Commercial Baking June | New Products Annual 2023

BEYOND THE CORE: PROPELLING INNOVATION FOR ICONIC BRANDS

AIM TECHNOLOGY FOR PIZZA

Automation for pizza handling that no one else can deliver.

Active Integrated Motion™ (AIM™) technology transforms frozen pizza handling by enabling automation in washdown environments.

Intralox® AIM solutions include sorting, switching, and merging equipment that deliver maximized, reliable throughput and gentle product handling to your pizza packaging lines.

AVANT FOOD MEDIA

Paul Lattan President - Principal Steve Berne Vice President - Principal

Joanie Spencer Director of Content - Partner

COMMERCIAL BAKING

Paul Lattan Publisher 816.585.5030 | paul@avantfoodmedia.com

Steve Berne Director of Media 816.605.5037 | steve@avantfoodmedia.com

Joanie Spencer Editor-in-Chief 913.777.8874 | joanie@avantfoodmedia.com

Mari Rydings Editorial Director mari@avantfoodmedia.com

Jordan Winter Creative Director jordan@avantfoodmedia.com

Olivia Siddall Multimedia Specialist olivia@avantfoodmedia.com

Annie Hollon Managing Editor annie@avantfoodmedia.com

Evan Bail Associate Editor evan@avantfoodmedia.com

Maggie Glisan | Bella Foote Contributors info@commercialbaking.com

American Society of Baking

Commercial Baking is published by Avant Food Media, 1703 Wyandotte St., Suite 300, Kansas City, MO 64108. Commercial Baking considers its sources reliable and verifies as much data as possible, although reporting inaccuracies can occur. Consequently, readers using this information do so at their own risk. Commercial Baking is distributed with the understanding that the publisher is not liable for errors and omissions. Although persons and companies mentioned herein are believed to be reputable, neither Avant Food Media nor any of its employees accept any responsibility whatsoever for their activities. Commercial Baking magazine is printed in the USA and all rights are reserved.

No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the publisher. All contributed content and advertiser supplied information will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication, copyright purposes and use in any publication or digital product and are subject to Commercial Baking ’s right to edit.

Commercial Baking , ISSN 2767-5319 / USPS Publication Number: 25350, is published quarterly in February, April, August, and October, with special issues in June and December, in print and digital formats by Avant Food Media, 1703 Wyandotte St., Suite 300, Kansas City, MO 64108. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Commercial Baking, c/o Avant Food Media, 1703 Wyandotte St., Suite 300, Kansas City, MO 64108.

Circulation is tightly controlled, with print issues sent only to hand-verified industry decision makers and influencers. To apply for a free subscription, please visit www.commercialbaking.com/subscription

Removing eggs from a formula can not only remove an allergen, but also save on costs, make raw material storage easier and simplify the production process.

Brolite’s egg replacers can work as a total egg replacement in yeast raised products and up to 30% in cakes. Even with a partial replacement, a baker can have more consistent costs of ingredients and more supply stability.

Lose the eggs, keep the functionality, supply and cost savings of an egg replacer.

CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY AND THE ART OF OLD WORLD BAKING Egg Replacers

The Future Starts with

MOONSHOT THINKING FOR THE LIGHTS OUT BAKERY

AMF’s portfolio of Bakery Intelligence solutions aims to increase productivity, deliver more consistent product quality, and improve bakery sustainability. By sending the right information to the right people at the right time, AMF’s suite of digital, smart technologies delivers immediate value to bakeries by reducing labor costs, energy and CO2 emissions, and reducing product waste, all while improving product quality.

Learn more about these innovative technologies including: the Mixer Guardian to improve dough consistency, the Smart Applicator to improve accuracy and reduce waste in pizza topping processes, the Sustainable Oven Service (SOS) to reduce energy usage in baking, and the Oven Chain Guardian to extend the life of oven chains.

W.D. Laramore is the only fully integrated Flour Reclaim System provider in the world. Laramore now offers a replacement program for our legacy units. Contact us today to cross reference the replacement unit for your Laramore system.

Replace your legacy reclaim unit with a NFPA/ATEX compliant unit.

shickesteve.com/laramore

Learning from the Best

When I was in college, I had this “horrible” professor. She always called on me for the hard questions, only to pick apart my answers. Meanwhile, my homework bled from her red marks. I remember lamenting to a friend, who told me, “That’s the professor you’ll remember as your favorite. When you look back, you’ll see she taught you the most.”

My friend was right. While I still receive some doses of red marks and get torn down every now and then, it’s all part of the learning journey. And the lessons — even the hard ones — come from people who care deeply about their craft and this industry.

The Commercial Baking product is the result of countless conversations we have with you: the baker, the marketer, the association exec, the product developer, the team lead, the sales director. You know who you are.

Thank you for sharing your expertise, insight, hard conversations and lessons you’ve learned along the way.

Innate curiosity is the mark of a journalist, and I’m lucky to be part of an industry that thrives on sharing knowledge. I will always accept as much as you’re willing to give.

I encourage you to do the same. Parlay the hard questions into open dialogue, and turn the red marks into new ideas. As we move forward, balancing tradition on one hand with innovation on the other, the lessons we teach — and learn from — one another will ensure our future successes.

JOANIE SPENCER Editor-in-Chief | joanie@avantfoodmedia.com

Oh, and if you’re curious … I got an A in that class.

Proven to Lower Energy Costs

ePAN® designs from American Pan have been proven to save bakeries money on every bake. In fact, one customer reduced gas usage by almost 8% year over year by switching to an ePAN.

Energy solutions like wind turbines and solar panels are a major investment and require a large amount of dedicated space. ePANs can fit on your existing bakery line and save you money from the very first bake. Here’s how:

DECREASED OVEN TEMPERATURE

Oven temperatures have decreased by up to 85°F when using ePANs.*

REDUCED BAKING TIME

Bakingtimeshavebeenreducedbyupto45seconds. Baking times have been reduced by up to 45 seconds.*

REDUCED WEIGHT OF BAKING TRAYS & TINS

Traysandtinsareupto30%-50%lighter,requiringles Trays and tins are up to 30%-50% lighter, requiring less energyfrombakerysystemsandemployeesforhandl energy from bakery systems and employees for handling.*

*Results from real bakery experience. Results may vary based on specific bakery conditions.

Mid-Year Update

Commercial Baking checks in on the categories covered so far this year.

Center Store Buns | Rolls By Dollar Share

Center store buns and rolls have seen double-digit growth in dollar sales vs. a year ago, at 12.1%. Hamburger and hot dog buns maintain more than half of the dollar share in this segment.

Bars | Squares Dollar Sales ($ IN MILLIONS)

In the bars | squares category, perimeter leads center store in dollar sales. However, center store is closing in on perimeter, likely driven by the spike in price per unit at 73.5% vs. a year ago.

Bon Appetit Danish Inc., Grupo Bimbo and Svenhard’s Swedish

Center Store Pastries By Dollar Share*

Bakery dominate dollar sales for center store pastries. Since reported in Q2, Bon Appetit Danish and Grupo Bimbo have gained a slightly larger share of the segment.

Center store bread dollar sales have remained steady since the Q1 report and lead perimeter dollar sales nearly tenfold. That said, dollar sales strength is coming from unit price increases in both segments, with price per unit up 13.5% in center store and 15.2% in perimeter vs. a year ago.

RoboStack: The next generation of robotic pan stacking

We’re putting the finishing touches on Capway’s latest innovation in bakery automation.

We’re putting the finishing touches on Capway’s latest innovation in bakery automation.

RoboStack ensures the smooth transition of pans as they leave the production line.

RoboStack ensures the smooth transition of pans as they leave the production line.

Custom engineered conveyor systems allow for the seamless integration of our RoboStack system into your bakery’s existing footprint or new expansion. It all stacks up to the world’s most efficient operation in daily pan logistics.

RoboStack is designed and built to:

RoboStack is designed and built to:

• offer precision handling of multiple pan sizes

• offer precision handling of multiple pan sizes

• your desired pan stack height

• your desired pan stack height

• work with most existing pan carts

• work with most existing pan carts

• maximize uptime for your production line

BEYOND THE CORE

After just a decade, Mondelez International’s momentum is propelling innovation for iconic brands and new growth avenues.

BY JOANIE SPENCER

When it comes to family dynamics, the parent isn’t usually younger than the child. But for Chicago-based Mondelez International, that’s essentially the case. Although the company just celebrated its 10th anniversary, Mondelez is home to some of the country’s oldest and most iconic names, including OREO, Ritz and Chips Ahoy!, just to name a few, in its portfolio of global snacking brands.

“It’s an interesting dichotomy,” said Tanya Berman, senior VP at Mondelez. “We’re obviously very proud of the Mondelez company we’ve become over the past

10 years. We’ve delivered incredible financial results and provided our consumers with the right snacks at the right moments. But at the same time, we have these very revered, established brands that have been in the marketplace for a long time, so we look very carefully at how we accelerate into the future.”

Of course, the past three years have impacted the course of the future. Most brands in the snacking space have likely changed — or, at the very least, revisited — their business and go-to-market strategies.

While daily life now looks closer to the old notions of “normal,” snacking habits have evolved at breakneck speed, creating potentially long-term shifts in the market.

“After the past three years, snacking has become a bigger part of consumers’ lives,” Berman said. “Whether people are still primarily at home or returning to more mobile lifestyles, snacking is now more of an ingrained habit. And we have to stay close to our consumers, knowing how much they engage in snacking and how different products or brands fulfill different needs.”

Photo courtesy of Mondelez International

Mondelez’ innovation spans a portfolio of iconic brands and new names. Its Vision 2030 strategy focuses on strengthening the company’s position as a global snacking leader.

The company is expanding its brand portfolio with the 2018 acquisition of Tate’s Bake Shop and more recent acquisition of Clif Bar & Co. But it is also focused on product innovation inside its core brands.

For example, OREO has become known for line extensions like The Most Stuf and other limited-time offers such as Blackout Cake.

As Mondelez hits the gas pedal on growth and innovation, the company also commemorated its 10th anniversary in 2022 by launching the Vision 2030 growth strategy to strengthen its position as a global snacking leader.

After the evolution of its long-term growth strategy, Mondelez is now focused on the future with four main pillars: growth, execution, culture and sustainability.

By emphasizing growth in the chocolate, biscuits and baked snacks sectors, Mondelez is aimed at generating much of its revenue in these markets. Bringing Clif Bar into the portfolio was a bold move to support that strategy.

“When we talked about our future growth, we identified key strategic areas where we wanted to drive it,” Berman said. “Clif is an incredibly strong brand, and we see this as a huge opportunity to offer more of these types of snacks. These are products that really lean into where we are in terms of mindful snacking and strong, healthy snacks that consumers are embracing.”

Execution is critical to that commitment of growth.

“We’re driven by not just growth but also execution in bringing our products to consumers all the way through

our stores,” Berman said. “We have an amazing sales organization that partners with our customers to make sure we’re delivering on that commitment.”

But while a focus on execution is consumer-facing, Mondelez also has a motto — “Local First” — that enables all the company’s brands to stay authentically connected to their workforce and consumers.

People’s view of local has evolved in recent years, especially as terms like “supply chain disruption” have become part of the everyday lexicon. For years, consumers have been curious about where their food comes from, but crisis in the supply chain coming out of the pandemic has caused them to become hyper-aware of the human element of food manufacturing.

Mondelez is building those kinds of connections into its culture.

“We can be flexible and agile in how we develop innovation as we stay close to our consumers, knowing how much they’re engaging in their snacking experience,” Berman said.

Mondelez also recognizes the importance of sustainability as a key element in maintaining those strong consumer connections. Mondelez’ emphasis on its global impact is a critical element of good business practices.

“This is not a ‘light touch,’” Berman said. “We fully believe that sustainability is part of our core responsibility. It’s good for consumers and good for business.”

The company is committed to supporting sustainable agriculture for wheat crops and chocolate: two key ingredients in its product portfolio.

“We have to stay close to our consumers, knowing how much they engage in snacking and how different products or brands fulfill different needs.”

Tanya Berman | senior VP | Mondelez International

It also has developed new strategies for sustainability in packaging as well as new manufacturing efficiencies that can reduce carbon emissions.

LISTEN NOW:

Tanya Berman shares Mondelez’ emphasis on sustainability in business and manufacturing.

“When you think about sustainability, these things are good business drivers,” Berman said. “But they’re also important to consumers who expect the brands they buy to live into their purpose and commitment.”

For example, CoLab Tech, the company’s accelerator program, was designed to help start-ups solve challenges in food technology and sustainability.

Mondelez is also connecting with consumers in a digital world that’s challenging all areas of CPG.

In the snacking space, e-commerce and digital strategies look quite different today than they did pre-pandemic. That said, the foundation was set before the pandemic.

“We were already deeply engaged in driving digital growth, even before COVID,” Berman said. “Structurally, we were set to drive that growth, and we already had strong, dedicated resources in that area.”

When lockdowns accelerated online shopping, Mondelez’ strong direct-store delivery model enabled its brands to stock shelves relatively consistently during that time, so the burst in digital became an additive strategy.

“It’s not an either-or situation,” Berman said. “Growth in brick-and-mortar and digital purchasing are both very strong. It’s just that digital is growing so much faster than it was before, so we have to drive that investment in innovation.”

In a post-pandemic world, growing digital savvy has upped the game in terms of expectations for new product development, as well. But there’s a key to increasing R&D innovation without sacrificing the core brands.

“It’s twofold,” she said. “During the pandemic, consumers embraced the brands they knew and trusted, so the innovation focus was on the core brands, looking at things like what the next OREO flavor would be. That created a spark for consumers who were looking for reasons to feel positive and optimistic. As we’ve emerged from that, we’ve started moving beyond the core innovation.”

One of the biggest innovations may be gluten-free OREO, a first for the brand.

“There’s definitely a balance between behavior we saw during the pandemic and moving beyond it without sacrificing on quality,” she added. “We will always take our time to ensure that.”

Mondelez has created a space to execute on that innovation with the recent opening of its Global R&D Innovation Center in Whippany, NJ, where more than 50 experts from around the world will focus on product development and innovation. Investing $50 million in the facility, Mondelez is well positioned to create that balance of maintaining the quality of beloved core brands while ideating the next big snacks.

“It’s about the marriage of maintaining what consumers expect to see and playing with it to make something fun, modern and relevant,” Berman said.

When a youthful parent company has a family of mature, iconic brands, balance is everything. And from it, innovation is born. CB

Photo courtesy of Mondelez International

In a post-pandemic world, snacking habits are evolving quickly and driving demand for product innovation.

