall flavors of more established products, and the strategy can be an effective way to upsell.
For example, a consumer might reach for a package of classic OREOs out of habit or loyalty and feel comfortable with the choice. But next to them, they notice a new flavor that piques their interest and is available in a slightly smaller size.
Photos courtesy of Mondelez International
“You don’t want to risk going home with the wrong flavor of something,” Zwanka said. ”So you buy the safe one and then you add on the other.”
Seasonal offerings and LTOs should be included as part of the strategy for releasing new flavors of any baked good or snack. Consumers have come to expect certain flavors at certain times of the year, such as pumpkin spice in the fall or peppermint during the holidays. With LTOs, on the other hand, sometimes the more unexpected a flavor is, the better.
“LTOs compel purchasing behavior because you never know when they’re going to be gone,” Zwanka said. “In essence, the entire center of Costco is a limited-time-only treasure hunt, and consumers love that kind of stuff.”
Timing is important, and LTOs can be a helpful way to bump up sales in between seasons. Zwanka cites Christmas in July as a great example of this: taking advantage of a natural lull in sales to offer a special promotion on items that might not have sold otherwise.
“If you’re just trying to spur interest, your sweet spot [for releasing an LTO] is when you need it the most to boost sales,” he continued. “Find a time when you don’t have as much business and come up with something unique.”
LTOs can also be an opportunity to optimize secondary holidays and other occasions. According to The Bakery Playbook 2024, a new American Bakers Association (ABA) consumer research study series conducted by A nne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, 94% of consumers can be persuaded to spend a little more at holidays and special occasions, and 20% say they splurge by trying a new product or flavor.
Chris Balach, VP of marketing, sweet baked snacks, at The J.M. Smucker Co., said the seasonal and LTO program is a vibrant part of the Hostess business. The brand executes about 10 seasonal launches per year, including events around holiday-themed flavors. One such event, called Cupcake Craze, has proven to be a ripe testing ground for potential new flavors. Depending on how a flavor performs during the event, it could become a permanent new product. The recent launch of Hostess Strawberry CupCakes is one such example.
“It proved to be successful and in high demand, and from that Cupcake Craze event, we stretched it out to be an everyday item,” Balach said.
Mashups are another way The J.M. Smucker Co. offers flavor variety. The company recently took Donettes, the single largest sub-brand of the company’s Hostess brand, and combined it with HoneyBuns, its third largest brand in c-store, to launch HoneyBun Donettes. Hostess has also been successful with similar mashups such as ZingerDingers and Ding Dongs x Twinkies.
“We asked ‘How can we take some of our biggest brands and smash them together to extend the reach and make sure more consumers get to experience the benefits of both of them?’” Balach said. “That’s exactly what HoneyBun Donettes deliver on.”
Of course, it’s not enough to roll out flavor extensions and hope someone notices. Having a strong marketing strategy is just as important.
Balach said merchandising and in-store displays are a critical piece of that puzzle.
Photo courtesy of The J.M. Smucker Co.
Hostess mashups lean into the “newstalgia” trend, offering familiar flavors in novel formats.
“Sweet baked goods is the second most impulsive category in the entire store, and that means we have to be on display to interrupt the shoppers on their journey,” he shared. “Display is a critical component to delivering on closing that cycle.”
Digital marketing is another factor in getting the word out about a new flavor, and the possibility of “going viral” on social media makes for an enticing carrot to chase.
In fact, social media is probably the largest platform through which Hostess drives awareness to new items, Balach noted.
“It’s also one of the largest platforms from which we solicit input from consumers on their preferences and where they’d like to see the brand go,” he said. “This type of flavor variety gives consumers a reason to connect with the brand every couple of months and gives them a different reason to engage.”
So, where do consumers want to see flavor go, and how can brands i nnovate
Dollar sales for spicy food and beverages are up 9% year-over-year.
Source: Circana
to meet them there? Sally Lyons Wyatt, global executive VP and chief a dvisor, consumer goods and foodservice insights for Circana, would likely suggest it’s time for brands to turn up the heat. That was her sentiment in “‘Swicy’ is the hottest trend in food right now,” a consumer piece that ran in June on CNN.com.
“The spicy trend is here to stay,” Lyons Wyatt told CNN. “My whole motto for a couple of years has been, ‘The hotter the better,’ because consumers gravitate to it ... We’ve seen bold flavors being embraced by most age groups, but the dominant are still younger consumers.”
According to Circana, dollar sales for spicy food and beverages are up 9% year-over-year, and younger generations in particular seem drawn to the hotter flavor side, with 11% of 25- to 34-year-olds saying they enjoy bold and unexpected flavors, which is up 4.7 percentage points from 2019.
But it’s not just spicy that’s having a moment. Mike’s Hot Honey is often cited as giving the sweet and spicy
Photos courtesy of Kellogg’s and Mondelez International Interest
flavor combination, dubbed “swicy,” mainstream cred and has had a host of product collaborations including Club Crisps and Ritz Toasted Chips in Honey BBQ and Sweet Habanero varieties.
Consumers across generations crave nostalgic flavors, though Gen Z tends to be the most nostalgic (15%) followed by millennials (14%) according to Flavor Producers’ “2024 Flavor Forecast.”
Peach is a nostalgic flavor primed for a comeback according to trendspotters at the Winter 2024 Fancy Food Show. Perhaps boosted by Pantone’s 2024 color of the year, Peach Fuzz, the triedand-true fruit flavor is back in the spotlight in traditional forms such as jams and jellies and as part of the “swicy” trend, paired with chilis in baked foods.
Dill pickle also harkens back to the past. The flavor has seen a major resurgence in everything from ketchup to ice cream. Yelp saw a 55% increase in searches for pickle-flavored foods in 2023 and Goldfish, a Pepperidge Farm brand, just released a Spicy Dill Pickle LTO.
A more diverse population and increased globalization will also impact expanding palates. Tropical flavors such as dragon fruit, guava and tamarind are growing in popularity. Retailer Trader Joe’s is taking advantage of an uptick of interest in ube, a vibrant purple yam originally from the Philippines, with its line of ube tea cookies and ube pretzels. Plus, Sara Lee, BetterBrand and Hero Bread each jumped on the Hawaiian sweet bread and roll trend in the past year.
Region-specific flavors and hyperlocal cuisines are of particular interest to consumers. According to Innova Market Insights research, two-thirds of consumers are open to trying new global
cuisines, and half like products inspired by street food trends.
Asian flavors are also hugely popular with Gen Z, according to data from Tastewise.
“Everything starts the same way — sweet, spicy, salty — and we have a propensity to like these flavors,” Zwanka said. “When you add the internationalization of flavors, and how easily things can go around the world quite quickly, that’s where you start to get some of these flavors that push the envelope.”
Yet can a brand go too far with flavor varieties? It’s certainly possible. Zwanka warned against getting so distracted by flavor experimentation that brands start to forget the reason their product exists in the first place.
“You can’t ignore the basics of your business or the utility of your product because you’re trying to be cute with it,” he said.
Zwanka cited Pepperidge Farm Swirl bread, which just released a Lemon Blueberry flavor, as an example of a product that lends itself well to flavor expansion.
“The bread itself is meant to be enjoyed on its own rather than a vehicle for sandwich fillings or toast toppings like other breads might be,” he said. “English muffins are like that, too. By changing the flavor you’re not changing the product’s reason for being.”