RESHAPE YOUR PRODUCT POSSIBILITIES

Snack producers rely on the RBS Pretzel & Snack System for flexibility. No other baked snack system easily produces so many different products including bread snacks, pretzels, braids, filled products, biscuits, potato snacks, and more. This flexibility enables snack makers to take advantage of consumer taste trends and innovate with new products

If you are looking to expand your healthier, baked snack product offering, contact us today! Visit readingbakery.com or call (01) 610-693-5816.

Engineering Greatness

Through positivity and discipline, Campbell Snacks’ George Vindiola is defining a new era of product development for elevated snacking.

BY JOANIE SPENCER

A lifelong athlete, George Vindiola, VP of R&D at Camden, NJ-based Campbell Snacks, knows that rigorous training is the key to improvement. But more than that, proper training involves not only expanding outside one’s comfort zone but also tearing down muscles so they can build back stronger.

Those core athletics concepts have been foundational to Vindiola’s professional development; he dove into food production just as his chemical engineering degree was steering him toward the petrochemical industry.

“Growing up in Texas and attending Texas A&M, that’s where I thought my career was heading,” Vindiola recalled. “I had interned at chemical plants and oil refineries, and I was sure that was going to be my path as a chemical engineer.”

Then again, what makes sense on a linear path isn’t always how strength is built. If years of competitive sports taught Vindiola anything, it was that skill development doesn’t happen by taking the easy route. So, when he discovered the opportunity for R&D work at Plano, TX-based Frito-Lay in the mid-‘90s, Vindiola was intrigued by the change of course.

Photo courtesy of the American Bakers Association

A process engineer trained in problem-solving, George Vindiola enjoys taking on new product development challenges.

It may be atypical for a chemical engineer to shift from the petroleum industry to food development, but creative thinking is at the heart of great R&D. And Vindiola’s tendency to stretch the limits of his physical abilities followed suit for his mental strength as well.

The challenge didn’t just involve the leap from chemicals to food; he also veered from project management to product development. But for Vindiola, that was a winning combination.

As a process engineer who enjoys the mechanics of things from a problemsolving perspective, Vindiola’s understanding of the formulator’s role allows him to bring the product development process together as a cohesive unit.

“With my chemical engineering background, I was more of a process engineer who learned how to execute product development,” he said, noting that while formulation is not what he brings to the table, he knows how to bring specific skillsets into overall projects like product development.

WATCH NOW:

George Vindiola shares how his history as a process engineer bolstered his product development experience.

Over the years, Vindiola’s professional development has continued to mirror his athletic principles. From taking on small projects that no one else would work on, to achieving four patents and leading the development of major product launches, every experience — be it success or failure — has built upon the one before.

“What I have found in my career journey — and what still holds true today — is that building upon the work, day after day, makes all the difference,” he said. “Putting in work accentuates your value to a company and provides opportunities you may never have known existed.”

That agility also led him to Pepperidge Farm, a brand under the Campbell Soup Co. umbrella, and the formation of the company’s Campbell Snacks division.

“You have to be willing to take chances,” Vindiola said. “Risks that I’ve taken have set me up for different points in my career, both at PepsiCo and at Pepperidge and Campbell, where I was willing to take chances when I saw new opportunities to do different things that not only furthered me professionally but also as a person.”

As a father of two living in a household where Goldfish crackers have been a pantry mainstay for years, working in product development at Pepperidge could have propelled him to hero status at home. But for Vindiola, there was a harder challenge that was the bigger draw.

“It was the fresh bakery aspect that interested me because it’s so different from snacking,” he said. “Goldfish and cookies are still snacks, but fresh bakery was something completely different, and that has been exciting to work on.”

From learning an entirely new process to understanding different distribution channels, diving into fresh bakery product development has allowed Vindiola to tap into all-new skillsets.

“It has been such a great opportunity to learn about things I didn’t previously know about,” he said. “That was a big reason why I was drawn to Pepperidge.”

“What I have found in my career journey — and what still holds true today — is that building upon the work, day after day, makes all the difference.”

George Vindiola | VP of R&D | Campbell Snacks

Vindiola’s history of jumping into challenges is likely what propelled him into his current role leading R&D for the new Campbell Snacks unit after the company acquired Snyder’s-Lance in 2018.

Forming Campbell Snacks went far beyond merging Pepperidge Farm and Snyder’s-Lance, two businesses with more than a dozen brands. It also involved a complex exercise in streamlining decades of unique processes, especially for Snyder’s-Lance, which was the combination of several previous companies, including Snyder’s of Hanover and Kettle Brand, which had joined the Snyder’s family years before. Bringing two seemingly disparate businesses together required the skills that Vindiola had spent nearly three decades developing.

Leading the development of what Campbell calls its “crafted elevated snacks” program, Vindiola guides R&D through building an innovation pipeline for each brand to grow into its potential.

“My experiences have set me up really well for this role,” Vindiola said. “We’ve brought together different brands, processes and — most importantly — people. We incorporated different cultures into the Campbell culture, and that created a lot of diversity of thought.”

In an environment where innovation is only limited by its level of creativity, anything is possible. And Vindiola’s power of positivity and propensity for disruption created a spark that’s been the cornerstone of innovation at Campbell Snacks since its inception.

“It’s so exciting because now we can all challenge each other,” Vindiola said. “It wasn’t easy because we first had to get to a baseline of understanding on how we were going to do things. But

ultimately, we have integrated different points of view to innovate in all new — and even better — ways.”

Vindiola brings an enthusiasm that comes from a lesson he learned during a challenging project early in his career. Product development can be hard, and the work demanding, but at the end of the day, the industry is making products that not only feed people but also bring them joy.

Maintaining that perspective, Vindiola said, is the key to authentic innovation.

“The truth is, no one has to buy the things we make,” he said. “People spend their hard-earned money on our products because it brings them joy. That makes me happy.”

For Vindiola, that’s what makes the hard work — months of R&D and long hours in the lab — worth it in the end. And it perpetuates his positivity.

After nearly three decades in the industry, Vindiola’s optimism remains unfettered. Even with the most challenging projects, seeing a team’s hard work come to fruition on store shelves gives him the energy to dive back into the lab.

“That’s the best part,” he said. “Getting to go back and do it all again is like a virtuous cycle, and that’s what makes this work so fun.” CB

Pushing himself beyond his comfort zone, Vindiola applies athletic priciples to his own professional development.

Photo courtesy of Bicycling Magazine Fall Classic

WATCH NOW: George Vindiola describes diversity of thought in the formation of Campbell Snacks.

All-In for the Future

Leaders from key industry associations weigh in on how collaboration breeds innovation.

Pandemic notwithstanding, the baking industry has seen more than its share of disruption over the past few years. Associations are welcoming new leaders into the fold as their memberships and boards ideate in all new ways.

Joanie Spencer, Commercial Baking editor-in-chief, sat down with Kerwin Brown, president and CEO of BEMA; Eric Dell, president and CEO of the American Bakers Association (ABA); and Kristen Spriggs, executive director

of the American Society of Baking (ASB) for an exclusive discussion about change in the industry and innovation for all as we look to the future.

These leaders bring a diverse mix of perspectives and decades of expertise at arguably the most stirring time in baking’s history. Brown’s more than 30 years in the industry — 18 of which he has spent leading BEMA — complements the entry of Dell and Spriggs, two fresh faces leading century-old

associations. While Dell joins ABA from the National Automatic Merchandising Association, a tangential organization with some crossover membership, Spriggs brings an all-new viewpoint from the mutual insurance association community to ASB, which will celebrate 100 years in 2024.

In this conversation, the leaders share their views on the most critical issues facing their members and the impact those issues have on the industry at large.

Photo courtesy of the American Bakers Association

From left: Kerwin Brown, BEMA president and CEO; Kristen Spriggs, ASB executive director; and Eric Dell, ABA president and CEO, share views on the state of the industry.

Joanie Spencer: Eric and Kristen, what

are your first impressions of the baking industry so far?

Spriggs: I’ve seen so many areas where this industry is rooted really well and where there are opportunities for change. One thing I noticed right away was how many familial types of connections there are. I’ve been reflecting on where that comes from. Some of it comes from people who have worked in the industry through literal family connections. But there are also people who just stay in the industry. They might be a baker one day and then move over to the supplier side, but regardless, they stay in the industry. There’s a sense of pride here, this feeling that we’re all in this together.

Dell: I agree. I’ve seen the family ties as well, especially with companies that are multigenerational. I’ve also seen camaraderie in this industry. One thing that has stood out to me is how competitors can come together and help one another at times. And people really do stay. I was in a bakery that had a plaque celebrating milestones. They had blocks of names [of people] who had worked there for decades — 40 years or more — and they were still adding to it. The work people do in a bakery is hard work, but it’s that hard work that brings them together, and that camaraderie makes them want to stay.

Kerwin, let’s jet back to your early days in the industry when you were in Eric’s and Kristen’s shoes. How have things changed?

Brown: I think there are fewer ‘silos’ now. I like to hear all of these perspectives because it proves there’s meaningful collaboration taking place. You can really see it with the associations. We are attending one another’s events and having more discussions than ever about new ways we can work together. There’s a new level of engagement. There were probably 125 people at my first BEMA Annual Meeting, and now we are all breaking attendance records. We have new ways for our members to engage and collaborate, and that’s really different than it was several years ago. All three organizations are broadening the ways that people can connect now.

Dell: We are complementing each other.

Spriggs: Our boards and members have, frankly, challenged us to do this, and it’s given us opportunity. If our boards and members preferred for us to stay the course and maintain the status quo, we wouldn’t be having these conversations.

Brown: In general, association members want solutions. They’re not looking for those silos; when they have issues, they just want solutions. That’s going to help us achieve a whole new level of collaboration for the foreseeable future.

Speaking

of challenges, workforce

and

supply chain

have topped the list. What are you hearing from your members about these two critical issues?

Spriggs: When you really look at it, neither of these are new problems; they’ve just been exacerbated in recent

“We have new ways for our members to engage and collaborate, and that’s really different than it was several years ago. All three organizations are broadening the ways that people can connect now.”

Kerwin Brown | president and CEO | BEMA

years. What I’m hearing is a call for innovation to solve them creatively. We’re hearing about dark sites, robotics, climate-controlled vehicles — all kinds of innovation. From a workforce standpoint, this is a big area where collaboration comes in. There’s opportunity for more training and education across the board. For me, it’s innovation and collaboration.

Dell: I think we have to work more broadly, especially with workforce challenges. I’m hearing from my board that ABA can be even more involved, from a leadership standpoint, in finding those solutions. We’re working on how we can get involved in policy areas that impact workforce challenges.

Brown: For the past couple of years, we’ve been working hard on supply chain issues, and we’re finding solutions. The industry overall has increased its efforts in areas like redundancy and transparency in communication. Trucking is still a serious issue, though. And when you combine that with the workforce challenges that still exist throughout organizations, you can see there are still real challenges to address. That said, I think these challenges we’ve faced over the past three years have made us stronger as an industry.

Spriggs: When I think about areas to innovate and collaborate, the trucking issue is a great example. There are so many industries facing this, and people are looking at autonomous driving solutions. So, how can we collaborate and engage in these autonomous driving conversations? We need to effectively utilize resources among our organizations.

The baking industry is seeing more than its share of disruption after decades of status quo.

What’s the key to balancing tradition and innovation?

Brown: Being in the industry for a while, I have a tendency to stick with traditional sides of things, especially having connected with people over so many years and watching their families grow up. There’s an emotional connection to that. But we’re also given new opportunities to have new people at the table and new leadership voices. That’s really the key to getting young people and new faces involved. We need a blend; we need tradition, but we also have a new generation that’s ready to move the industry forward.

Spriggs: It’s important to create space for that. I recently participated in an ASB

past chairmen’s luncheon. I had been with the Young Professionals group prior to that, and they had been talking about all the changes they want to see. Meanwhile, the past chairmen were sharing stories from the past and the history that can be found in the Baking Hall of Fame. We have to revere and honor those traditions without holding ourselves back from innovating and providing what the next generation needs.

Dell: It’s about taking the best parts of traditions and building upon them. We have to take the most valuable elements of our traditions and use them as the springboard that can successfully take our associations and the industry into the future. CB

Customized solutions from the beginning. Committed partnership that never ends.

Our experience helps you select the perfect equipment to meet your specific needs.

Our skill createsa creates a custom stom solution,builttodelive solution, built to deliver unbeatable bea performanceand performance and longevity. gevit perfo mance

Our service delivers accessible, responsive support ble, respons anytime you need it. ytime youneed ee t

Peerless: World-class food equipment and service. Driving innovation, sanitation, quality and longevity.

Our customized solutions drive your innovative food creations.

Peerless Food Equipment

500 S. Vandemark Road, Sidney, OH 45365-0769 USA

(937) 492-4158, (877) 795-7377 | peerlessfood.com

Beekeepers BEES NEED

Beekeepers work hard to make sure honey bees have a diverse diet, a hive free from parasites and plenty of honey to eat.

A healthy hive produces more honey than it needs. Any extra honey is extracted and made available for sale.

Purchasing honey helps support the beekeepers that protect our bees.

Honey helps.

Innovation in Every Corner

B Corp certification challenges bakers to view their operations through a holistic lens.

BY MARI RYDINGS

Mention the word “innovation” in a room full of bakers, and chances are the ensuing conversations will center on product development, the latest equipment or ingredient technology, and speed to market … it’s almost always production-focused.

Yet, with people paying closer attention to how companies show up in their local communities and the world — namely with their efforts to affect environmental, social and economic change — the scope of innovation is expanding beyond the production floor to include every corner of the business.

Research has indicated that consumers, especially millennials and Gen Zers, are willing to spend more money with purpose-driven companies. In fact, a survey conducted by consultancy Cubist Martini in partnership with the creative agency McKinney, revealed that 65% of Gen Zers say they will pay an average of 48% more for products from a purpose-driven brand.

While most companies have developed purpose-driven operations, it may no longer be enough to talk the talk.

Photo courtesy of Chabaso Bakery

B Corp certification demonstrates a company’s commitment to environmental and social change.

B CORP’S FIVE PILLARS OF IMPACT

The B Lab Impact Assessment scores companies across five performance categories.

WORKERS

Equitable wages, health and wellness benefits, comprehensive benefits, career development, workforce engagement and job satisfaction

CUSTOMERS

Data privacy practices, efforts to reach underserved communities and supply chain transparency

Increasingly, companies are expected to walk the walk and balance profit with purpose.

One way to achieve this is with B Corp certification through B Lab, the third-party, nonprofit governing body. Having B Corp status is a tangible way for companies to demonstrate a long-term commitment of environmental sustainability and social change to their stakeholders, including consumers and employees.

B Corp certification requires companies to holistically self-assess and actively engage in continued improvement across every area of their organization.

The process begins by completing the B Impact Assessment, a free digital tool composed of nearly 300 questions that evaluate performance in five pillars of impact: workers, customers, governance, environment and community.