At the end of the day, flavor experimentation is more than just a marketing ploy. Brands must be savvy about what their consumers are craving and find creative solutions to capitalize on them. Can an existing formula for a cinnamon-sugar baked snack become an LTO churro flavor? Is there a simple way to introduce chilis to a cake and call it jalapeño lemonade? These are the questions companies should be asking. From there, the flavor possibilities are endless. CB
Photo courtesy of Pepperidge Farm
Dill pickle flavor is having a moment as bold flavors take root in the snacking category.
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Fighting for the Future
BNEF champions education and opportunity for the baking industry’s next generation.
BY MADDIE LAMBERT
The words proudly displayed on the Bakers National Educational Foundation (BNEF) website offer an invitation to the industry’s next generation: “Your future in baking starts here.” For more than 60 years, the organization has provided financial assistance to develop welltrained industry professionals who are passionate about baking.
BNEF primarily works with Kansas State University, providing scholarships and educational opportunities for those pursuing a career in baking. However, the number of students — including future millers, bakers and suppliers — has dwindled over the years, causing a wave of worry throughout the industry.
John Hinds, operations manager at Cain Food Industries and BNEF board member, shares that the need to support education and recruitment in the baking industry correlates to the shortage.
“The direction the industry is headed — the shortage in personnel, including skilled labor, and the elimination of access to educational materials — shows an opportunity to come together and improve the education and recruitment of new, young talent,” he said.
Introducing people to a career in the baking industry is one of the foundation’s highest priorities. Dave Krishock, manager, bakery technical services at Grain Craft and BNEF’s current chair, highlighted the organization’s efforts to increase student recruitment for the bakery science program at K-State.
“The program in K-State is a well-kept secret for young people looking for a career that pays well,” said John Del Campo, now-retired bakery division manager at Repco and co-treasurer of BNEF. “Most people, even people in the industry, don’t know that a graduate in the K-State bakery science program has virtually guaranteed employment.”
BNEF also assists in coordinating paid internships with ingredient suppliers, equipment manufacturers and baking companies.
Photo courtesy of BNEF
The internships help familiarize students with processes and, upon completion, generate job offers.
“The internships minimize onboarding time for people as full-time employees,” Krishock said. “Many students do two or three internships, and they may or may not be with the same company, so we’re basically helping to shorten or minimize the onboarding time.”
To expand student capacity, K-State recently celebrated the groundbreaking of its Global Center for Grain and Food Innovation. This expansion furthered the university’s Ag Innovation Initiative, which includes upgrading older facilities and developing an interdisciplinary approach to working with the baking and milling industry.
“Building a new facility is something the program has needed for a long time,” Hinds explained. “Having a state-of-theart building with state-of-the-art equipment in classrooms is going to attract new talent to K-State’s bakery science and milling science programs, which are mainly what feed our industry.”
But, contrary to wisdom from the classic movie Field of Dreams , building it does not necessarily guarantee they will come.
“I think we’re going to build this nice new building, and it’s going to be fantas -
tic, and it’s going to give us so many opportunities to teach young people,” Hinds said, “but we also have to fill those seats.”
To put it bluntly, jobs in baking are not as appealing to the next generations as they once were. However, BNEF is on a mission to spread knowledge about — and reignite passion for — the baking industry.
To support student recruitment efforts, the new facility will focus on research and development, specifically in the field of grain science.
“This will be a springboard for meaningful research, and BNEF exists to provide students and young people the ability to be at the forefront of that research,” Del Campo said.
Throughout the years, BNEF has relied on financial support from numerous organizations and individuals in the baking industry. When the foundation reached its 60th anniversary, BNEF celebrated contributions from Bimbo Bakeries USA, Bud’s Best Cookies, Cain Food Industries, Crown Bakeries, Glanbia N utritionals, Homegrown Family Foods, J&K Ingredients, Lesaffre, Mennel Milling, Mother Murphy’s Flavors and Puratos USA, as well as Barry Solomon and the Schwebel Family Foundation.
“These donors have provided funds to support the professorship at K-State and scholarship opportunities as well as possibly grow the financial provisions we provide,” Hinds said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a billion-dollar corporation or an individual. Everybody who’s given is equally important and is providing us equal opportunity to go out and attack this shortage in the industry.”
Donors who have partnered with BNEF provide not only financial resources but also educational opportunities through internships and seminars.
“I don’t think we could ever thank our donors enough,” Krishock said. “They make it possible for BNEF to be successful.”
While it is a collaborative effort to boost recruitment at K-State, the industry can benefit from a wider array of talented individuals, regardless of their educational backgrounds. BNEF provides resources for schools and universities all over the country that offer avenues into baking careers.
The future of the baking industry depends on skilled individuals who are passionate about delivering highquality bakery products to consumers. BNEF will continue supporting these individuals … even after the industry is a well-kept secret no more. CB
HOW TO SUPPORT BNEF
Since its inception in 1963, the Bakers National Educational Foundation (BNEF) has been dedicated to providing financial support for the education of young people for careers in all segments of the baking industry. To make a donation, visit www.futureinbaking.com/donate.
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Sustainability’s ‘Tight’ Green Grip on Bakery Packaging
In 2024, sustainable packaging has become the third most crucial factor in bakery product purchases, following food safety and shelf life.
Consumer demand is clear:
• 59% are less likely to buy products in environmentally harmful packaging
• 47% won’t purchase products in harmful packaging
• 25% would pay 10% more for sustainably packaged products
Yet, many US bakeries still ship air in non-sustainable packaging, costing up to $6,600 per truck, per trip. This practice ignores the consumer need for improved packaging sustainability and impacts the bottom line.
The Problem with Air-Filled Packaging
Typical snack bags contain up to 43% air by volume, using minimally sustainable materials that fill landfills rapidly. This practice extends beyond chips to cereals, granola, and crackers, increasing costs and decreasing value for consumers.
“Producers
often stick with air-filled packaging due to product preservation needs, lack of alternatives, equipment constraints or inconsistent air removal processes.”
In light of modern sustainability goals, the industry’s reliance on traditional pillow packaging with injected air or gases is outdated. Commercial baking must embrace innovative, sustainable packaging solutions that meet consumer demands and boost profitability.
By addressing this issue, producers can reduce waste, lower shipping costs, and appeal to environmentally conscious consumers — a win-win situation for businesses and the planet.
Tight-Bag Technology: The Sustainable Packaging Solution
In response to growing consumer demand for eco-friendly packaging, many bakeries are turning to more sustainable innovations. The Tight-Bag system from Ulma Packaging is leading this charge, offering significant production savings and meeting customers’ environmental goals.
Tight-Bag works seamlessly with Ulma’s vertical form/fill/seal (VFFS) applications to extract precise amounts of air from product packaging. This innovative approach eliminates the need for perforations, ensures leak-proof and contamination-free packaging, and maintains product integrity while significantly reducing material waste.
Tight-Bag optimizes packaging sustainability at every stage of the process:
• Primary packaging: Package size is reduced by up to 20%, saving materials and costs.
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• Shipping: Increased product density per shipment reduces carbon footprint and transportation costs.
Sustainable production savings
Tight-Bag isn’t just more sustainable for bakery packaging; it’s also profitable for production across a broad range of baked products.
Impressive savings
Tight-Bag addresses a top challenge in the baking industry — raw material costs. Bakers can save up to $777,600 annually in material costs and up to 37% when using recyclable HDPE compared to metalized films. These s avings compound across multiple packaging applications.
Maximum efficiency; fewer shipments
Tight-Bag enables shipping up to 1.5 million additional products annually at reduced costs with fewer shipments. This significant improvement in sustainability and efficiency benefits the environment and boosts the bottom line for bakeries.
Tight-Bag meets consumer demand for sustainable bakery packaging now and for the future. Visit www.harpak-ulma.com for tomorrow’s sustainable bakery solutions today. To learn more about Tight-Bag technology, email joshbecker@harpak-ulma.com .
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Crackers Break Through
BY BETH DAY
In the snack space, crackers remain a principal competitor, with category sales reaching almost $10 billion, according to Circana data for the 52 weeks ending April 21, 2024. However, when adjusted for inflation, cracker sales have struggled to keep pace with 2017 levels. Mintel’s 2023 “US Crackers Market” report predicts sales through 2027 will fall 6% from their total of 10 years prior.
“As with all food and beverage categories, crackers have seen price increases of 30 percent versus 2019 in past years, and consumers are still budget-constrained, impacting what they spend and where, which can account for less growth,” said Sally Lyons Wyatt, global executive VP and chief advisor, consumer goods, foodservice insights for Circana.
Crackers Sales
Total US - Multi Outlet w/ C-Store (Grocery, Drug, Mass Market, Convenience, Military and Select Club & Dollar Retailers) | Latest 52 Weeks Ending April 21, 2024
Source: Circana OmniMarket Integrated Fresh, a Chicago-based market research firm (@WeAreCircana)
In the latest 52 weeks ending April 21, 2024, cracker dollar sales totaled $9.93 billion
Source: Circana
While overall category dollar sales increased by 4.2%, unit sales dipped slightly by -3.1%, with a 7.5% price per unit increase. The upside is that inflation has softened over the past 10 months, and Lyons Wyatt noted some volume bounce back. Several cracker products have seen volume growth that is not reflected in units, but instead in the purchase of different pack sizes.
“When multi-pack units are down, it could be the frequency of buying is down, consumer interest was diverted or there was assortment changes within the system,” Lyons Wyatt explained. “When considering both units and volume, it usually points to a shift in the sizes consumers are purchasing. With units down, it could mean smaller sizes are not being purchased.”
Mintel’s cracker report echoed that sentiment, noting that more than half of consumers are looking for ways to make enjoying crackers easier. This opens the door for a variety of package sizes.
Nothing Flat About New Flavors
Mintel found that 72% of consumers enjoy trying new cracker flavors. Some producers have responded with innovation, such as Campbell Snacks’ Pepperidge Farm Goldfish brand’s limited-edition flavors Old Bay and Spicy Dill Pickle. Hot and spicy profiles, along with flavors curated from cooking and cuisine, appeal to consumers.
“I think new flavors versus forms have been the headline for crackers over the past 12 months, and sweet and spicy, or ‘swicy’ combinations are emerging in crackers and other snack categories as well,” Lyons Wyatt said.
Additionally, crisps and thins have raised the bar for texture, according to Mintel. Texture generates excitement for crackers, and innovation is worth exploring. For example, Torontobased Riverside Natural Foods brand MadeGood launched Sea Salt Star Puffed Crackers, which feature puffed and rippled textures.
Products touting front-of-package claims including gluten-free, organic, vegan, energy and protein appeal to people seeking healthier snacks. Lyons Wyatt noted that protein is still the most popular among consumers, but energy is outpacing protein claim products.
Cracking the Code
Under the All Other subcategory, Kellogg’s, Crunchmaster, Simple Mills and private label were the only brands to report unit growth over the past year, according to the Circana data. Simple Mills topped unit sales growth at 36%,
followed by Crunchmaster, private label and Kellogg’s at 9.3%, 5.8% and 3.3%, respectively.
“Several of these brands have a combination of large and small sizes, which may positively impact this growth,” Lyons Wyatt observed. “Private label is making inroads. When consumers are budget-constrained, 67 percent say they switch to private label, up 6 percentage points since 2019. On the flip side, 62 percent of consumers purchase snacks that are their brand of choice.”
Consumers from all income groups are actively choosing private label to save money, although some are still willing to pay more for their favorite brands as an affordable treat, reward or elevated experience. Lyons Wyatt is a big p roponent of price-size architecture for this reason. Cracker producers looking to innovate or disrupt the category should consider products that are more premium and drive affordability. All Other Crackers Dollar Share*
KELLOGG’S: 7.7%
: 3.4%
: 1.2%
: 1.1%
Total US - Multi Outlet w/ C-Store (Grocery, Drug, Mass Market, Convenience, Military and Select Club & Dollar Retailers) | Latest 52 Weeks Ending April 21, 2024
Source: Circana OmniMarket Integrated Fresh, a Chicago-based market research firm (@WeAreCircana)
*Dollar shares have been rounded to nearest tenth
The Premium Approach
Premium can be an opportunity for crackers because it delivers on value for products offering added benefits like gluten-free or multi-grain. There is continued separation of product purchase across food and beverage, and some categories are seeing growth with premium offerings.
“Fifty-six percent of consumers say they will pay extra for premium snacks, up 18.5 percentage points versus 2019, the largest survey point change out of all of the snacking questions,” Lyons Wyatt said. “Consumers want to splurge a bit during these hard times and are willing to spend a little more on a premium snack that creates an enjoyable experience at home.”
Crackers are not just a kid snack. Mintel reports that 83% of adult shoppers are purchasing crackers for themselves, with 42% buying them for other adults in their household. Innovation catering to adult cracker occasions that satisfy the preferences of other family members is a key strategy.
“While single households represent 25 percent of the buyer distribution for crackers, targeting larger households can appeal to more consumers with different needs,” Lyons Wyatt noted.
Filling the Gap
Sandwich crackers resonate with shoppers. According to Mintel’s report, 77% of consumers prefer to eat them on-the-go and 70% are looking for single-portion packaging for added convenience. These trends are reflected in the Circana data, which shows increases for sandwich crackers.
Top Five Graham Crackers Sales by Dollar Sales ($ in Millions)
Total US - Multi Outlet w/ C-Store (Grocery, Drug, Mass Market, Convenience, Military and Select Club & Dollar Retailers)
Latest 52 Weeks Ending April 21, 2024
Source: Circana OmniMarket Integrated Fresh, a Chicago-based market research firm (@WeAreCircana)
“These increases are more about pack sizes,” Lyons Wyatt explained. “Offering large packs for those who can afford them is a good strategy, and providing assorted variety and single flavor multi-packs will appeal to consumers purchasing the larger packs and seeking multiples of individually wrapped product.”
For instance, in the Circana data ending April 21, 2024, Crackers with Fillings subcategory, Campbell Snacks brand Snyder’s Lance grew 15.3% in dollar sales and 4.4% in unit sales, and Mondelez I nternational’s Nabisco brand posted strong 16.9% dollar and 9.2% unit sales growth.
Innovation Leaves No Crumbs
The cracker category needs both private label and national brands to flourish. To keep all brands on store shelves, national brands must innovate with flavor, texture and format to create distinctive options that differ from what private label offers.
“This is the winning combination that will increase excitement and engagement in stores and on social media platforms,” Lyons Wyatt said. “Competition is fast, so being agile and finding ways to drive consumers into the stores and online will positively impact dollar, unit and volume growth.”
Providing premium offerings, healthy ingredients and a variety of sizes will also stimulate growth for the category.