The handful of bakeries that have achieved Certified B Corp status are

setting the standard as forces for good in their communities. They’re also raising the bar on accountability — internally and externally — and redefining innovation in the industry.

New York City-based Partake Foods, an allergy-friendly brand of cookies and baking mixes, earned B Corp status in January. It was a big undertaking for a small company just starting to gain momentum in the marketplace.

“Partake Foods is not just setting out to be a pantry staple food company,” said Laura Gross, VP of marketing at Partake. “We want to be a food company that does good. For us, B Corp certification was about making sure that internally we were walking the walk. It was also a way to keep us accountable to the multipronged mission we’ve established.”

Pursuing B Corp certification is a lengthy and rigorous journey. While there are nearly 3,000 B Corps in the US and Canada, a search of the B Lab directory for food manufacturers

GOVERNANCE ENVIRONMENT

Environmental management practices; impact on the air, climate, water, land and biodiversity

COMMUNITY

Level of engagement with the surrounding communities

returns 235 companies. Digging deeper, a search on “bakery” reveals just 12.

B Corp companies typically have full support from the c-suite, including an internal champion who coordinates the effort, a team member with prior B Corp experience and cross-department collaboration. They are also prepared to dedicate a significant amount of time and employee resources to gather data, document practices, and complete and submit the assessment.

LISTEN NOW: Laura Gross shares her insights into Partake Foods’ B Corp journey.

For large bakeries, the process can be daunting. For smaller operations like Partake, it’s an even bigger challenge.

“As a growing company, we could have very easily deprioritized these efforts when other things came along,”

Gross said. “But if a small business like us can do it while fundraising, scaling and growing in distribution significantly year over year, other companies can do it, too. I’m okay with the fact that the process is so rigorous. If it were easy, everybody would do it.”

The ROI on the time and resources companies expend to achieve B Corp status can be realized in the continuous improvement embedded in the assessment and in the ability to spot opportunities for innovation.

“There is an opportunity in every question to think about how you do things,” said Charles Negaro Jr., CEO of New Haven, CT-based Chabaso Bakery, which earned B Corp certification in October 2022. “There are questions I’d never thought of, and there’s a period of self-reflection, which is hard. It’s about being up for the challenge to evolve or change how you do things for the better.”

LISTEN NOW:

The Chabaso team shares its B Corp experience in Season

Six of the Troubleshooting Innovation podcast.

Being willing and able to view every aspect of the company through a lens of continuous improvement can pay off when it comes time to recertification, which is required every three years. The assessment constantly evolves, meaning benchmarks a company met the first time around won’t necessarily get it recertified in the future.

“One of the things I love about B Lab is that they consistently think about what it means to be a B Corp,” Gross added.

“And I think that’s one of the reasons the certification deserves and commands respect,” she added. “B Lab constantly challenges even what they think is the way certification should be looked at.”

Innovative programs and process improvements that come as a result of certification can directly impact a bakery’s bottom line in unexpected ways, such as in workforce recruitment.

“Attracting high-quality talent has always been a challenge and is increasingly more so,” Negaro said. “[When you’re B Corp certified], you attract people who want to work hard to make a difference and build something. We see this as reinforcing the pitch for folks to join our company and make an impact in the world.”

B Corp certification can also open doors to new business partnerships, such as the one between Partake and Ben & Jerry’s that took place earlier this year.

“Because we had achieved B Corp certification and met all of Ben & Jerry’s criteria, we were able to partner together,” Gross said. “Then, in a really dynamic way, they helped us improve our own operational processes.”

That business deal highlights another B Corp benefit: access to a global community of like-minded companies.

“B Corp has helped us think about, in terms of goodness, ‘Are we actually as good of a company as we like to think we are?’” shared Reed Immer, director of sales and marketing at Chabaso. “Often, when you go through this rigorous assessment, you realize there’s some great stuff you’ve been doing, but there’s also a lot more work you can be doing.”

That’s the real definition of innovation. CB

“I’m okay with the fact that the process is so rigorous. If it were easy, everybody would do it.”

Laura Gross | VP of marketing | Partake Foods

Indulgence in a Time of Inflation

In the face of rising costs, the baking industry is innovating accordingly.

BY MAGGIE GLISAN

Inflation is not for the faint of heart. The soaring gas prices at the pump. The skyrocketing cost of milk and eggs at the grocery checkout. The gut punch of a restaurant check. For consumers, the stress of it all is overwhelming and all-consuming.

Widespread concern means continued money-saving measures, especially among lower-income households, and commercial baking hasn’t been immune to the marketplace pressures, accord -

ing to Anne-Marie Roerink, founder and principal of 210 Analytics.

“Inflation is real and has taken a tremendous bite out of people’s ability to spend — whether on food, travel, appliances, etc. — and we’re seeing declines in units and volume sales everywhere,” she said.

In March, the University of Michigan Consumer Confidence Index, which surveys how consumers feel about the economy, business and buying condi -

tions, and personal finances, sank to 62 — the first decline in four months — as consumers brace for what they expect to be a recession ahead.

Americans have been applying several cost-cutting strategies to offset rising costs at the grocery store, including buying what’s on sale (54%), cutting back on non-essentials (47%), looking for coupons (35%) and switching to store-brand items (29%), according to Circana data.

© Melipo-Art on Adobe Stock

Inflation has yet to dampen consumer demand for indulgent treats. In fact, many people see them as a form of self-care.

According to the Food Industry Association (FMI)’s US Grocery Shopper Trends 2023, more than two-thirds of shoppers say they spend more on groceries today compared to one year ago, and older consumers are increasingly the most worried about rising food prices, with 80% of baby boomers citing concern in February 2023, up from 69% in October 2022.

But not all inflation news is doom and gloom. To balance rising food costs, many consumers are eating more meals at home, and data from Circana indicates at-home food spending remains strong, with center store dollar sales up 11.1% and perimeter dollar sales up 6.3% in the last quarter of 2022.

And although a tight economic climate is causing shifts in spending behavior for cash-strapped shoppers, baked goods and snacks are still making their way into grocery carts. That’s because, according to the American Bakers Association (ABA)’s Life Through the Lens of Bakery 2022 report conducted by 210 Analytics, 64% of Americans make room in their budgets for an occasional baked treat, and 80% make baked goods part of special occasions.

Consumer engagement with the in-store bakery also appears to be performing well, despite inflationary challenges. In FMI’s inaugural Power of the In-Store Bakery 2022 report, findings revealed strong unit and dollar sales, up from the previous year, 7.4% and 14.4%, respectively. And, according to the report, 95% of shoppers eat from the in-store bakery at least occasionally with 63% doing so weekly. The biggest category standouts in dollar sales growth included muffins (24.2%), cupcakes (23.6%) and cookies (21.7%).

So, what’s driving consumers to keep splurging on their weekly coffee and $7 pastry from the corner bakery while pinching pennies elsewhere? The answer may lie in the concept of affordable indulgences.

There’s a relative affordability of baked goods — when compared to pricier items like meat and seafood — that gives consumers permission to spend a little more, especially when they feature higher quality ingredients or offer a premium experience.

Jonna Parker, principal, fresh foods at Circana, said the reason smaller indulgences are relatively resilient in these inflationary times is twofold. First is the idea that indulging is a form of self-care. It’s a way for consumers to give themselves a break, especially when life feels extra stressful.

“The things that are extra indulgent feel like they should be the easy things to cut out of your purchases, but we’re more stressed than we have ever been as a society,” Parker said. “And what is a great way the food and beverage industry can help relieve stress? It’s with these little treat moments where you just give yourself permission for self-care. And there’s a sizable percentage of our population that does want to treat themselves with the occasional indulgence.”

In a recent Circana webinar, Sally Lyons Wyatt, executive VP and practice leader, client insights for Circana, said when it comes to snacking, she sees indulgence driving more growth than other segments, noting the possibility that economic challenges could be playing a factor in consumption.

“People love their indulgent snacks,” Lyons Wyatt said. “They always have.

“People love their indulgent snacks. They always have. They always will … Sometimes it’s just your favorite snack that makes you feel better.”

Sally Lyons Wyatt | executive VP and practice leader, client insights | Circana

They always will. We know that in tough times, we all want to feel better. And sometimes it’s just your favorite snack that makes you feel better, that emotional well-being.”

New research from Cargill confirms this notion. In The Sweet Delight: Decoding Consumer Bakery Decisions, a survey of 1,200 US consumers that looks at motivations and purchasing behaviors related to cakes, pastries and cookies, indulgence reigns as the most important purchasing factor, with 54% saying they chose bakery products to satisfy cravings while 44% said they bought them as a reward.

Circana’s 2023 Snacking Survey also suggested that the need for enjoyment and entertainment is a big driver for indulgent snacking, with 62% of consumers saying they want snacks that are fun to eat and 54% saying they like to eat snacks that add excitement to their daily diet. Innovating with surprising new flavors and offering fun and unexpected twists on nostalgic items are just a couple of ways that brands can capitalize on that consumer appetite.

In a recent episode of FoodNavigatorUSA’s Soup-to-Nuts podcast, Sarah Hickey, senior director of insights and market research at Dawn Foods, said she is excited about rising consumer interest in small treats and the trend of what she calls “daily delights,” which she noted could hold big potential for bakers from a business perspective.

“This idea of small, individual, really quality treats and items that consumers are enjoying on a more frequent basis — whether it be daily or weekly or three times a week — it’s really become part of their routine,” Hickey said. “The past three years have brought on a lot of

stress, and people need an outlet that provides them that happiness, that joy. And what’s more joyful than a cupcake or a donut every day?”

Then there’s the role of emotional happiness in bakery. Roerink suggested that even though it may seem contradictory, indulgence is not at complete odds with health. In fact, the idea of a “healthy indulgence” as it relates to a broader definition of wellness may also be at play here.

“It’s been a tough three years for most people between the pandemic and inflation, and as a result, the definition of health has evolved,” Roerink said. “The role of emotional wellbeing has become much bigger, going hand-in-hand with the role of physical health. It is that recognition, whether sharing, gifting or buying something for yourself, that is driving a high level of permissibility for indulgences.”

Hickey noted that as the national conversation around mental health has been brought to the forefront, consumers are making more conscious decisions that

support their overall wellbeing rather than following the strictness of a diet with black-and-white rules and restrictions. Research by Dawn Foods found that 67% of consumers said products with more calories but clean ingredients were healthier than products with fewer calories but more processed ingredients.

According to data from Innova, 66% of consumers globally are looking for food and beverages that offer healthy indulgent options. With this broader definition of wellness, bakery has an important place in a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

But there’s more to the permissibility of indulgence that goes beyond the idea of “treat yo’ self.” The second reason Parker said indulgence is winning despite inflation is that it’s a way of adding premiumization to a meal, whether that means springing for the custom-decorated birthday cake or opting for the pricier nine-grain loaf of bread that’s high in fiber.

While there are varied consumer motivations for indulgence, Parker suggested that CPG brands can capitalize on the trend in several ways. Finding the right

Right-sizing with single-serving versions of baked goods is one potential pathway for innovation.

© Marcus Z-Pics on Adobe Stock

ADDING SPEED TO THE BAKING MIX.

HALF THE

DOUBLE THE BENEFITS.

TRENDS | INNOVATION

product that hits the right consumer at the right price point and in the right size is a great place to start.

“Size is important,” Parker said. “Singleserve indulgences have had a significant resurgence in popularity in this inflationary environment. When you think about how the petite vanilla scone and cake pop revolutionized Starbucks’ menu, how are we doing that in commercial baking and in the cookie and cracker aisle?”

Roerink further emphasized the necessity for right-sizing.

“One or two donuts can be a very affordable treat versus a half dozen,” she added. “A package of snack cakes can be a great affordable treat compared to a box of cookies.”

Roerink also noted that the unit size and price per unit have become significantly more important in the past year. That means some tough choices for commercial bakers and their retail partners, including the potential risk of encouraging consumers to trade down on a purchase that could have been full price.

“There has been a lot of experimentation of smaller sizes in the fresh bakery and the meat department, and indeed we are seeing consumers pick up smaller packages when offered, figuring out a way to stretch the amount and save on the cost per unit,” she explained. “So while on the one hand, you may gain in having more people buy, you may also lose some dollars because others trade down to the smaller pack sizes.”

READ MORE:

Everday celebrations are driving premium baked good indulgences.

© Yuriy Korzhenevskyy on Adobe Stock

Roerink also suggested retailers can further take advantage of the indulgence trend by tapping into those consumers willing to consider private brands. In fact, 61% of consumers said they switch to private brands when their budget is tight, according to Circana’s 2023 Snacking Survey.

“Private brands had very strong recessionary years, and they are outperforming brands in most categories around the store, including commercial bakery,” she observed. “I do believe it is very important to point out that private brands and manufacturer brands win together.”

While food manufacturers like commercial bakers often invest in visibility for the category and aisle through their ad and shopper dollar

spend, private brands also offer stores the ability to bring something unique to shoppers.

“There continues to be growth opportunities within all tiers of private brands, including value and premium store brands,” Roerink said.

The good news is that although inflation may cause a growing number of consumers to press pause on discretionary spending, there remain plenty of opportunities for commercial bakers to innovate and keep consumers coming back. That could be through offering bite-sized or single-serving indulgences, helping consumers celebrate everyday occasions or promoting the healthy attributes of premium baked goods. CB

64% of Americans make room in their budgets for an occasional baked treat.

Source: ABA’s Life Through the Lens of Bakery report

GROWTH AND REINVENTION AHEAD

Consumer needs and interests sway from better-for-you snacks to sweet-tooth-satisfying baked goods to convenient on-the-go options. With varied consumer bases consisting of different lifestyles, allergen concerns and dietary needs, bakery brands and manufacturers must balance venturing into new territory with sticking to what they know people love. As food prices climb and sustainability takes center stage, consumers are using their dollars to communicate their demands. From brioche buns and Hawaiian sweet rolls to decadent sweet treats and savory snacks, this year’s showcase highlights some of Commercial Baking ’s favorite product launches and the companies putting innovation at the forefront.

Seeded Double Decker Burger Bun

Bimbo Bakehouse Foodservice heard the call for a quality foodservice hamburger bun and responded with the Seeded Double Decker Hamburger Bun, an elevated version of the traditional bun that gives operators a convenient way to differentiate their menus.

The bun balances consumer desire with operators’ needs for a versatile product.

“As we still face labor shortages and high employee turnover in the foodservice industry, it was also important that this bun was made to be available in a fully sliced, thaw-and-serve format that is convenient, requires little prep and will increase back-of-house efficiency,” said Heather Davis, senior manager of customer insights at Bimbo Bakehouse.

Due to operator feedback and space in the market for this type of product, the company expedited its development using its global efficiencies while ensuring product quality and safety standards were upheld.

Operators have shown interest in featuring the Seeded Double Decker Hamburger Bun on their menus.

“The Bakehouse team has shown the Seeded Double Decker Hamburger Bun at various trade shows and continues to receive positive feedback as well as

requests for samples and more information,” said Dana Strain, senior marketing manager at Bimbo Bakehouse.

The Seeded Double Decker Hamburger bun is available for foodservice frozen distribution nationally and through Dot Foods. The 4-in. hamburger buns are available in thaw-and-serve, and fully sliced 100-count packages that include four 25-count packs. www.bimbobakehouse.com

Photo courtesy of Bimbo Bakehouse Foodservice

First-of-Its-Kind Cake Bar

Hostess Brands created Kazbars, the candybar inspired snack cake that debuted in stores in late February.

The multi-layered bar combines soft chocolate cake with creme filling, candy crunch, and caramel or chocolate fudge.

The R&D process took almost two years and included consumer research to seek out what shoppers desired. Hostess determined that they were craving multitextured snacks.

“The snack had to be handheld, which meant it can either be pieces consumers can eat with one hand or something they could literally hold in one hand,” said Tina Lambert, VP of the Marketing Center of Excellence at Hostess Brands. “The second important thing we heard was it needed to be hearty. We thought ‘What does that actually mean?’ As we talked to consumers more, we heard that multitextured snacks makes them feel heartier.”

The new snack cake has been well received, with consumers enjoying the mix of textures.

“Eating it is believing it,” Lambert said. “What we found is that the idea is exciting on paper, but then when customers have a chance to taste the product, they’re like, ‘Wow, this really is something special.’”

Boxes containing eight 1.25-oz. mini bars can be found in grocery stores and mass merchandisers. Individually wrapped Kazbars can be purchased at convenience stores in a 2.75-oz. bar. www.hostessbrands.com

Photos courtesy of Hostess Brands

Mary’s Gone Plant-Based

Mary’s Gone Crackers, one of the largest organic and gluten-free cracker companies in the US, broke into the plant-based foods category with Mary’s Gone Cheezee Plant-Based Crackers.

With consumer interest in plant-based foods on the rise, it made sense for the brand to look into the segment.

The new line of vegan snack crackers retains the mild cheddar taste consumers recognize and prefer.

However, breaking into this new niche was no easy feat. It took the brand nearly two-and-a-half years of research to create the cheesy crackers in a vegan format, according to Kaitlin Sass, senior R&D manager of Mary’s Gone Crackers.

“We saw that opportunity, and what sets us apart is being organic, so we thought, ‘Why not throw our hat in the ring and give the consumer another option?’” Sass said. “Those who want to eat organic now have the choice to enjoy a plant-based product.”

To ensure Mary’s Gone Crackers delivered a product consumers wanted while providing the desired experience, a lot of focus went into formulating. Finding the right flour and cheese flavor was the key to creating these crackers.

In the research phase, nutritional yeast emerged as the top pick to achieve the naturally occurring nuttiness found in dairy cheese. Natural flavors bumped the authenticity even closer.

Once the team found the right flour — chickpea flour provided the right nuttiness similar to that of dairy cheese — the combination of ingredients created a product for consumers who need an alternative to the classic cheese cracker.

“With the nutritional yeast, natural flavor and chickpea flour, it’s given the perfect

texture for us,” Sass said. “It’s a very crispy, delicious eating experience and it also makes it a more authentic cheese snack cracker.”

Mary’s Gone Cheezee Plant-Based Crackers are available in two flavors: Plant-Based Cheddar and Plant-Based Cheese and Herb, which features notes of rosemary, oregano and thyme. Both flavor varieties come in 4.25oz. boxes at an SRP of $5.89 and can be found online and in Sprouts Farmers Market retailers nationwide. www.marysgonecrackers.com

Photo courtesy of Mary’s Gone Crackers

Sandwich Cookie Goes Sugar-Free

HighKey launched zero-sugar Sandwich Cookies, a new take on the classic chocolate-and-cream sandwich cookie, with creamy vanilla layered between two crispy, cocoa-flavored cookies.

The cookies are an expansion of the brand’s “high in awesome, not sugar” portfolio and boast 7g of fiber and 60 calories per serving.

“Sandwich cookies are the ‘holy grail’ of the cookie category,” said Joe Ens, CEO of HighKey. “Among the top five SKUs, they represent more than two-thirds of our revenue. As a low-sugar cookie company, we had to figure out how to make a product that tastes as good as the original to the more than half of Americans trying to reduce sugar in their diet.”

After around 200 iterations and more than two years of testing, HighKey Sandwich Cookies took their final form, free of sugar, low on carbs and crafted with clean ingredients.

“It’s hard to make a sandwich cookie without sugar and gluten, but our R&D and commercialization team iterated until they figured it out,” Ens said.

Once in the market, HighKey Sandwich Cookies were so popular among consumers that the brand sold out of the product a month earlier than expected.

“When we previewed the product at Expo West, the recurring theme was, ‘That’s as good as the original,’ or, ‘I can’t believe that doesn’t have sugar,’” Ens said.

HighKey Sandwich Cookies are available on Amazon and at select retailers nationwide for an SRP of $4.99 per box. Each box contains three sleeves, with 10 cookies per sleeve. www.highkey.com

Photo courtesy of HighKey

CAPTURE THE WINDS OF CHANGE. QUICKLY, AND WITH GENTLE HANDLING. BROUGHT TO LIFE WITH SCHUBERT.

Fresh, crispy baked goods are delicious, But they tend to crumble during packaging. Our solution: gentle robotic hands and a 3D scanner to monitor quality. In a machine that adapts to a wide variety of products in no time at all, Packaging them fully automatically in sustainable materials. In line with our Mission Blue: Only if it’s good for the planet, it’s good enough for our customers. www.schubert.group/en/Confectionary-snacks/

PACK EXPO LAS VEGAS

SEPTEMBER 11-13, 2023

SOUTH UPPER HALL BOOTH 7654 WELCOME

Labor-Saving Croissants

General Mills Foodservice has seen the difficulties bakeries and restaurant operators have faced due to the labor shortage and has innovated accordingly. The solution comes in the form of Pillsbury Freezer-to-Oven (FTO) Chocolate Swirled Croissants, which can be made in 30 minutes or less on an as-needed basis.

The croissant is a rustic, European-style pastry that boasts 48 flaky layers with semi-sweet, Belgian-style Barry Callebaut chocolate. The FTO technology requires no proofing or thawing, which helps save labor and limit food waste.

“This freezer-to-oven croissant was developed with the challenge of labor in mind,” said Christine O’Connor, associate principal scientist at General Mills Foodservice. “Literally, an operator can take one from the freezer and place it on a pan that goes straight to the oven to bake. It’s very simple and easy to manage for the operator.”

O’Connor, who oversaw the development of the frozen croissants, noted that from pilot plant to plant scale it took R&D several years to achieve the correct parameters for the FTO technology and chocolate-to-butter ratio. The distinct flat design of the croissants helps foodservice operators save freezer space.

“This process entails chocolate folded into the croissants to achieve the appearance,” she explained. “After this step, the croissants are curled and pressed over a series of steps to make the croissants flat. Several experiments were conducted to dial in the exact processing parameters of how much to flatten and still maintain the final desired quality. The result is croissants that can be stored flat but still rise beautifully.”

The Chocolate Swirled Croissants are available in 1.5- and 3-oz. sizes. www.generalmillscf.com

Photo courtesy of General Mills Foodservice

New Twist on an Old Favorite

Brewer’s Foods is known for its flatbreads and pita chips made with upcycled grains. When the company recognized a lack of sustainable products in the cookie space, it expanded its portfolio with the introduction of upcycled Chocolate Chip Sea Salt cookies.

The R&D process took about six months and emphasized the quality of ingredients. The cookies are made with Barry Callebaut chocolate, Cabot butter and King Arthur flour. Brewer’s crafted the cookies to have a homemade resemblance, allowing for nostalgia in every bite.

“I knew the cookies weren’t going to be the majority of my sales, at least right now,” said Kyle Fiasconaro, owner of Brewer’s Foods. “There are a lot of cookies out there, but not a lot of cookies are made like how you would make them at home, with super high-quality ingredients. I wanted to make the best quality cookie I could.”

With the number of cookies on the market, competition is fierce. Fiasconaro believes what separates Brewer’s Foods cookies from the rest is that the product is formulated with Upcycled Brewer’s Grain.

Brewer’s Chocolate Chip Sea Salt cookies can be found in Whole Foods stores in the North Atlantic region, most specialty food stores and the Brewer’s Foods website for an SRP of $6.99-7.99. The product is packaged in 5.7-oz. boxes with about 18 cookies per box. www.brewersfoods.com

Photo courtesy of Brewer’s Foods

Cheesy Chickpea Chips

Hippeas, the chickpea snack company, heard its consumers’ persistent requests for a cheese flavor to join its Chickpea Tortilla Chips line and answered by rolling out the Nacho Vibes flavor in January.

Turnaround from concept to store shelves was quick; it took the R&D team only six months to formulate the cheesy flavor.

“Our R&D team conducted extensive research into how chickpeas function on a tortilla line and re-engineered the process to ensure a ’crunchy‘ product by altering machine settings, adjusting the chickpea flour granulation, and making other product design changes,” said Julia Hect, CMO of Hippeas. “Over 75 benchtop samples were created to find the right formula.”

With a consumer base that prioritizes a healthier lifestyle food-wise but with tasty foods, Hippeas saw the need for a healthier spin on a traditional tortilla chip.

“We are committed to developing innovative, great-tasting, nutritionally superior products that inspire and enable motivated consumers to lead healthier lifestyles,” Hect said.

Since the release, feedback from consumers and retailers has been positive.

Hippeas is known for its vegan/dairy-free, certified glutenfree, non-GMO products. With 3g of protein and 3g of fiber per 1-oz. serving, these chickpea chips are packed with plant-based protein.

Nacho Vibes Chickpea Tortilla Chips can be purchased nationally at grocery stores and natural food retailers for an SRP of $4.49. On Amazon, an 18-count package of 1-oz. bags is available for an SRP of $24.99. www.hippeas.com

Photos courtesy of Hippeas

At-Home Gourmet Pizza

Rao’s Homemade, best known for jarred pasta sauces, has entered the frozen pizza category with the launch of Rao’s Made For Home Brick Oven Crust Pizza.

“Understanding that over the past few years even more consumers are choosing to eat at home versus going out to eat at restaurants, we noticed white space in the market for a truly brick oven-style pizza like the kind you might get from a restaurant,” said Steven Le, senior brand manager at Sovos Brands, parent company of Rao’s Homemade.

After identifying this niche market for authentic, brick oven-baked, pizzeria-style pizzas, the Rao’s Homemade team spent months perfecting its brick oven crust. The pizzas are the only products on the market that use Rao’s Homemade Pizza Sauce, which features San Marzano tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and herbs.

“These pizzas feature artisanal crusts baked in wood-fired brick ovens,” Le explained. “Each crust is individually formed. We also use high-quality, freshly shredded cheese including whole milk mozzarella, a sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes, freshly sauteed garlic and onions, fresh basil, and a variety of premium toppings.”

Rao’s Made For Home Brick Oven Crust Pizza is available in four flavors: Five Cheese, Meat Trio, Fire Roasted Vegetable and Uncured Pepperoni. The 12-in. gourmet pizzas are currently available at major grocery retailers such as Sprouts and Whole Foods for an SRP of $12.99. www.raos.com

Photos courtesy of Rao’s Homemade

Highest shape accuracy! Highest shape accuracy!

Inviting Daily Indulgence

Entenmann’s new Cake Truffles invite consumers to enjoy everyday moments with a bite of sweet decadence. The brand, which is owned by Bimbo Bakeries USA, described the new product as “the ultimate lavish taste experience.”

Formatted in a bite-size ball, the mini pre-proportioned cakes are currently available in two flavors: Chocolate Delight and Cookies and Creme. The Chocolate Delight version is enrobed in a chocolate coating, while the Cookies and Creme flavor is filled with white chocolate morsels and is covered in a chocolate coating.

“At Entenmann’s, we believe there’s no need to wait for a special occasion when you can celebrate every day by enjoying new Entenmann’s Cake Truffles,” said Catherine Danielowich, senior brand manager of Entenmann’s. “We’re thrilled to announce the latest release of Entenmann’s Cake Truffles, as we know our fans deserve to take a break from the mundane and treat themselves with these indulgent treasures.”

With the addition of Cake Truffles to the brand’s product lineup, Entenmann’s features more than 100 different baked goods, including donuts, crumb cakes and cookies. The truffles are packaged in boxes of eight, with four 2-count individually wrapped trays per box. They are available at select retailers for an SRP of $6.89. www.entenmanns.com

The Rise of Puffy Tortillas

Rise & Puff, a tortilla manufacturer focused on creating products with premium, clean ingredients, released its four-ingredient puffy tortillas.

Three years of R&D went into creating the line of tortillas, with the better part of two years spent innovating recipes, testing, refining and improving, with an emphasis on taste. The puffiness comes from removing eight of the 12 ingredients found in traditional supermarket tortillas, which prevent the dough from rising.

“Because we’re eliminating a lot of artificial ingredients, it’s a more difficult product to actually manufacture,” said Philip Summe, co-CEO of Rise & Puff.

In addition to manufacturing implications, the new tortilla line had to deliver on functionality and consumer demand, as well.

“Cleanest label, best tasting, innovation and excitement, enabling healthier living, and fun and easy to cook — those are all the attributes we have to hit on any product that we launch,” said Mark Shaw, co-CEO of Rise & Puff.

The response from consumers was far more than just numbers. Feedback came in the form of letters and emails from people who had to avoid eating traditional tortillas due to health restrictions.

“We were overwhelmed by the response,” Shaw said. “It’s not just the sales; it’s the

consumers’ reaction to what we’re doing and the love of it.”

Available in four options — Original, Certified Organic, Gluten-Free and Everything — all varieties are available in 8-count packages.

The tortillas can be found in the refrigerated section of stores in Northern and Southern California and Texas such as Erewhon, Central Market, Draeger’s, Sigona’s Farmers Market, Gus’s Bi-Rite, Mollie Stones and Woodlands Market. They can also be purchased through the Rise & Puff website. The SRPs for each variety are: Original, $5.99; Organic and Gluten-Free, $8.99; and Everything, $6.99. www.riseandpuff.com

Photo courtesy of Rise & Puff

Unexpected Pizza Innovation

Cappello’s, a gourmet food company, has found success in an unexpected ingredient: turnips. With a grain-free, gluten-free and keto-friendly crust derived from the mild root vegetable, the brand launched an extension of its pizza line with Low Carb, Uncured Pepperoni Pizza.