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Room For Something New
BY BETH DAY
BIMBO: 4.0% DEARBORN MARKET: 5.9%
FLOWERS FOODS: 6.0% TRIMAR USA: 0.9%
CO. INC.: 0.7%
COOKIES: 0.5%
Total US - Multi Outlet w/ C-Store (Grocery, Drug, Mass Market, Convenience, Military and Select Club & Dollar Retailers) | Latest 52 Weeks Ending April 21, 2024
Source: Circana OmniMarket Integrated Fresh, a Chicago-based market research firm (@WeAreCircana)
*Percent rounded to nearest tenth
Of the 92% of consumers who have tried pie, 80% say they like or love it.
Source: Datassential
Pie is a classic indulgence that’s enjoyed universally. Research firm Datassential found that pie is known by 97% of consumers, and of the 92% who have tried pie, 80% say they like or love it. Consumers’ affinity for pie is evidenced by the $2.4 billion in sales spanning center store, perimeter and frozen pie products, according to Circana sales figures for the period ending April 21, 2024.
Little Pies Drive Big Growth
Within the center store pie category, which reported a 5.5% increase in dollar sales and 7.1% unit growth vs. a year ago according to Circana data, whole pies are showing the strongest growth, with a 46.6% unit sales jump. Though unit sales have not returned to 2019 pre- p andemic levels, center store individual/snack pies resonate with budget- c onstrained consumers because they offer a low-cost, convenient indulgence.
“Snack pies are an affordable option for a sweet treat, averaging less than $1.50 per unit,” said Melissa Altobelli, senior VP of bakery and dairy for Circana. “Seniors and retirees on a fixed budget index higher on pies not only because they are budget-challenged but also because they like the old-school notion of a pie for dessert.”
Center Store Whole Pies Dollar Share*
Altobelli said private label accounts for almost 50% of individual snack pie units in center store, and trading down to private label is a common theme because the average price point of private label individual snack pies is under $1 per serving.
A few snack pie brands are the biggest contributors to unit sales growth. Altobelli noted that unit sales of Erie, PA-based JTM Food’s new JJ’s Bakery Tidbits Mini Pies increased 95%. Featuring six individually wrapped mini pies, this product delivers single-sized permissible indulgence at an affordable $2.08 per package. Colton, CA-based Mrs. Redd’s individual/snack pies showed a 9.0% unit sales increase, providing consumers low-cost treats at $0.50 per unit.
Perimeter Pie Sales*
WHOLE
ALL OTHER
TARTS
INDIVIDUAL/SNACK
TOTAL
Total US - Multi Outlet w/ C-Store (Grocery, Drug, Mass Market, Convenience, Military and Select Club & Dollar Retailers) | Latest 52 Weeks Ending April 21, 2024
Source: Circana OmniMarket Integrated Fresh, a Chicago-based market research firm (@WeAreCircana) *Dollars rounded to the nearest hundredth
The Whole Story on the Perimeter
Overall, perimeter pies accounted for $1.18 billion in sales, with a 1.6% unit increase vs. a year ago, according to Circana. Altobelli indicated that growth in the category is being driven by whole pies and private label, with whole pies accounting for more than 80% of growth and 70% of sales.
Consumers shop the perimeter for fresh, artisan or premium products to elevate seasonal holidays and special occasions. Typically, these celebratory events require feeding larger groups, which is another opportunity for whole pies.
“Pies perform well during key holiday periods,” Altobelli said. “There is opportunity to capitalize on celebrations like birthdays, anniversaries and other holidays not currently as popular for pie. For example, offer egg-shaped pies for Easter or green pies for St. Patrick’s Day.”
Worcester, MA-based Table Talk Pies is the only major branded manufacturer showing dollar and unit growth in whole perimeter pies, posting 1.4% dollar and 6.6% unit increases. Pies made by Kansas City, KS-based Tippin’s Gourmet Pies also showed slight unit growth
Table Talk’s perimeter individual/snack pie offerings outpaced other brands, with dollar sales up 5.4% and units increasing 11.6%, according to Circana. Altobelli noted that Table Talk’s Old-Fashioned sub-brand is also contributing to growth leveraging consumer interest in homemade nostalgia.
Thaw-and-Eat Indulgent Treats
Frozen pies, which Altobelli said account for 33% of dollar sales and 22% of unit sales, showed strong dollar sales at $802.48 million, up 3.1% and unit sales increasing 3.8%. Consumers trying to recreate the restaurant experience at home may be contributing to this growth. Frozen pies deliver convenience and also provide a way for consumers to minimize food waste as they can thaw and eat frozen pies at any time and for any occasion.
Frozen pies from Edward’s, a brand owned by Marshall, MN-based Schwan’s Co., are driving unit growth with a 7.5% increase vs. a year ago. Banquet brand frozen pies, produced under the Chicago-based Conagra Brands umbrella, were up 12.6% in dollar sales and 11.6% in unit sales, according to the Circana data. While Marie Callender’s only reported 1% dollar sales growth vs. a year ago, it led the frozen pie category with $264.60 million in sales.
“Edward’s pies feature real ingredients and fresh baked crusts, and they are free from high fructose corn syrup and artificial dyes,” Altobelli said. “Those attributes appeal to consumers trying to replicate a homemade dessert with a clean ingredient label.”
Top Five Frozen Pies Brands by Unit Sales (# in Millions)
$802.48 million
Source: Circana
Where and How Pies Draw Attention
Different pie flavors are trending in uncommon areas of the store. Traditional flavors such as apple, pumpkin, pecan, chocolate and strawberry are driving growth for center store snack pies, while more unique profiles are engaging consumers on the perimeter.
“Sweet potato, lemon and pecan are sizable flavors on the perimeter showing strong unit growth, and blackberry, custard and peanut butter profiles are also growing, though it is a very small share,” Altobelli said.
New flavors and forms of desserts are threats to pies, as there has been limited innovation in the pie space over the past four years, Altobelli observed. Flavor innovation with unique fillings and ingredient combinations, experimenting with colors, formats, shapes or offering new pack sizes may entice consumers back to the category.
Total US - Multi Outlet w/ C-Store (Grocery, Drug, Mass Market, Convenience, Military and Select Club & Dollar Retailers) | Latest 52 Weeks Ending April 21, 2024
Source: Circana OmniMarket Integrated Fresh, a Chicago-based market research firm (@WeAreCircana)
Pies Serving Younger Consumers
Pies in general over-index with older demographics like baby boomers and under-index with millennials, but offering mini or single-sized portions packaged creatively and in a variety of flavors may appeal to those younger shoppers. Expanding healthier options may resonate as well.
“There is great growth opportunity for producers to highlight the versatility of individual snack pies and engage younger consumers,” said Sally Lyons Wyatt, global executive VP and chief advisor, consumer goods and foodservice insights for Circana. “Creating gluten-free versions, or those with other health claims, may also appeal to parents looking for a healthier treat for their kids.”
Highlighting pie as an affordable indulgence — particularly snack pies that retail for under $1 per serving — meets the needs of consumers and busy families. Playing on nostalgia, offering freshly baked premium pies to elevate occasions, and developing new flavors and formats are winning strategies for pie producers. CB
Frozen pies show strong sales at
Crackers Get Creative
BY BETH DAY
Crackers are the quintessential snack. They’re found in school lunch boxes, break rooms, pantries and charcuterie boards. It’s no surprise they hold their own among other snack categories, but innovation that highlights versatility, health attributes and convenience can stimulate future growth, according to Mintel’s 2023 “US Crackers Market” report.
While brands benefit from increased overall snacking, cracker manufacturers must align production efforts with thoughtful innovation to attract consumers and compete with other snack options. Here’s what a few producers shared about finding the right balance.
Winslow, ME-based Better With Buckwheat, an artisanal buckwheat snack producer, has expanded production beyond its original crisps. Formerly called Maine Crisp Co., the baking company saw a growth opportunity in rebranding to Better With Buckwheat and producing its first line of snack crackers that appeal to a broader range of consumers. Maine Crisp will retain its personality as a subbrand of Better With Buckwheat.
“The volume in the better-for-you snack cracker market is definitely something we need to tap into as we grow,” said Lewis Goldstein, CEO of Better With Buckwheat.
Photo courtesy of Better With Buckwheat
Photo courtesy of Mary’s Gone Crackers
“We are an emerging brand, so our biggest challenge is making enough product to meet our demand, which has outpaced our ability to supply over the past year and a half.”
In 2022, the company expanded operations from an 1,800-square-foot production space to an 18,000-square-foot facility. New equipment was purchased to automate parts of the process, including a Vemag extruder from Reiser that helps remove moisture from the cracker dough to ensure proper crispiness, a key element for a successful product. To scale production, the company also purchased new baking pans that are compatible with the extruder, two additional Revent ovens to increase baking capacity, and an Escher bowl mixer to handle larger batches of crackers.
“We use a completely different production process for our new cracker line than is used to produce the Maine Crisps,” Goldstein said. “The new extruder was a learning curve for our crew that required training from experts from Reiser and other resources. New products created in the test kitchen must now be formatted according to specifications in order to be run through the extruder. For example, real rosemary could not be included in the cracker dough because it would not process effectively in the extruder.”
Cracker producers such as Reno, NV-based Mary’s Gone Crackers are leveraging interest in gluten-free and organic products. Creating functional crackers that taste good and engage consumers in the competitive snack space comes with R&D and operational hurdles.
“Mary’s Gone Crackers is an agile, innovative company, but we are competing with bigger brands that have larger
production runs, most commonly utilizing comanufacturers,” said Nate Lindsay, VP of o perations at Mary’s Gone Crackers. “Having more demands with limited staff keeps the operations team focused on making important contributions critical to success. Our biggest challenge is that our products are so specialized and artisanal that customization requires the highest level of collaboration.”
Mary’s Gone Crackers uses five state-of-the-art oven lines built in Europe. Lead times for parts take longer, and the equipment requires skilled operators to ensure the highest quality standard. It can be difficult to purchase parts and repair and maintain the ovens in a timely manner, and that can impede production.
Expanding the Better With Buckwheat product lines required retooling while also merging innovative ideas with formulation processes. Initially, founder Karen Getz created the crackers in the new bakery’s test kitchen, yet Goldstein understood that product development and production operations had to go hand-in-hand to effectively increase output while also manufacturing quality buckwheat-based crackers.
Photo courtesy of Better With Buckwheat
Passion for Dough
“We infuse a scientific element into our innovation process to better ensure that products created in the test kitchen will run on the larger machines, production lines and in the commercial ovens, and also not break during shipping,” Goldstein explained. “We purchased a smaller sheeter for the test kitchen to avoid having to stop full scale production to run test crackers and as a way to bridge the gap between test kitchen and mass production.”
Mintel’s report suggests that products with new flavors and popular health claims resonate with shoppers. That could mean touting features that seem counter-intuitive in more mainstream circles. For example, Mary’s Gone Cheezee crackers do not contain real cheese, which can appeal to vegan consumers.
“We use chickpeas and other allnatural ingredients in our patented recipe to create the cheesy flavor,” Lindsay said. “As with all our Real Thin cracker varieties, the dough is sheeted, and an automated die cutter is used to cut and form the product for a more uniform shape than our seeded variety.”
Using inclusions like nuts and seeds can create problems when machining the dough. The types of seeds used for the Super Seed crackers are difficult to cut with a traditional die cutter, which can result in inconsistent cuts.
“Our seeded product is the most difficult to make, so we use some proprietary equipment to make this type of dough,” Lindsay explained. “Our seeded crackers go through a different kind of process that produces a more artisanal shape quickly and consistently. No two seeded crackers are alike, and that makes us unique.”
“Our biggest challenge is that our products are so specialized and artisanal that customization requires the highest level of collaboration.”
Nate Lindsay | VP of operations | Mary’s Gone Crackers
Better With Buckwheat’s base is buckwheat, which is naturally gluten-free. It’s also a regenerative crop that can be sustainably sourced, and one that delivers health claims, such as plant-based complete protein and prebiotic fiber.
“Buckwheat is a gluten-free seed that is naturally flavorful, so it does not require added artificial flavors or fillers to improve taste, and it contributes a fuller mouthfeel than what you get from rice or almond flour-based crackers,” Goldstein said. “We carefully determine how much flavoring should be used to create a product that tastes great, adheres to nutritional claims with whole ingredients and is ultimately non-GMO and kosher. It takes some work.”
Innovating with cracker texture is a competitive strategy, according to Mintel’s report, as consumer interest in crisps and thins have raised the bar for producers. Mary’s Gone Crackers focuses on mouthfeel to create an indulgent bite, especially with its Kookies and Cheezee crackers.
“There is often the perception that betterfor-you is not as tasty, so our R&D team is committed to innovation that produces a healthier option with great flavor and texture,” Lindsay said. “Implementing a best-in-class product development process enabled us to develop a strong pipeline of innovations in record time.”
In terms of cookie production, Mary’s Gone Kookies honey graham-style cookies go beyond organic and glutenfree by minimizing sugar in the dough. A sprinkle of sugar is applied to the cookies after baking with a tumbler.
“The tumbler is a recent acquisition and has been a game changer, especially for our Real Thin lines, Kookies and Cheezee
crackers,” Lindsay said. “For example, our rosemary cracker thins initially had seasoning applied to only one side. Using the tumbler coats the crackers more evenly, creating a more flavorful product.”
Similarly, purchasing an Artypac packaging machine to automate its end-ofline operations was a game changer for Better With Buckwheat. Now, finished crackers empty into a hopper where they are sorted and weighed into separate funnels. Product is sealed into bags that are dated and labeled. Goldstein noted that crews still box and palletize product, but purchasing a palletizing robot is under consideration.
Along with growing interest in better-foryou snacks that also taste good, convenient and sustainable packaging also appeals to consumers. Mary’s Gone Crackers designed new contemporary packaging to leverage on-the-go snacking featuring single-serve and resealable 100% recyclable pouches.
Lindsay observed that the use of pouches to package crackers is one of the biggest evolutions for the category, and he believes this packaging will make a significant difference, allowing the brand to meet consumer needs and its growing shopper base.
Cracker operations are not immune to the labor and supply chain issues that ripple throughout food and beverage, and they often take steps to maintain solid supplier relationships. For example, Mary’s Gone Crackers worked with its oven suppliers to create more of a partnership than a transactional relationship.
“Our oven suppliers are now better able to provide the resources we need for parts and maintenance in less time than before,” Lindsay said. “They now provide
specifications so we can source some parts locally to save time on replacements and get equipment up and running with the least amount of disruption.”
Obtaining special ingredients can be a headwind for cracker producers. Manufacturers work to stay ahead of trends, costs and even international conflicts impacting countries that produce necessary ingredients.
“Our acquisition team does a great job keeping track of these factors and offering alternatives for acquiring ingredients from other sources when barriers present themselves,” Lindsay observed.