Cappello’s crust taps the low-carb potential of turnips and combines it with nutritious almond flour, cage-free eggs and flaxseed. Topped with lowmoisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese and uncured, spicy pepperoni, Cappello’s low-carb pizza contains 6g of net carbs per serving and zero seed oils.

“Our infinite love of pizza met a finite list of ingredients, culminating in a delicious, high-fiber, high-protein, gluten-free, lowcarb line of pizzas,” said Lauren Lortie, VP of marketing at Cappello’s. “We were able to create this eating experience by being the first CPG brand to use the magic of turnips in a frozen format. This small but mighty vegetable brings fiber, iron, vitamin E and antioxidants to each slice.”

Consumers can find recognizable ingredients on Cappello’s labels, all of which are naturally grain- and glutenfree. Formulating with clean ingredients can be challenging, and the journey from ideation to launch took more than a year.

“Because this was a brand-new formulation and catering to a different consumer target than the rest of our products, we engaged in qualitative and quantitative research to understand the unique needs of keto eaters, keto dabblers and generally carb-conscious consumers,” Lortie said.

Consumers can purchase Cappello’s 11.9-oz. Low Carb Pepperoni Pizza for $11.99 at select Kroger stores, nationwide at Whole Foods Market, and on the Capello’s website. www.cappellos.com

Photo courtesy of Cappello’s Pizza

Low-Carb Keto Bread

Nature’s Own ventured into the keto category with its Keto Net One bread, the first keto white loaf bread from parent company Flowers Foods.

“We were inspired by consumer insights and trends,” said Brent Bradshaw, SVP of core brands for Flowers. “It is difficult to walk into a grocery store without seeing a keto-friendly product on every aisle. We had success with our Nature’s Own Life Honey Wheat, which has seven net carbs per slice, but we wanted to push the envelope even further and develop a product with even fewer net carbs.”

The R&D process started with a challenge for the team to create a soft keto loaf that offers the same texture as regular bread while still having low net carbs. The bread also had to follow the Nature’s Own brand promise of no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives or high fructose corn syrup.

“This loaf is great for consumers with a keto lifestyle,” Bradshaw said. “The carbs minus the fiber yield a very low net carb count. We also have 6g of protein per slice, which will be a great addition for a keto-friendly meal.”

Nature’s Own Keto Net One is available in a wide variety of grocery and club stores with an SRP of $6.99 for a 16-oz. loaf. www.naturesownbread.com

Photo

Sustainably Sourced Cheese Crackers

Cheddies is disrupting the salty snack market with a first-of-its-kind cracker made with 100% real cheddar cheese.

Started by brothers Tomas and Francisco Pergola, Cheddies is on a mission to bridge the gap between indulgence and health. The pair founded the company while in college with the goal of creating an alternative to processed cheese-based snacks, namely a sustainably sourced cheese cracker.

“That was our main point of differentiation,” said Francisco, co-founder of Cheddies .

R&D for the new snack product took about 18 months. The crackers contain only seven ingredients, including a proprietary cheddar cheese recipe. The ingredients are sourced fresh from regenerative farms.

“We use fewer ingredients that are all high-quality and tasty,” Francisco said. “Our product has more protein and fewer carbs, which is a nice benefit.”

The crackers have 6g of protein and 130 calories per serving. They are also certified humane, certified regenerative and Non-GMO Project-verified.

Cheddies snack crackers are available in three flavor varieties — Classic Sea Salt, Spicy Cheddar and White Cheddar — at Sprouts Farmers Market nationwide and select H-E-B locations for an SRP of $5.99. www.cheddiescrackers.com

Photo courtesy of Cheddies

Soft-Baked, Safe-to-Share

Partake Foods’ Soft Baked Snickerdoodle cookies offer consumers a taste of nostalgia in an allergy-friendly, safe-to-share, better-for-you recipe.

“When we innovate, we employ a cross-functional iterative process that is different for every Partake product,” explained Laura Gross, VP of marketing for Partake Foods. “We saw in the consumer feedback that there was really a need and a space for a snickerdoodle flavor. After we identified the opportunity, the innovations team took the idea to our operations team to see if we could produce a great-tasting cookie.”

The answer was, “Yes.” From that point, R&D moved quickly — taking just six months — and focused primarily on fine-tuning the product and scoping it for launch. Like other products in Partake’s portfolio, the cookies are free of the top nine food allergens. They are also certified gluten-free and certified vegan, Non-GMO Project-verified, kosher and free of gums and emulsifiers.

“From an innovation and flavor perspective, it helps to iterate on classics,” Gross said. “We want to provide inclusive opportunities for coming together, celebrating and sharing something everyone can enjoy, and traditional flavors like snickerdoodle fit within our ethos.”

Consumers have been giving high praise to the cookies.

“We’re getting tremendous feedback from our consumers,” Gross noted. “Everybody is really excited about this flavor and particularly that it’s a soft-baked texture.”

Soft Baked Snickerdoodle Cookies are available on Partake’s website and in grocery stores and retailers nationwide for an SRP of $5.99 per 5.5-oz. box. www.partakefoods.com

Photo courtesy of Partake Foods

Light on Carbs and Keto-Friendly

Thomas’, a Bimbo Bakeries USA brand, continues to innovate in the breakfast category with the release of Keto Bagel Thins Bagels, the first keto product from the brand.

The slim bagel has 2 net carbs and 80 calories per serving and provides consumers an alternative to the classic bagel. Achieving that low-net-carb level while retaining taste and texture was a challenge, noted Mike Jensen, senior brand manager at Thomas’. He shared that it took the brand’s R&D team about a year to make this product a reality.

“We always develop new products with the consumer in mind, so we wanted to find a product that met the health benefits they were looking for while also ensuring the product tasted great,” Jensen said.

He also shared that products like Keto Bagel Thins Bagels appeal to consumers seeking foods that suit certain dietary needs.

“We are seeing consumer demand for low-carb and keto-friendly options continue to grow,” Jensen said. “Keto Bagel Thins Bagels are delivering benefits to consumer who don’t want to give up their bagels all together, and instead have a delicious bagel option that will fit into their lifestyles.”

Thomas’ Keto Bagel Thins Bagels are pre-sliced and available at major retailers nationwide in an 8-pack at an SRP of $7.49. www.thomasbreads.com

Photo courtesy of Thomas’

Sliced and bagged perfection with

Sanitary slicing and packaging for soft bread, buns, and more

For high-speed, reliable packaging solutions, AMF PackTech delivers sanitary solutions for bun, roll, and bread slicing and bagging, and bulk bun packaging. The recipe-driven Saber 75S Slicer and Mark 75S Bagger improve the packaging process by introducing a series of automated adjustments that eliminate operator intervention, improve product consistency, and ensure operator safety. Plus, the new design offers easy access for simple, safe sanitation and maintenance. All PackTech equipment is engineered with reliability in mind for simple operation to ensure optimal package quality and extended product shelf life.

Permissible Indulgence

Bobo’s Oat Bars added an indulgent twist to its soft baked product with its new line of Dipp’d Bars, which debuted earlier this year.

The bars are made with whole grain oats and real cocoa and are vegan, certified non-GMO, and dairy- and gluten-free. Available in three flavors — Original, Peanut Butter and Double Chocolate — the dark chocolate bottom adds a taste of indulgence.

Getting the bars from concept to store shelf was a five-year journey sparked by a spur-of-the-moment social media post.

“In 2017, we dipped our bars in chocolate and posted them on Instagram as a recipe inspiration, and people really went crazy for it,” shared Henry Hughes, EVP of marketing at Bobo’s. “We did some R&D around the concept but couldn’t really

Working with chocolate is a challenge, and we felt we needed a little more expertise to do it the right way, so it’s something that had been percolating.”

When the concept came together, the initial plan was to launch in the candy bar aisle. However, with incrementality and meeting different occasions for its consumers’ big focus points for the company, Bobo’s took a step back to reconsider the product’s positioning. Ultimately, Bobo’s decided to launch Dipp’d Bars in the cereal bar category, where it had already experienced success.

“We only dip the bottom of the bars, so it’s what we like to call a ‘permissible indulgence,’” Hughes explained. “It’s really an incremental day part from our current cereal bar consumer, which is typically

talked with consumers, they said they could see giving the bar to their kids as a snack before dinner or enjoying it in afternoon with a cup of coffee. It’s really a bit of that treat-indulgent day part.”

Dipp’d Bars are still rolling out to stores, but Hughes said early data points to a positive market response.

“It’s been our top-selling item in our direct-to-consumer channel right out of the gate, so that’s a positive indication,” Hughes shared.

Bobo’s Dipp’d Bars are available in a 30-pack of 1-oz. bars through Bobo’s website and Amazon.com for an SRP of $22.99-$29.99. They launched in Whole Foods stores in April and will soon be available in grocery stores nationwide. www.eatbobos.com

Photo courtesy of Bobo’s

Flavor-Packed Tortillas

Mama Lupe’s expanded its tortilla lineup with Flavor Pack Tortillas, featuring six new flavors.

The tortillas were the result of 10 months of ideation, testing and sampling with Mama Lupe’s sister brand, La Tortilla Factory. Together the brands developed the flavor profiles: Ranch, BBQ, Buffalo, Churro, Chocolate and Pumpkin Spice.

“The project was initiated by one of our customers,” said Gary Brown, VP of sales and marketing at Tortilla King, which manufactures Mama Lupe’s tortillas. “They asked if we would create a unique lineup of products that would excite their consumers. One of our mottos is ‘We find a way to yes,’ so we assembled a team and went to work creating a portfolio of products.”

The original tortilla lineup had nearly 40 different flavors, but after the R&D process, the team launched the ones that were their favorites.

Mama Lupe’s Flavor Pack Tortillas allow the brand to expand the product outside of its traditional place in the grocery aisle.

“The Chocolate and Churro really grab attention when they are merchandised with snack cakes or near ice cream,” Brown said. “The savory items are great in the deli when merchandised near the lunch meats. These items are an opportunity for retailers to expand their tortilla sales.”

Mama Lupe’s Flavor Pack Tortillas are available in 6-count packages for an SRP of $2.99. The tortillas are in limited distribution, with a nationwide roll out set for this fall. www.mamalupes.com

Photos courtesy of Mama Lupe’s

Celebrating the Everyday Holiday

Pepperidge Farm knows a thing or two about turning everyday occasions into something worth celebrating. Birthdays — the ultimate everyday holiday — were the inspiration behind Soft Baked Charleston Birthday Cake Cookies, the latest innovation in the brand’s soft-baked cookie line.

“We haven’t had news in our soft-baked portfolio for a couple of years, so it was a good place for us to innovate,” said George Vindiola, VP of R&D at Campbell Snacks, which owns the Pepperidge Farm brand. “Everybody has a birthday, and that inspired us to make a new cookie with a little more excitement than we would typically have in a soft-baked cookie.”

That excitement comes in the form of white chocolate chunks and colorful rainbow sprinkles that impart a birthday feel and represent the colors of Rainbow Row in Charleston, SC.

“We wanted to create an entirely new cookie experience for our fans that is not only indulgent but also evokes special memories,” Vindiola explained. “We knew that Charleston has become a popular destination to celebrate life’s milestones, including birthdays, so we tied the famous street colors of Charleston’s Rainbow Row into our cookie’s rainbow sprinkles to give fans even more to celebrate.”

From concept to shelf, R&D took about a year. The team was able to shorten the development time thanks to Campbell Snacks’ pilot plant, which allows recipe testing at pilot scale before ramping up to full-scale production in its facilities.

“We make a lot of soft-bakes, so the process was pretty straightforward,” Vindiola shared. “It was really about how we could keep the soft-baked experience with the white chocolate chunks and sprinkles going on at the same time. That was really the magic.”

The cookies launched in January, and Vindiola said the response from

consumers, social media influencers and the overall Charleston community has been overwhelmingly positive.

“That really gives us confidence that we’ve created not only a great product but also something that honors and celebrates the local [Charleston] community,” Vindiola said. “With the birthday connection, people are using this one cookie to celebrate multiple moments during multiple times.”

Soft Baked Charleston Birthday Cake

Cookies are available at grocery retailers nationwide at an SRP of $5.09 per 8.6-oz. bag. www.pepperidgefarm.com

Photo courtesy of Pepperidge Farm

Subtly Sweet Sandwich Buns

Wonder Bread, a Flowers Foods brand, brought a taste of “newstalgia” to consumers in April with the launch of Hawaiian Buns, a larger-size version of Hawaiian rolls. The buns combine the iconic soft texture of Wonder bread with a hint of sweetness that adds a tropical twist to the brand’s traditional buns.

“Consumers are looking for options in the bun category with a sweeter flavor profile,” said John Steed, senior VP of legacy brands at Flowers Foods. “The formula we’ve created for our new Wonder Hawaiian Buns is truly the perfect tropical blend. It’s sweet, yet savory, and the build incorporates our classic Wonder soft texture that is still sturdy enough to pile on the ingredients.”

As part of the product announcement, Flowers hopped on the virtual consumer-engagement bandwagon by sponsoring the Wonder Hawaiian BUNgalow Game, which allowed gamers to battle it out in a virtual bun stacking contest. The game was available on the product’s landing page for six weeks following the launch. Players who completed the game could submit daily entries for a chance to win a $100 gift card and a Wonder Hawaiian shirt, with a total of 42 giveaway winners.

Wonder Hawaiian Buns are available in 15-oz. packages of eight buns each at retailers nationwide for an SRP of $3.49. www.wonderbread.com

Photo courtesy of Wonder Bread

For Goodness Sake™

Ultimate Hinge ™ improves the strength of buns and rolls while enhancing softness and freshness.

Talk to our bakery experts today.

Taking on the Grocery Aisle

Magnolia Bakery is taking its toothsome talents to the grocery aisle with the launch of Banana Pudding Cookies. Released in March, these shelf-stable cookies were inspired by Magnolia Bakery’s world-famous banana pudding, a staple at the bakery since it opened in 1996.

The team spent more than a year finalizing the soft-baked cookie, but it was time well spent.

“We were very intentional with the innovation behind Banana Pudding Cookies,” shared Bobbie Lloyd, CEO of Magnolia Bakery. “We knew that the product needed to reflect the Banana Pudding everyone knows and loves and upkeep the quality we strive for in our bakeshops — real butter, real bananas, real chocolate — while still creating a product that works on the shelf.”

The cookies offer authentic flavors not often found in the grocery aisle.

Magnolia Bakery specifically chose to expand into supermarkets after conducting a consumer brand study in which 70% of participants shared they’d most like to see Magnolia Bakery offer a product on grocery shelves. Cookies were the vehicle for the brand’s latest innovation.

Consumers can enjoy Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding Cookies in three flavors: Classic Vanilla made with white chocolate chips, Confetti made with white chocolate chips and birthday cake flavor, and Chocolate Chunk.