Sometimes, Mother Nature presents a few challenges. Last December, Better With Buckwheat was impacted by statewide flooding and a resulting power outage. Thanks to great effort by its team, the company recovered and has since caught up and even expanded production of its new cracker line to the point Better With Buckwheat expects to add a second shift this fall.
“We tripled revenue last year, and if all goes as planned, we’ll triple revenue again this year,” Goldstein said. “Our new line of crackers and our Maine Crisps are now available nationwide at one of the largest US natural food chain retailers and all our wholesale distributor warehouses.”
Cracker manufacturers that expand — or improve — operations to further innovation with appealing flavors and texture will win with consumers. Promoting health claims and versatile snacking occasions and using convenient, sustainable packaging can boost competition for crackers in the snack space. CB
Photo courtesy of Mary’s Gone Crackers
ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE
Triple Sweep Agitator | Wire cut, Granola, Cream
Triple Roller Bar | Bread, Bun, Frozen
Pathway to Growth
BY BETH DAY
Pie is comforting and inherently nostalgic … almost everyone has a special memory attached to eating their favorite kind. With such widespread appeal, pie manufacturers have an opportunity to expand operations and align p roduction to boost innovation within the category.
Discover how pie producers are getting creative in their operations to keep consumers coming back for more.
Photo courtesy of Golden Boy Pies
Photo courtesy of Table Talk Pies
Worcester, MA-based Table Talk Pies, which was recently acquired by Minneapolis-based Rise Baking Co., is one of the leading full-line pie manufacturers, producing freshly baked pies in three automated bakeries. The acquisition unlocked new possibilities for growth and innovation for Table Talk, which marks its 100th anniversary this year.
For Table Talk, new product ideas come from multiple sources, including R&D, sales and marketing, and even customer requests. However, even the best innovation must be brought in line with production capabilities.
“If there is a profitable opportunity with a new product idea based on research and data, we conduct a feasibility session with our cross-functional teams to ensure we can mass produce it,” said Jeff Warren, R&D technical director for Table Talk Pies. “Once the new product is approved, we initiate the commercialization process, and that’s when the real fun begins.”
Manufacturers must constantly align new products with current operations and available equipment. For example, creating a new crust design requires
equipment modifications, and the functionality of new ingredients must be taken into consideration.
“Formulation challenges arise when a new product requires innovative equipment or has characteristics unfamiliar to current operations,” Warren explained.
“We received a request for a Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Pie that presented both a formulation and equipment challenge due to the use of two different fillings. We had to formulate it in a way so the water activity and other ingredient characteristics remained similar in an effort to keep the two fillings from separating post-bake.”
Once formulation is approved to scale up, Table Talk’s sensory team evaluates product attributes, which involves considering key components such as taste, mouthfeel and how ingredients hold up over the course of the shelf life.
“When evaluating taste throughout a product’s shelf life, it is important that we experience what the consumer will experience,” Warren said. “Anyone can make a pie, pull it out of the oven and it tastes great. However, we are dealing with pies that could sit up to 14 days on the shelf,
“While we have lines with all the capabilities to produce the pie shells, I would say single crust is most difficult to make due to perfecting the shell formation and depositing the less viscous filling on a moving target.”
Jeff Warren | R&D technical director | Table Talk Pies
so we want the experience to be the same at 14 days as it was on day one. That’s what we strive to accomplish.”
Table Talk specializes in producing 4 -inch snack pies, as well as larger dessert pies offered in 8-, 9- and 10-inch sizes. Most are baked at its facilities and purchased frozen by commercial customers. Pies are pulled from the freezer, thawed and then ready to sell. Shelf life varies: Larger pies can last five to 10 days, while smaller pies have a 14- to 21-day shelf life. Table Talk also sells assembled, unbaked, frozen pies for baking on-site at in-store bakeries and for private label customers.
For more than 51 years, Overland Park, KS-based Golden Boy Pies has been baking gourmet, from-scratch pies and other desserts. The family-owned bakery services a five-state area, delivering products using its own fleet of refrigerated trucks. Spanning four generations, the baking company’s most significant operational challenge is scaling up the business by investing in new equipment to expand production and increase volume.
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“The bulk of our pie manufacturing centers around our Colborne automated pie line, which is used primarily to produce our pie shells,” said Bradley Hunt, president and sales manager at Golden Boy Pies. “The Colborne consists of a 26-pie plate line that rotates, deploying multiple options to adjust the line and offering various capabilities to make pie shells and fill pies. This process requires us to run one type of pie at a time, and then the line must be cleaned and reset in between runs.”
To make the pie dough, Golden Boy Pies uses an Artofex diving arm mixer, which simulates hand kneading and ensures a natural leavening process without artificially warming the dough. Mixed dough is rolled by hand to create rectangle-shaped balls that are then run through a Colborne Foodbotics line. One batch of dough yields roughly 1,300 pie crusts or about 700 doubled-crusted 9-inch fruit pies.
“Our Colborne pie line is used to make the shells for our fruit pies,” Hunt said, ”but the fruit filling must be hand scooped into each shell. Most of the shells are refrigerated then baked and tempered to prepare them for our pumpkin and creme filled pies.”
At Table Talk, single-crust pies are manufactured using various formations such as sheeted and crimped bottom crusts, pressed crusts or rimmed crusts. Warren explained that shell formation must be carefully checked for quality control, ensuring the edges are formed uniformly and that there is no breakage along the rim of the crust.
“While we have lines with all the capabilities to produce the pie shells, I would say single crust is most difficult to make due to perfecting the shell formation and
depositing the less viscous filling on a moving target,” Warren said.
To preserve its reputation for premium pies, Golden Boy Pies is committed to maintaining the right balance of automation and hand-touch as it scales up p roduction. Its newer Reed and Baxter ovens have been game changers. The ovens are fully automated and easy to load, and the programmed timers ensure more production precision.
Golden Boy Pies’ steam kettles are also integral to operations and used to make fruit fillings, the vanilla pudding base for all creme pies, and the lemon mixture for its iconic lemon meringue pies. Additionally, Hobart mixers incorporate flavors such as coconut, peanut butter or chocolate into the vanilla creme base.
New packaging equipment is at the top of the wish list for expanding the Golden Boys Pies operation. Automated packaging equipment would allow the bakery to partner with co-packing companies and help mainstream products. Hunt said the team plans to achieve this goal over the next few years.
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Acquiring a second pie line is also on the wish list. A multi-faceted pie line with the capability to produce double-crusted pies, lattice and other finishing options is under consideration.
“This production capability would not only help us scale up production but also innovate with our products,” Hunt explained. “Again, our focus is on quality, and we would only consider adding equipment that allows us to maintain that quality, which is what has kept us in business.”
LISTEN
NOW: Bradley Hunt shares his goals for adding automated packaging.
Table Talk’s biggest innovation over the past year was the expansion of its R&D initiatives. By adding more space to its test kitchen and increasing staff, the company was able to rapidly grow flavor categories, explore fresh ideas and commercialize new items with its customers more efficiently.
“We have seen tremendous growth over the past five years, expanding R&D and moving into a new facility,” Warren said. “The biggest advance is adding the capability to garnish the products and give them more flair, for example, our new deco-bot. We also have some big changes coming with new ingredient innovation. R&D is definitely driving this, as well as customer requests for new and different flavors, which is fun.”
Supply shortages can adversely impact production, but planning ahead and forging strong relationships with
suppliers and vendors help producers stay ahead of disruptions. Table Talk has not experienced supply chain disruptions in recent years, and Warren attributes that success to the excellent relationships its supply chain teams have established with vendors and ingredient suppliers.
Similarly, building a comprehensive list of ingredient suppliers has helped Golden Boy Pies minimize disruptions.
“Supply can be hit or miss, so I maintain a file of about 600 vendors to make sure I can source necessary ingredients,” Hunt said. “When products are not available, negotiating the best deal requires planning and relationships to get the best price, but quality must be considered to ensure the integrity of your products. I will not sell anything that I cannot stand behind.”
Enhancing operations and expanding production help boost innovation, which is the path to growth for pie manufacturers. Balancing those efforts will result in new products that satisfy customer needs and excite pie lovers everywhere. CB
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Workplace Wellness
Helping employees handle stress can increase productivity, reduce injuries and improve mental health.
BY KARENA LOREK, OSHA
Maintaining a safe and healthy workplace for employees brings up important discussions at manager meetings. Are people getting the training they need, wearing required personal protective equipment, feeling empowered to speak up if they see health or safety issues, conducting safety checks to ensure compliance? How are worker injuries and absences affecting the bottom line?
In the commercial baking industry, workplace safety often focuses on specific items such as worker exposure to excessive indoor heat, safety procedures for using industrial baking equipment, and the requirements of OSHA’s injury and illness log.
These are all important topics, but there’s another danger that is increasingly impacting the workplace. It is a danger that can affect people at all levels in the organization, from part-time staff to the CEO. That danger is work-related stress and its impact on mental health.
Workplace issues can exacerbate the risk of experiencing mental health challenges. These stressors combined can make it more difficult for workers to complete their tasks; threaten their safety, productivity and wellbeing; and lead to burnout. Without proper support, people struggling with mental health issues may turn to substance abuse and even suicide. And like other deadly workplace hazards, these can be prevented.
Because of the many potential stressors employees may experience, a comprehensive approach involving workers, management, human resource specialists and medical professionals is part of the solution. More than 85% of employees surveyed in 2021 by the American Psychological Association reported that actions from their employer would help their mental health.
The goal is finding ways to alleviate or remove stressors in the workplace, build coping and resiliency supports, and make sure people who need help know where to turn. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act ensures health plans cannot impose barriers on access to mental health or substance use disorder benefits that don’t apply to medical and surgical benefits, a step toward ensuring workers have access to the help they need.
Reducing workplace stress benefits everyone across an organization. It can improve morale, lead to increased productivity and better focus, and reduce workplace injuries and the number of sick days used. It can also improve physical health by lowering blood pressure and strengthening immune systems.
In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that for every dollar US employers spend treating common mental health issues, they receive a return of $4 in improved health and productivity.
The World Health Organization estimates that for every dollar US employers spend treating common mental health issues, they receive a return of $4 in improved health and productivity.
Employers can make a difference when it comes to helping their staff manage stress. Key things they can do include being aware of and acknowledging that people can carry an emotional load that is unique to their own circumstances; identifying factors that make it harder for workers to get their jobs done and determining if adjustments can be made; showing empathy and reassuring employees they are open to discussions about work stress by creating a safe and trustworthy space; and providing access — without penalty — to coping and resiliency resources, workplace and leave flexibilities, and other supportive networks and services.
OSHA’s website (www.osha.gov) offers several resources to help employers — specifically senior managers and front-line supervisors — alleviate workplace stress, support mental health and set up their own training program.
Getting Started Guides for Employers. These guides can help employers gain confidence in talking to workers about workplace stress, mental health and substance use.
Mental Health Checklists for Employers. These checklists identify ways for employers to reduce workplace stressors and support mental health.
Workplace Stress Sample Questions. This document provides sample questions employers can ask to determine whether adjustments can be made to reduce workplace stress and if an employee needs mental health support.
Myth Buster Fact Sheet. This one-page document dispels myths that might make workers reluctant to talk about workplace stress and mental health challenges. Employers can distribute it to employees or display it in the workplace to reduce the stigma surrounding these topics.
Preventing Suicides. This webpage provides information on the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and links to other useful resources.
Why should employers get involved in the personal problems of their employees? Of all the investments a company makes, employees, or “human capital,” are the most valuable to an organization. Whether private or known to their co-workers, their struggles may be impacting the company.
Training in mental health and suicide awareness may cost a company a few hours for a personal presentation. The company may incur the cost of printing and posting information in worker spaces or the downtime involved when employees take time to approach their supervisor and human resources professionals about their needs. However, these few minutes spent may just save a life CB
Karena Lorek is the OSHA area director in Kansas City, MO, where she promotes workplace safety and health. She is a founding member of the Suicide in Construction Taskforce, which emphasizes the importance of mental health safety at work. Follow OSHA on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @OSHA_DOL.
FIND
Discover packaging and processing solutions for baking and snack products that allow you to improve efficiency while remaining flexible to changing consumer tastes and budgets. The latest advances for sustainable packaging, customization, quick changeovers, pack size diversification and more are all at PACK EXPO International. You’ll see:
Machinery in Action
Automation & Robotics
Processing Equipment
E-Commerce Solutions
Vision Systems & AI
Compact Equipment
Digital Printing
Don’t Miss!
Commercial Baking Channel
Our multimedia collection is full of videos, podcast episodes and more, where you can get a deep look — and listen — into the exciting shifts happening in the baking industry.
TechTalk with Bill Everett, Peerless Food Equipment
Bill Everett, global sales manager, identifies some key considerations for choosing the right mixer for specific baked goods applications. www.peerlessfood.com
TechTalk with Andrew Rosenthal, Reading Thermal
Andrew Rosenthal, general manager, d iscusses the benefits of air velocity data collection for industrial ovens. www.readingthermal.com
TechTalk with Michael Gleason and Karim Houssenbhay, Puratos USA
Michael Gleason, product director – bakery, and Karim Houssenbhay, R&D director – sweet goods, share cost reduction tools for commercial bakery product development. www.puratos.us
TechTalk with Jeff Lynn, Cavanna Packaging USA
Jeff Lynn, account manager, discusses the functionality and benefits of top-load carton packing technology. www.cavanna-usa.com
TechTalk with Josh Becker, Harpak-Ulma Packaging
Josh Becker, bakery and confection product manager, shares some of the opportunities AI-enabled applications present for predicting outcomes on packaging lines. www.harpak-ulma.com
Commercial Baking Connections: Connect with HaF at NEXUS 2024
Michael Thiel, VP of sales and marketing for HaF Equipment, shares how the company’s customizable and off-the-shelf automated equipment can help boost bakery production and efficiency. www.hafequipment.com
Catching Up with Commercial Baking : Mike Porter at BEMA Convention
Mike Porter, president and COO of New Horizons Baking Co., highlights the benefits of being a member of the Baking Industry Forum, a group of bakers and suppliers that discusses industry trends and challenges. Sponsored by Shick Esteve.
Catching Up with Commercial Baking : Jim Warren at BEMA Convention
Jim Warren, VP of Exact Mixing at Reading Bakery Systems, reflects on his time as BEMA’s 2023-2024 board chair and offers advice for the incoming chair. Sponsored by Shick Esteve.
Catching Up with Commercial Baking : Meaghan Meyer at Bakers Fly-In and Policy Summit
Meaghan Meyer, senior VP of food safety and quality assurance for CraftMark Bakery, provides insights from the summit and reflects on the i mportance of the event for both bakers and policymakers. Sponsored by Shick Esteve.