The Soft Baked Banana Pudding Cookies come in a 4-pack of individually wrapped cookies at an SRP of $7.99. This product can be purchased at Fresh Market and Harris Teeter retail locations, as well as on Amazon and on the Magnolia Bakery website. www.magnoliabakery.com

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Bakery

New Chip in Town

a woman-owned brand making better-for-you chickpea snacks, put a healthy twist on a consumer favorite with the launch of Tasty Thins chips. The plant-based crisps are made with chickpeas, carrots, sweet potatoes and peas. They are also non-GMO and free from artificial flavors or colors.

The concept had to go through a rigorous internal approval process before getting the green light.

“Before we develop a new product, we filter the idea through something we call Golden Triangle Positioning,” explained Poorvi Patodia, founder and CEO of Biena Snacks. “A new product has to meet the requirements of all sides of the triangle: Does it solve a consumer problem in a differentiated way? Does it fill a gap in the market? And does it further our mission to recreate the snack aisle with the best plant-based nutrition?”

Tasty Thins is the first product of its kind to offer a 30-chip serving size, Patodia said, and that was by design.

“One of the challenges we’ve noted with snacking is that people tend to overeat, especially when it comes to

chips,” she said. “We wanted to meet that need with a differentiated offering that lets consumers eat without feeling guilty.”

Creating the product meant the company had to enter a new category for the brand. That required a new R&D process that took almost 18 months.

“It took different formats,” Patodia said. ”We tried different approaches and had twists and turns during those 18 months. The final iteration came in the last nine months of the R&D process.”

Biena Snacks is pleased with the strong market response.

“Our learning is that Tasty Thins have a strong repeat rate,” Patodia shared. “We feel the item is resonating with our consumer base and that we are actually solving a challenge many people have when it comes to eating chips.”

Tasty Thins are available on the Biena Snacks website and at grocery stores and retailers nationwide. Available in three flavors — Hawaiian BBQ, Tuscan Herb and Sea Salt — the chips are packaged in 4-oz. bags with an SRP of $4.69- $4.99. www.bienasnacks.com

Photo courtesy of Biena Snacks

Gluten-Free with a Tropical Twist

Canyon Bakehouse, a leading brand in the gluten-free category, expanded its Hawaiian sweet bread line with Hawaiian Pull Apart Rolls.

Increasingly, consumers are seeking gluten-free versions of traditional baked goods such as Hawaiian rolls, which have gained popularity in the specialty bread category, said to Dan Letchinger, senior VP, growth brands, at Flowers Foods, which owns the Canyon Bakehouse brand.

“While Hawaiian rolls have been increasingly popular in the specialty bread category, gluten-free options were noticeably absent prior to this introduction,” he said. “Our brand legacy is built around inclusion and giving people back the sense of normalcy when it comes to eating bread. Something as simple as a dinner roll can have a tremendous impact when it lives up to the expectations of great taste, wholesomeness and high-quality ingredients.”

As with many products that are adapted to fit certain health needs, creating the Hawaiian Pull Apart Rolls was a matter of finding the balance between necessity and flavor.

“Like any gluten-free baked good, the challenge is finding the perfect balance of taste and texture that replicates the sensory experience of the gluten version,” Letchinger said. “This was our benchmark, and our positive consumer feedback on the rolls tells us we achieved just that.”

The Hawaiian rolls appeal to younger and older gluten-free consumers, rendering the product one of the most sought-after items in the Canyon Bakehouse lineup, according to Letchinger. Additionally, the product continues the brand’s expansion into the roll segment.

In line with other Canyon Bakehouse products, the Hawaiian rolls are made with whole grains and free of dairy, soy, sesame, peanuts and tree nuts. Each roll has 2g of protein and no trans or saturated fats.

Canyon Bakehouse Hawaiian Pull Apart Rolls come in 6-count packages and are available in the frozen bread section in grocery stores nationwide for an SRP of $7.99. www.canyonglutenfree.com

Photo courtesy of Canyon Bakehouse

Homestyle BFY Brownies

Nature’s Bakery took a leap toward indulgence with the recent release of its Brownie.

The plant-based product — made from whole grains, dates and cocoa — debuted in March, but the journey for the better-for-you bar actually began about two years ago, according to Courtney Kaiser, director of product development for Nature’s Bakery.

“We started by evaluating different brownies in the market,” Kaiser said. “We wanted to understand what consumers are looking for and what our team liked, and we started from there.”

After some experimentation in the R&D lab testing recipes that played with different flavors and textures, the team landed on a softer brownie akin to the center slice of the baked classic. In creating a product that is dairy- and nut-free as well as non-GMO and vegan, the Nature’s Bakery team had to be resourceful when narrowing the suppliers needed to fit the taste they were going for. The next challenge became scaling the recipe from the lab to commercial production.

“When we were scaling in the actual bakery, we wanted it to be so soft and have a texture that people would think of as homemade, not just a cookiecutter brownie, so we had to make sure

it wasn’t completely spreading when we were producing it,” Kaiser said. “We had to make sure it kept it shape. We had to go back to the drawing board a little bit, but it turned out really well, and it looks more handmade.”

Nature’s Bakery eventually landed on a soft-baked recipe that balances a BFY profile with an indulgent taste.

“The Brownie meets the space that is permissible of indulgence, healthier and delicious,” Kaiser said. “It’s something that’s easier to choose when it’s a bit healthier. Consumers are loving the fact that it’s dairy-free, nut-free and has vegan chocolate, real cocoa and dates,

things people can recognize when they look at the label.”

The brownies were on display during Natural Products Expo West in March, where the team received additional positive feedback.

“Our consumers are loving it already, and I’m excited to see it out in bigger stores this summer,” Kaiser shared.

Nature’s Bakery Brownie comes in a 6-count twin-pack box at an SRP of $6. The product is currently available online and will roll out in retailers including Target and Walmart. www.naturesbakery.com

Photo courtesy of Nature’s Bakery

Scan For Video

Vision Guided Robotics | Secondary Packaging | Turnkey Packaging Solutions

You make it. We pack it. End of line packaging solutions for the bakery, snack and tortilla industries. BPA loads your packaged and naked products into cases and various secondary containers including your hffs machines, wrapper chain in-feeds and indexing thermoform machines.

You make it. We it. End of line solutions for the bakery, snack and tortilla BPA loads your and naked into cases and various secondary containers including your hffs machines, wrapper chain in-feeds and thermoform machines

carton loading

case packing

stacking

shelf ready

wrapper loading

multipacks

A Crunch of Indulgence

Milk Bar has been satisfying the cake and cookie sweet tooth since it opened its doors in New York City’s East Village in 2008. In late March, the brand launched its all-new Crunchies cookies, adding another shelf-stable goodie to its expanding lineup.

The brand’s new airy, bite-sized cookies are filled with pops of crunch from the addition of puffed rice cereal, an ingredient Milk Bar is known for.

Crunchies come in four flavors: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip, Pretzel-y Chocolate Chip, Vanilla Butter Crunch and Cinnamon Toast, a leading flavor in the group.

In 2020, Milk Bar launched a soft-baked cookie in grocery stores but determined consumers were looking for snacks of a different format to be enjoyed at home. When analyzing category opportunity, Milk Bar found that “firm and indulgent” cookies had the highest potential for growth.

“Combined with the ‘at home’ and ‘on the go’ snacking occasion, ‘firm and indulgent’ lined up perfectly with where the market was moving,” said Keith Levy, president of Milk Bar. “For us, it’s important to understand where the market is moving, not just where it is today.”

The reception for Crunchies has been off the charts, according to the brand, with demand currently outweighing its supply … something the Milk Bar supply team is working to remedy quickly.

Milk Bar Crunchies are available nationwide at retailers including Whole Foods, Giant, Stop & Shop and Foxtrot. Each 4-oz. bag has an SRP of $5.99. www.milkbarstore.com

Photo courtesy of Milk Bar

Vegan Deux-Nuts

Deux may be more commonly recognized for its edible cookie dough, but the vegan and gluten-free brand has ventured into snacking with the debut of its Classic Glazed Donut Holes.

The Enhanced Donut Holes are enriched with vitamin B12 and L-theanine for energy, focus and metabolism. With 30% less sugar and made with all-natural ingredients, Deux’s Glazed Donuts are composed of vanilla cake covered in a thin icing layer.

Following ideation, the R&D team evaluated the current market, then locked down what it wanted to produce and how to distinguish the product. Next, it created iterations until it was

ready to scale up. The process took six months, according to Patrick Butcher, head of marketing at Deux.

“After analyzing consumption behaviors with our cookie doughs — hint: we became obsessed with this idea of day-parting snacks — we found they were looking for a quick, nourishing snack they could enjoy on the go and that they felt good about eating,” Butcher shared. “Creating a line of good-for-you donuts that provide nutrients while still being delicious and poppable felt in line with how our customer base came to know and love Deux.”

The new product was received very well, perhaps a little too well, Butcher said.

“We have dropped and sold out of the product twice, each time in just a matter of weeks,” he said. “Due to the demand, we had to work to find a new co-packer who could keep up with the velocities and our new forecast. After being out of stock for three months, we are excited that this product has come back. With the momentum we are seeing and the NPS score this product has gotten, we are expecting this to compete with the popularity of our top-selling cookie dough SKUs.”

Consumers can purchase Deux Classic Glazed Donut Holes directly from the brand’s website in two 4-count packs for $16. www.eatdeux.com

Photo courtesy of Deux

Feel-Good Convenience

Voortman Bakery, a Hostess Brands offering, brings sugarfree convenience to consumers with its latest innovation. Zero Sugar Mini Wafers, released in March.

Available in vanilla and chocolate varieties, the mini wafers boast no artificial flavors, colors or high fructose corn syrup.

Adam Lisook, general manager of Voortman Cookies, shared that the mini wafers were created as a “real good, feel good treat” to appease snackers who are increasingly conscious of sugar consumption but do not want to sacrifice flavor.

“Voortman Zero Sugar Mini Wafers definitely appeal to this growing audience of sugar-conscious consumers, and we saw this as an excellent opportunity to meet a consumer need while expanding our zero-sugar portfolio,” Lisook said.

The cookies were made with the millennial and Gen Z generations in mind. Lisook noted research indicating these demographics are interested in travel-friendly sweet treats with minimal mess and no sugar.

The mini wafers made their way from concept to crunchable in about 15 months, a timeframe Lisook credited to the agility and commitment of the Voortman Cookies R&D team.

“The team’s primary work was to make sure that the crispycreamy texture and eating experience our consumers have come to expect from Voortman remained when the wafers were cut to bite-sized dimensions,” he said.

The Zero Sugar Mini Wafers come in 6.5-oz. resealable stand-up pouches and are available for purchase in grocery retailers across the US and Canada. www.voortman.com

Photos courtesy of Voortman Bakery

New Top Load Case Packers using Gravity

A simplified, flexible approach to automated end-of-line case packing

With this top load case packer, a layer of product is indexed and positioned over a set of doors prior to dropping the layer into a basket or case. This solution combines mechanical simplicity with flexibility – you can quickly changeover EOL packaging to handle multiple SKU’s under either approach. It is also well suited to constrained plant footprints often associated with manual loading.

Harpak-ULMA’s Top-Load Gravity Case Packers utilize a common conveyor and pattern former with side pushers to condense and orient a complete product layer of fresh baked goods, or the corrugated cases typically used for frozen products. Historically, producers have either utilized manual loading to achieve such flexibility or invested in separate basket and/or case end-of-line (v) automation. A single solution that offers both capabilities in the same footprint helps justify automation by significantly improving ROI.

// Different mosaics

// Small footprint

// GCP100 model packages at a speed of up to 60 bags per minute

// GCP200 model packages at a speed of up to 90 bags per minute

Worth the Wait

Pepperidge Farm expanded its Farmhouse line of bread with the launch of Farmhouse Brioche Sandwich Bread, inspired by small batch recipes.

The brand took its time in developing the recipe, wanting to create an elevated product that perfectly captured the sweet, salty and buttery taste of brioche bread.

“With the recent growth of the category, it’s been exciting to put our spin on brioche in a way that only Pepperidge Farm can,” said George Vindiola, VP of R&D at Campbell Snacks, which owns the Pepperidge Farm brand. “It took us a few years to get there. We were able to build on the backs of previous launches that had elevated recipes.”

The sugar and dairy content — the recipe uses real butter — can make it challenging to run through automation.

“The team did a really nice job on the recipe,” Vindiola added. “The plants are doing a great job executing it.”

Consumer demand for new forms and flavors was the driving force behind the new product, with people looking for baked goods that offer an elevated yet versatile eating experience that is suitable for any occasion. The timing of the Brioche Sandwich Bread release aligns with Circana research data: as of March, brioche was one of the largest growing flavors in the Fresh Bread and Rolls category.

“Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Brioche Sandwich Bread has been one of our most successful innovation launches in recent years thanks to fast distribution gains at nearly every retailer and consistently strong sales,” Vindiola said. “This success has exceeded our expectations and can be attributed to a combination of a great tasting product, robust marketing support, and ramping up in-store/online activations to meet today’s consumer demands.”

Farmhouse Brioche Sandwich Bread is available at grocery retailers throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South and Midwest. Consumers can purchase 22-oz. loaves for an SRP of $4.99. www.pepperidgefarm.com

Photo courtesy of Pepperidge Farm

Big, Bold Pretzel Sticks

Zapp’s, a potato chip brand in the Utz Brands snack food portfolio, ventured into the pretzel category with its Sinfully-Seasoned Pretzel Stix line.

Known for its unique flavors, the brand went bold for its first foray into the category with two New Orleans-style flavor varieties: Voodoo and Jazzy Honey Mustard. Voodoo’s flavor profile is Cajun-inspired and features sweet and spicy notes with hints of BBQ. Jazzy Honey Mustard offers a zesty blend of mustard and honey.

“Zapp’s is a beloved brand, particularly with everyone’s favorite flavor, Voodoo,” said Stacey Schultz, senior VP of marketing for Utz Brands. “Our new Zapp’s Sinfully-Seasoned Pretzel Stix takes New Orleans-inspired flavors even further.”

Since its release, the product has received positive feedback. The snack was recently recognized as the 2023 Pantry Award Winner for Best Pretzel Stick by Self Magazine

“Only a few months ago, we took the leap into the flavored pretzel category, and we are thrilled with the love consumers and customers have shared for our new Zapp’s Sinfully-Seasoned Pretzel Stix,” Schultz said on LinkedIn.