Catching Up with Commercial Baking : Josh Bickford at IDDBA 2024
Josh Bickford, president of Clyde’s Donuts, dives into how the “newstalgia” trend is impacting innovation in the donut category. Sponsored by Shick Esteve.
Dan Myers on Carolina Foods’ new bakery
Dan Myers, CEO of Carolina Foods, highlights the expanded capabilities the baking company’s new Pineville, NC, facility will provide. Sponsored by Rexfab.
Our goal is to support your professional aspirations. And even seasoned commercial bakers have room to expand. At ASB, we support the bakers that nourish America by fostering continued education that heightens your industry understanding. The first step to commercial baking success is equipping yourself with our valuable educational resources.
Join now at asbe.org/membership.
Allen Wright on IBIE 2025
During BEMA Convention, Allen Wright, VP of Hansaloy and IBIE 2025 vice chair, shares an update on Baking Expo and encourages companies on the fence about exhibiting to snag a spot before space is sold out.
Kathy Sargent on collaboration between R&D and operations
Kathy Sargent, VP of baking technology and commercialization for Bimbo Bakeries USA, talks about the cross-functional collaboration and communication that makes the R&D-to-commercialization relationship work, from concept to distribution.
Monte White on Repco’s facility expansion
Monte White, president of Repco, shares insights into the expansion and upcoming opportunities the added capabilities present to customers.
Dennis Gunnell on Formost Fuji’s new facility
Dennis Gunnell, president of Formost Fuji, discusses how the Everett, WA, facility will provide an elevated experience for employees and customers.
Solutions
Automated sandwich assembly
JLS Automation’s robotic sandwich assembly solutions automate key processes to reduce worker fatigue, bridge labor gaps and boost productivity. The Talon hygienic primary loading system automatically assembles sandwiches and hygienically loads them into a flowwrapper or case packer. The solution offers versatility, allowing for single-layer or stacked sandwich configurations. www.jlsautomation.com
Plastic belt line
Ashworth’s SpiralSurf plastic belts are offered in 1- and 2-inch pitches with available plastic or steel rods. The belts can be customized to meet individual requirements for cooling, proofing and freezing applications. The SpiralSurf 100 is well-suited for tight transfers and smaller products, while the SpiralSurf 200 handles heavier or larger products. www.ashworth.com
Egg replacer
AB Mauri’s Indulge Technologies Egg Replacer CC 1000 replaces up to 50% of liquid whole eggs in premium creme cakes and muffins while providing equivalent volume, shape and finished product quality. It also maintains strong batter viscosity to ensure inclusions are properly suspended and also imparts a moist, cohesive texture with no dryness. www.abmna.com
Revised bread line
Fritsch, a Multivac company, revised its IMPRESSA bread line with a 20% smaller footprint, a newly designed sheeting section and hygienic design. By combining the Soft Dough Sheeter (SDS) and the Soft Dough Roller (SDR), the h omogeneous sheeter reduces the amount of dough cut off the sides. www.fritsch-group.com
Automated spray system
Axis Automation’s automated spray system dispenses a wide range of liquid ingredients with efficiency and control to maximize throughput and minimize waste. The fully adjustable flow rates, nozzle configurations and deposit volumes offer precision and versatility. The system also offers fine misting of bread loaves before seeding and intermittent greasing of sheet pans. www.axisautomation.com
Self-cleaning donut proofer
Moline’s Self-Cleaning Live-Bottom Donut Proofer caters to the next generation’s mid-capacity and high-volume donut systems and provides a climate-controlled environment for proofing yeast-raised products. This feature allows debris to be removed during operation, which results in extended run times and reduced sanitation time. It is available on systems that produce between 4,000 and 40,000 donuts per hour. www.moline.com
Horizontal flowwrapper
Harpak-Ulma’s FR 400 Twin is a high-speed horizontal flowwrapper that tackles packaging needs with efficiency and space-saving logic. This packaging application combines two machines into one, reducing footprint by 50% and requiring one operator. The FR 400 Twin caters to medium- and high-output production while reaching speeds of 1,400 packages per minute. www.harpak-ulma.com
Pizza interleaving and stacking system
Pacproinc, part of Middleby Food Processing, released the ProStax 20-inch pizza system. The updated equipment manages 7- to 16-inch diameter par-baked pizza shells, streamlining the process for existing equipment. The pizza shells are precisely centered, interleaved with protective layers, and neatly stacked up to 8 inches high, increasing throughput and efficiency. www.pacproinc.com
Redesigned sheeting line
Reading Bakery Systems unveiled its redesigned Thomas L. Green sheeting line. The more streamlined and flexible system offers improved maintenance features and easier sanitation, including tool-free access and fewer components. U nobstructed views into the machine allow operators to visually inspect, assess and plan downtime for line sanitation and maintenance. www.readingbakery.com
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Bakery Systems
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What makes a snack brand iconic? Is it the nostalgia felt upon that first bite? Is it that taste and texture created by the perfect baking process? For our team at Campbell Snacks, home to brands like Goldfish crackers, Cape Cod potato chips and Snyder’s of Hanover pretzels, it’s all of the above … but a brand cannot be truly iconic without constant innovation.
It must exceed consumer expectations. Snacking as we know it has changed, which makes innovation critical for even the most competitive brands. Take Goldfish, the largest snack brand in our portfolio. In the past several years, we’ve seen that 50% of our buyers are adult snackers. This helps us drive momentum within our portfolio. Most recently, Goldfish innovation pushed us into the craveable qualities of chips. Goldfish Crisps is a multisensorial snacking experience that is our take on the best of Goldfish and the best of chips.
It must deliver great taste. Innovation starts with strategy, but the process focuses on flavor. It’s the first and most important moment of truth. Our teams constantly ask, ‘How can we deliver that multisensorial flavor experience while staying true to who we are? What new textures will wow our current consumers and attract new ones?’
It must excite. Snacks aren’t always on the shopping list, so we must push innovation and brand-building boundaries.
This thinking has grown new partnerships that support an elevated taste and experience. Elevated taste begins with flavor innovation, which combines culinary arts with science. We leverage the imagination and expertise of our flavor chemists to build a flavor profile that delivers the sensorial experience of the foods our consumers know and love. As we design new flavors, our food must reinforce the connection our consumers have to our brands.
So, what makes a snack brand iconic is … all of the above, with the understanding that it’s going to take numerous iterations until our teams develop the right flavor profile that delivers great taste and an exciting experience that exceeds consumer expectations.
That’s true innovation. It’s how we strengthen our brands. And that’s what makes what we do special. CB
Dina Reagan is associate VP of R&D, salty snacks, snacks division for Campbell’s Soup Co. She leads the research and development of the Campbell Snacks salty snacks portfolio, which includes Kettle Brand potato chips, Late July chips, Cape Cod potato chips and Snyder’s of Hanover pretzels. Reagan started her food career more than 20 years ago creating food for Nabisco and PepsiCo. She was previously the director of R&D for the Pepperidge Farm Fresh and Frozen bakery business unit within Campbell Snacks.
Re: Retain Dough Strength
Wheat crop variability and high-speed production lines can present challenges to delivering consistent quality commercial bread and bun products. This is why Pristine® dough improvers from Corbion have become the choice for commercial bakers. Consistent, repeatable strengthening solutions are within your control with Pristine®. Using our 360° by Corbion solutions team, our application and technical service experts can have you up and running with confidence.
Scan the QR code now to see the case study on how 360° by Corbion’s partnership provides you with not just the best dough improvers, but also application expertise and hands-on support.