Sinfully-Seasoned Pretzel Stix are available at retailers nationwide in 5-oz. bags for an SRP of $3.79 and 16-oz. packages for an SRP of $6.29. www.utzsnacks.com

Photo courtesy of Utz Brands

Beyond Bread and Into Bars

Dave’s Killer Bread (DKB) is best known for its organic whole-grain bread products. However, this Flowers Foods brand is breaking into bars, a segment that is gaining traction in the baking industry.

DKB’s Organic Snack Bars began rolling out nationwide earlier this year after launching in limited markets in 2021, said Dan Letchinger, senior VP, growth brands, at Flowers Foods.

“Like most new products, we began development by focusing on the musthaves,” Letchinger explained. “They needed to live up to the Dave’s spirit and have the same attraction as our bread line: soft-baked, moist, flavorful and packed with recognizable ingredients.”

Translating DKB’s expertise in the bread aisle into bar manufacturing provided an interesting learning opportunity. Adjusting to the difference in shelf life between bars and bread proved to be a key difference when developing the bars.

“Organic ingredients, plus our high standards for top quality, make this more complicated,” Letchinger said. “To ensure our ingredients were recognizable and simple, we had to eliminate some that are commonly used to support a longer shelf life. So, we got creative to mix up the right combination of flours, whole grains,

starches, fibers and sweeteners to hit the right balance.”

The bars are available in three flavor varieties: Chocolate Brownie Blitz, Trail Mix Crumble and Oat-Rageous Honey Almond Bar.

“Leaving the bread aisle meant these snack bars would have to stand alone in a new section of the store,” Letchinger added. “Selecting the right flavors that kept the bars unified as a [brand] family, but unique enough to individually attract different consumers was important.”

DKB’s R&D team used ingredients such as grains and seeds to connect the flavors and to give a nod to the brand’s bread origins.

The snack bars meet the DKB standard of also being Non-GMO Project-verified and containing no artificial ingredients, preservatives, colors or flavors.

Stepping out of the familiarity of the bread aisle was a risk, but, according to Letchinger, it’s a venture that has paid off.

“Fans both old and new are loving the taste and texture, and we look forward to the continued product roll out in the year ahead,” he said.

DKB Organic Snack Bars are available at grocery outlets nationwide in 4-pack boxes for an SRP of $5.99. Individual bars retail for $1.99. www.daveskillerbread.com

Photo courtesy of Dave’s Killer Bread

Plant-Based, Planet-Friendly

Planet Bake, a brand focused on “lifestyle conscious” consumption, launched grainand sugar-free vegan donuts sourced from high-quality ingredients that prioritize sustainability. The non-GMO donuts are also egg-, dairy-, gluten- and soy-free, and keto- and paleo-friendly.

“Planet Bake mimics the exact taste of indulgent desserts, with exactly zero sugar, low net carbs, high fiber and only planet-friendly ingredients,” said Kathrin Henon, founder and CEO of Planet Bake.

The brand uses allulose as a natural sweetener, which has zero glycemic impact. Each low-netcarb donut contains avocado oil, almond flour, psyllium husk, flax and pea protein, and offers protein and fiber. The donuts have a 15-day shelf life and can stay fresh for 45 days in the refrigerator or up to six months in the freezer.

The plant-based donuts are available in several flavors such as Vanilla Bean, Red Velvet, Cinnamon Roll, Dark Chocolate and Very Blueberry, with seasonal flavors including Gingerbread and Pumpkin Spice.

The donuts are available at independent health stores in New York City as well as retailers such as Westside Market NYC, Green’s Natural Foods, Juice Press and PlantX Markets in the Chicago area and in Venice Beach, CA. Consumers can also purchase the donuts through Planet Bake’s website, with the option to create a customizable box for $44.99. www.planet-bake.com

Photo courtesy of Planet Bake

A Nutty Way to Elevate Snacking

Simple Mills redefined snacking with the release of Nut Butter Stuffed Sandwich Cookies, the only sandwich cookies on the market made with real nuts and nut butter. These cookies, which are Non-GMO Project-verified and glutenfree, are a dairy-free snack option made with cashews and peanuts and packed with protein, vitamins and minerals.

Helping consumers transform how they feel by empowering them to choose clean, nutritious options has always been a cornerstone of the brand’s mission. Its latest development is no exception.

“Buckwheat has promising soil health properties, attracts pollinators and can play an important role in diverse crop rotations,” said Christina Skonberg, director of sustainability and mission at Simple Mills.

Additionally, the cookies are sweetened with 7g of organic coconut sugar, which comes from perennial trees that contribute to building healthy soil.

Nut Butter Sandwich Cookies were developed out of a pandemic-born consumer desire for comforting, nostalgic foods that also offered a better-foryou twist.

“Made with nut flour and nut butter, these cookies marry the nostalgic sandwich cookie with nutrient-dense

ingredients for a satiating, anytime snack,” Skonberg said, noting the use of ingredients such as cashew flour, cashew butter, organic coconut sugar and organic buckwheat flour.

Simple Mills’ commitment to nostalgia earned the brand a spot on Whole Foods Market’s 2023 Trends Report in the Retro Remix category. Simple Mills was also recognized on the Well + Good ’s 2023 Wellness Trend Report under the Plant-Based Nostalgia Food category.

The nut-based sandwich cookies are available in two flavors: Creamy Peanut Butter and Cocoa Cashew Creme, featuring natural cocoa and finished with creamy, vanilla-tinged cashew butter.

Both varieties of the Simple Mills Nut Butter Stuffed Sandwich Cookies come in 6.7-oz. boxes and are available online and in grocery store aisles nationwide at an SRP of $6.99.

www.simplemills.com

Photo courtesy of Simple Mills

Bake more, bake better with IPCO steel belt technology

Our solid and perforated steel belts have helped bakeries produce premium quality products for almost 100 years. Flat, straight, durable and easy to clean, they provide a baking surface that’s ideal for everything from rich, chewy all butter cookies to traditional biscuits and crackers.

The other reason for choosing IPCO is our global service capability, providing the reassurance of premium productivity too.

• High productivity wide belts up to 3500 mm.

• Maximum versatility – bake more on an IPCO steel belt.

• Energy efficient – lighter belt means lower carbon footprint.

• Belt only or full range of conveyor components.

• Installations, upgrades (mesh replacement), repair, maintenance and spare parts.

’90s Nostalgia

take consumers back in time with its rendition of a ’90s cookie classic, Magic Middles. Kamal Grant, founder of Kamal’s Kitchen and a certified pastry chef, is leading the revival of the former Keebler product.

Following his entrepreneurial success in the retail space with a donut venture, Grant sought to return to commercial production — he’d worked for three years as a production supervisor — leading him to purchase the expired trademark for Magic Middles cookies.

“It’s hard to launch a brand new product, so I started thinking about products I liked in the past that have been discontinued that I could put my own spin on,” Grant explained. “Eventually, I thought

of the Magic Middles cookie that I really loved as a kid.”

Akin to the original product, Magic Middles features a crunchy shortbread cookie accented by a smooth chocolate filling. Bringing the product back to market was a journey four years in the making. After an American Bakers Association course on cookie and cracker technology, R&D on recipe formulation, and years of searching for a co-manufacturer that best fit Grant’s needs, Kamal’s Kitchen launched Magic Middles online in February.

Promotion for the product has deep ’90s throwback vibes, from an old-schoolstyle website to promotional fanny packs as incentives for the company’s Kickstarter campaign.

As the brand grows, Grant looks forward to experimenting with the product to cater to a wider range of consumers with interest in flavors and health claims.

“In the future, some of the Magic Middles will have healthier alternatives such as gluten- and sugar-free versions,” he explained.

With just a short amount of time on the market, consumers are praising the return of Magic Middles, especially on Amazon, Grant said.

Kamal’s Kitchen Magic Middles come individually wrapped in 9-count packs and are available in select Atlanta retailers and on Amazon for an SRP of $3.99-$6.99. www.kamals.kitchen

Photo courtesy of Kamal’s Kitchen

Texas-Sized Potato Bread

Martin’s Famous Potato Rolls and Bread expanded its foodservice and restaurant bread offerings in February with the addition of Martin’s Famous Thick-Sliced “Texas Toast” Potato Bread.

“After hearing many chefs’ requests for a thick-cut slice, especially from our Texas customers, we’re so thrilled to be able to offer it to our foodservice and restaurant customers,” said Julie Martin, social media manager of Martin’s and granddaughter of the company’s founders.

The bread slices are cut thick at 5/8 in. and feature a soft texture and subtle buttery taste for menu offerings such as classic Texas toast, sandwiches or French toast.

The Thick-Sliced “Texas Toast” Potato Bread is made from quality ingredients such as high-protein wheat flour, non-fat milk, butter and pure cane sugar. As with other products in the Martin’s Famous portfolio, the addition is made from non-GMO ingredients and unbleached wheat flour. It is also soy-, peanut- and tree nut-free and does not contain artificial colors or sweeteners.

Available fresh or frozen, each loaf of Martin’s Thick-Sliced “Texas Toast” Potato Bread contains 12 slices. The product is available for fresh distribution in select regions across the US and frozen through foodservice distributors such as Dot Foods, Sysco and US Foods. foodservice.potatorolls.com

Photo courtesy of Martin’s Famous Potato Rolls and Bread

Savory Snacks for All

Pure Organic, a Kellogg Co. brand, added Baked Crackers to its portfolio of elevated after-school snacks earlier this year, marking the brand’s first contribution to the savory snack aisle. The crackers are certified organic, made with 100% real cheese and contain vegetables that serve as an additional source of vitamin D.

Pure Organic is on a mission to redefine snacking, producing bites with a betterfor-you twist. Consumers can choose from three flavors: Parmesan Garlic, Double Cheddar and Garden Ranch. Each cracker is also Non-GMO Projectverified and made with organic wheat.

“We’re redefining the norm of snacking, first with our popular layered fruit bars and now with baked crackers, with a mission of creating treats that pay homage to old-school snacks while using quality ingredients for exceptional taste,” said Janice Spurgeon, brand manager of Pure Organic.

The Baked Crackers can be found in Kroger stores nationwide at an SRP of $4.49 as well as on the Pure Organic website and through Instacart. www.pureorganic.com

Keto, No-Carb Tortillas

Guerrero Tortillas, a leading provider of high-quality, authentic tortillas and tostadas under the Gruma Corp. umbrella, released new Zero Net Carbs tortillas. These better-for-you tortillas contain zero net carbs and are also keto-certified, sugar-free and high in fiber.

The timeline from ideation to store shelves took about one-and-a-half years.

“We started our process looking at category and consumer trends,” said Sathish Mohanraju, VP of marketing at Mission Foods, a subsidiary of Gruma. “[We wanted to understand] consumer needs and identified a better-for-you space in the low-carb segment where consumers were wanting no carbs but [unable to find] solutions that offer the same benefits as a tasty, soft flour tortilla.”

Guerrero Tortillas upholds its commitment to authentic Mexi can products while standing firm on its nutritional promise.

“Our Zero Net Carbs tortillas have been validated by a third-party independent laboratory so consumers can feel confident our product delivers on all its benefits,” Mohanraju said. “They have the authentic Guerrero flavor, the highest quality ingredients, and exceptional benefits: keto certified, zero net carbs, high fiber, zero sugar and low calories.”

The tortillas are available in two flavors: Zero Net Carbs Orig inal and Zero Net Carbs Chipotle. The Original flavor delivers the same eating experience consumers recognize, while the Chipotle flavor provides a tangy, smoky taste for those seek ing an extra kick. Both versions come in street-taco-size.

Guerrero’s Zero Net Carbs tortillas are available in a 14-count bag at Walmart, Target and other retailers nation wide. The SRP varies by retailer but is approximately $4.73. www.guerrerotortillas.com

Photo courtesy of Guerrero Tortillas

Mini But Mighty

Tastykake, a Flowers Foods brand, expanded its snack cake portfolio with the addition of Mini Bundt Cakes.

As a smaller version of the traditionally large baked good, the product offers consumers a sweet something for everyday snacking.

“The unique mini-size Bundt is perfect for traveling and ideal for little indulgences throughout the day,” said Ashley Hornsby, brand manager of Tastykake.

Mini Bundt Cakes join their muffin counterpart in Tastykake’s mini category. They are available in two flavors: Chocolate Chocolate Chip and Strawberry. Both flavor varieties are formulated without high fructose corn syrup.

Available nationwide, Tastykake Mini Bundt Cakes come in a 5-count box with two cakes per pouch for on-the-go snacking. Each box has an SRP of $5.29. www.tastykake.com

Protein-Packed Crackers

Quest, a Simply Good Foods Co. brand known for its range of protein products, has branched out beyond protein bars into a new category with the debut of Quest Cheese Crackers.

The seasoned crackers rolled out in January and boast 10g of protein and 5 net carbs per serving. With more consumers seeking a balance between flavor and nutrition, products like Quest Cheese Crackers offer a taste of both worlds.

“Quest is all about supporting consumers by delivering on taste while also offering the macros they are seeking,” said Linda Zink, CMO at Simply Good Foods. “We are excited to launch Quest Cheese Crackers, a cheesy option that satisfies this appetite for snacking, while providing a protein boost without a ton of net carbs.”

The Cheese Crackers, available in Cheddar Blast, can be purchased in 4- and 12-count boxes on the Quest Nutrition website and in retailers such as Target, Walmart and Amazon. www.questnutrition.com

Photo courtesy of Quest

Tacos Go Vertical

Old El Paso, a General Mills brand, put convenience in the palms of consumers with Tortilla Pockets.

Rather than folding a traditional tortilla over to hold taco fillings, this first-of-its-kind product features a sealed bottom that allows the tortilla to be held vertically to easily fill with reduced mess.

“The idea of a pre-folded tortilla initially started in 2015 during a global Old El Paso ideation,” shared Jenny Jonker, brand experience manager at Old El Paso. “After rigorous testing, consumer research and capability development, the idea evolved into Tortilla Pockets.”

Following an international launch in Europe and Australia in 2020, the Tortilla Pockets rolled out nationwide in the US in August 2022. Jonker explained that the soft flour tortilla innovation was created with the busy family in mind and is designed for convenience and simplicity.

“The hand-held Tortilla Pockets can be filled with any ingredients, making them perfect for grab-and-go breakfast burritos, easy lunchbox sandwiches and more,” she said.

The new product expands the Old El Paso portfolio of mealtime offerings.

Old El Paso Tortilla Pockets are available nationwide at retailers such as Walmart, Publix, Target, Stop & Shop, ShopRite, Meijer and Kroger. The product is available in an 8-pack for $3.68 or in a Tortilla Pockets Kit that includes Old El Paso’s taco seasoning and taco sauce for $4.66. www.oldelpaso.com

Photo courtesy of Old El Paso

Cross-Brand Collaboration

Kellogg’s fused two of its popular brands, Pop-Tarts and Apple Jacks cereal, to bring consumers Apple Jacks Frosted Apple Cinnamon Flavor Pop-Tarts.

“We know our fans love brand mashups, so Pop-Tarts is continuing to provide new ways of enjoying the nostalgic flavors from our childhoods,” said Heidi Ray, senior director of marketing for Portable Wholesome Snacks at Kellogg’s.

Topped with green- and orange-sprinkled frosting, the Apple Jacks Pop-Tart is balanced with a warm cinnamon scent and sweet apple flavor to resemble the popular cereal.

The collab follows the success of the brand’s other unique pairings and continues to push flavor innovation.

Apple Jacks Frosted Apple Cinnamon Flavor Pop-Tarts are available at retailers nationwide in 8- and 16-count boxes for an SRP of $3.84 and $5.02, respectively. www.poptarts.com

Photo courtesy of Kellogg’s

Better-For-You Bite-Size Cookies

Real Cookies, a gluten- and grain-free plant-based cookie brand, is on a mission to make better-for-you cookies everyone can eat. Earlier this year, the company debuted Cookie Poppers, a bite-size version of its full-size cookies for on-the-go snacking.

“Cookie Poppers came out of our love for snacking,” explained Lauren Berger, co-founder of Real Cookies who, along with Marla Felton, created this emerging brand in 2021. “They’re fun to eat, and they’re the perfect size. Parents can give their kids just one or two. For anyone wanting a quick pick-me-up, they’re very fulfilling and sustaining.”

When creating the product, the R&D team made taste a top priority.

“In our R&D process, taste is the number one component of making a product successful,” Berger said. “If the taste and flavor are not the best, it’s not worth launching. Similar to when we developed our original recipes, we put together a taste-testing team that represented a good cross section of who’s eating better-for-you products.”

During product development, the brand experimented with various sizes and diameters. The smallest size available resulted in a nugget-like shape.

“When we gave the testing group these smaller nuggets, everyone started popping them in their mouths,” Berger explained. “That’s when we decided to call them Cookie Poppers. There’s something about the shape that people really responded to.”

The BFY cookies come in three flavors: Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and Lemon Blueberry.

Cookie Poppers are available for purchase through the Real Cookies website, on Amazon and in retail stores for an SRP of $7.99 per 4.5-oz. bag. www.realcookiesco.com

Photo courtesy of Real Cookies

First-To-Market Flatbreads

Daiya Foods, a producer of plant-based, dairy-free foods, has shaken things up in the frozen aisle by releasing the first plant-based and allergen-friendly flatbread on the market.

“Before we launched the Daiya flatbreads, there was no other plant-based and allergen-friendly flatbread in the frozen aisle,” said Gillian Choo, senior brand manager of Daiya Foods.

After receiving positive feedback, the brand decided to launch a new flavor: Plant-based Chick’n, Smoked Bac’n & Ranch Style. The addition joins five other flatbread flavors: Mushroom, Caramelized Onion & Fig, Meatless Italian Sausage Style Crumbles, Roasted Pepper & Kale, and Tomato Sunflower Seed Pesto & Arugula.

Packaged in a smaller format, the flatbreads are available in 11.4- and 12.2-oz. boxes for an SRP of $6.99 and can be purchased at Whole Foods, Stop & Shop, and Mejier nationwide. www.daiyafoods.com

Photo courtesy of Daiya Foods

Brioche Buns 2.0

La Brea Bakery, known for its artisan bread, debuted a vegan-certified plant-based brioche bun in April for foodservice and restaurant operators. While the new bun replaces the brand’s original brioche bun, it imparts the same buttery, sweet flavor and crumb structure.

“We made the decision to move away from the traditional brioche and focus on the plant-based bun to give operators the flexibility to have a single item within their facilities that could serve as a plant-based or traditional bun in one unit,” said Brie Buenning,

director of marketing for La Brea Bakery. “They get the benefit of one item that can serve multiple menu needs.”

It took the bakery a little over a year to bring the new product to market. The R&D team was challenged with creating a plant-based brioche bun that mimicked the taste of traditional brioche with a structure strong enough to hold several toppings.

“In a way, we were relearning the baking process because plant-based ingredients have different properties than what they are replacing,” explained

Jon Davis, VP of culinary development for Aspire Bakeries, La Brea Bakery’s parent company. “Using these new ingredients introduced challenges but also so many benefits. We are thrilled with the end result.”

The frozen bread is available for distribution to foodservice and restaurant operators nationwide. The plant-based brioche buns have a five-day ambient shelf life that provides customers with the flexibility to either store them at room temperature or keep them in the freezer for thaw-and-serve convenience.

www.labreabakery.com

Photo courtesy of La Brea Bakery

Cookie Transformation

Tate’s Bake Shop, a Mondelez International brand known for its thin and crispy cookies, added to its product lineup with the introduction of Cookie Bark, a bite-size version of its signature chocolate chip cookie.

Available in Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt and Milk Chocolate with White Chocolate Drizzle, the new product supports Tate’s focus on expanding snacking options for consumers.

“We pride ourselves on consistently delivering exciting new offerings, and with the debut of our Cookie Bark, we are providing a decadent, indulgent treat that transforms our signature crispy chocolate chip cookie into an entirely new experience,” said Lauren Sella, CMO of Tate’s. “Tate’s Bake Shop’s chocolate chip cookie has become a renowned favorite, and now, Tate’s Cookie Bark is taking that same beloved cookie and offering it for a ‘next level’ treat.”

Tate’s Cookie Bark is available for purchase through the company’s website and in stores nationwide for an SRP of $6.49 per 6-oz. pouch. www.tatesbakeshop.com

Photo courtesy of Tate’s Bake Shop

Honey Bunches of Oats Gets a New Look

Honey Bunches of Oats is now available as Granola Chips — made mess-free for snacking at any time of the day — no milk or spoon necessary. The Honey Bunches of Oats Granola Chips rolled out in February to bring a convenient, snackable granola product to the shelf. Honey-roasted, bite-sized and on a multigrain cracker, Granola Chips have been flying off shelves since they rolled out.

“Consumers are snacking more and looking for easy, delicious ways to eat on the go,” explained Erin Crawford, senior brand manager at Post Consumer Brands. “We wanted to give consumers something more portable and easier to share. The chips also pair well with items that are already in our consumers’ snacking routine, like yogurt and peanut butter. Adding Honey Bunches of Oats Granola Chips to their snack brings sweetness, crunch and variety.”

The Honey Bunches of Oats team began R&D for the product in June 2021, testing various forms throughout the process, which took about 18 months.

“We chose the light, crispy chip form for our new Honey Bunches of Oats Granola Chips because it delivered the most granola-like flavor and scored high in consumer purchase intent,” Crawford said.

The product has been a favorite among consumers, as the large, sweet format allows it to stand out in the granola category. And its popularity has earned praise. Honey Bunches of

Oats Granola Chips were featured on PureWow ’s Coolest New Foods & Drinks list in January.

Consumers can enjoy two flavors: classic Honey Roasted and Blueberry. The chips are available at select retailers nationwide in 6-oz. stand-up zippered pouches at an SRP of $4.99. Customers can also purchase them on the Honey Bunches of Oats website. www.honeybunchesofoats.com

Photo courtesy of Post Consumer Brands

Protein Bars with a Perk

One Brands combined caffeine with protein for its latest creation, ONE Coffee Shop bars.

Crafted as an afternoon pick-me-up, the bars have the same amount of caffeine as one serving of espresso. The Coffee Shop bars, which come in Vanilla Latte and Caramel Macchiato flavors, have 65mg of caffeine, 20g of protein and 1g of sugar each.

“This new line of protein bars is made with our energy-seeking coffee lovers top of mind,” said Eric Clawson, general manager at One Brands. “Our creative team took the two most popular coffee flavors, vanilla and caramel, to produce brand-new coffee masterpieces.”

The ONE Coffee Shop bars are available in 4-count boxes and 12-count trays at select retail stores nationwide and on Amazon. www.one1brands.com

CONSTANT MONITORING

CONSTANT MONITORING

Allows for a constant, non-contact solution to moisture and oil measurement directly on the production line in real time

Allows for a constant, non-contact solution to moisture and oil measurement directly on the production line in real time

Allows for a constant, non-contact solution to moisture and oil measurement directly on the production line in real time

ADJUSTMENTS MADE EASY

CONSTANT MONITORING ADJUSTMENTS MADE EASY

ADJUSTMENTS MADE EASY

Operational personnel are able to make crucial, immediate adjustments on the line to avoid waste and downtime

Operational personnel are able to make crucial, immediate adjustments on the line to avoid waste and downtime

Operational personnel are able to make crucial, immediate adjustments on the line to avoid waste and downtime

CLOSED LOOP

CLOSED LOOP

CLOSED LOOP

Measuring moisture directly on the production line produces instant, accurate data that can be easily communicated to a PLC - creating a closed loop process

Measuring moisture directly on the production line produces instant, accurate data that can be easily communicated to a PLC - creating a closed loop process

Measuring moisture directly on the production line produces instant, accurate data that can be easily communicated to a PLC - creating a closed loop process

IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENTS

IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENTS

IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENTS

A MoistTech system provides improved product quality, lower waste and energy costs, process optimization, increased plant efficiency, oven control & reduced

A MoistTech system provides improved product quality, lower waste and energy costs, process optimization, increased plant efficiency, oven control & reduced downtime

A MoistTech system provides improved product quality, lower waste and energy costs, process optimization, increased plant efficiency, oven control & reduced downtime

Photo courtesy of One Brands

be wowed

Explore Total System Solutions for Baking and Snack

From groundbreaking processing equipment to flexible robotic systems to eco-friendly materials and flexible packaging solutions at PACK EXPO Las Vegas you’ll find everything you need to automate baking and snack production, save energy, increase speed, refresh a brand and more Get ideas from other industries and discover surprising innovations for your products

2,000 exhibitors 40+ vertical markets 100+ free show floor sessions

Endless networking opportunities Featuring Newly Expanded

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 Marko Leber, IPCO

Marko Leber, global product manager for food belts at IPCO, talks about the benefits of the company’s high-powered laser cleaning technology for oven belts. www.ipco.com

TechTalk with Brian Fatula, Lallemand North America

Brian Fatula, VP of Lallemand North America, speaks about sugar management in bakery processes and the benefits of the company’s Essential line of enzyme-based solutions. www.lallemandbaking.com

Catching Up with Commercial Baking : Jorge Zarate at interpack 2023

Walk the show floor at interpack 2023 with Jorge Zarate, senior VP of operations of Grupo Bimbo and committee chair for IBIE 2025, as he discusses some of the trends featured in the 18 halls of the show floor and their potential impact for IBIE.

interpack 2023 Innovation Minute: Reading Bakery Systems

Nico Roesler, North American pretzel and snack equipment sales manager for Reading Bakery Systems, explains a new version of the low-pressure extruder with sanitary design and toolless disassembly. www.readingbakery.com

interpack 2023 Innovation Minute: Cavanna Packaging USA

Bill Kehrli, VP of sales for Cavanna Packaging USA, highlights the sanitary design flowwrapper. www.cavanna.com

interpack 2023 Innovation Minute: Zeppelin Systems USA

David Rodrigues, sales manager for Zeppelin Systems USA, describes the continuous mixer with temperature control. www.zeppelin-systems.com

interpack 2023 recap

With over 2,800 exhibitors and attendees from over 155 countries, the world’s biggest innovations in packaging and bakery processing were on full display, as were themes of sustainability, automation and ever-evolving consumer trends.

Troubleshooting Innovation podcast: Season 7

Richard Charpentier, CMB, and CEO of consulting company Baking Innovation, discusses the technical aspects of creating high-quality, premium baked goods on a commercial scale. Sponsored by Puratos’ Sunset Glaze.

QuickTake: Denise Woodard on building a business and brand identity

Denise Woodard, founder and CEO of Partake Foods, shares her key insights from growing a business from the ground up and creating a strong brand presence.

QuickTake: Nerida Kelton on women in packaging

Nerida Kelton, VP of sustainability and Save Food at the World Packaging Organization and panel moderator of the Women in Packaging event at interpack 2023, discusses some of the challenges women face in a male-dominated industry.

Catching Up with Commercial Baking : Jessica Tolar at APC’s National Pie Championships

Jessica Tolar, Walmart‘s bakery merchant, chats about solutions to help manage inflation-related costs while also innovating in the pie space to satisfy consumer demands and expectations.

You Are Sorely Missed, Jose

On May 6, AB Mauri North America suffered a great loss, the passing of our Vice President of Technical Sales, Jose Lopez. More importantly, he was our friend, a colleague, a confidant, a baker, a husband, a father, a grandfather and so much more. Let us remember his passion for baking and for life itself.

The following advertisers appear in this issue. We encourage readers to reach out to these companies through the listed website or email for further information. This index is provided as a service to readers and advertisers, but Commercial Baking does not assume any liability for errors or omissions. Please send any updates or corrections to info@commercialbaking.com

It’s time to perform rather than just spend.

I want to take a moment to share how incredibly grateful I am to have been able to work alongside my family at Crumbl Cookies. As an entrepreneur, I have always believed that family is a key ingredient to success in any business venture, and my experience at Crumbl Cookies has only reinforced this belief.

From day one, my family has been a large driving force behind the growth and success of our company. My parents, siblings and even my close friends have all played a key role in shaping our business into what it is today. We have always been a family-based business, and I truly believe that this has been a key factor in our success.

In today’s fast-paced world, it can be easy to forget the importance of having a strong family unit. But, as an entrepreneur, I have seen firsthand just how critical it is to have the support and guidance of those closest to you. Working alongside my family at Crumbl Cookies has not only been an amazing experience but has also reinforced the importance of maintaining strong family ties in the midst of our hectic lives.

A FamilyBased Cookie Company

While my time is constantly spread thin between many responsibilities, I have found it crucial and rewarding to make time for those who matter most in my life. After all, Crumbl’s vision is to “Inspire the world to create more meaningful moments with those who matter most.” I’m thankful for the family by my side who have made this vision possible in my life.

I encourage all entrepreneurs out there to think about the role that family plays in their business venture. Embrace your family’s strengths and support one another, and you may just find that your business thrives in ways you never imagined possible.

Here’s to family and the amazing things that can happen when we work together. CB

Sawyer Hemsley is founder and CBO of Logan, UT-based Crumbl Cookies, known as America’s fastest-growing gourmet cookie company. Since opening Crumbl, he has also founded Hemsley Ventures, a forward-thinking, values-driven investment group.

Re:

Reclaim Authenticity

Corbion offers the widest portfolio of authentic mold inhibitors that put nature to work. Crafted with proven fermentation and microbiology expertise, our trusted solutions are third-party verified, ensuring bakers create products that stay delicious, fresh and mold-free without depending on unwanted ingredients.

Let’s redefine freshness together.