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THE SCOTTISH BAKER September 2021

In this issue: - Michelle Phillips confirmed as Vice President Elect - BAKO launches partnership with Too Good To Go - Scottish Bakers members amongst BIA finalists

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

WELCOME

LINDA HILL

ALASDAIR SMITH

President

Welcome to this latest edition of The Scottish Baker – your trade newsletter. I hope you all find something of interest within these pages. We are now well into the second year of the Coronavirus pandemic, and, thanks to the protections offered by the vaccination programme, we are moving beyond the harshest restrictions and our economy is recovering from the impact. However, we must all continue to be vigilant and ensure we take whatever reasonable means we can to protect ourselves, our families, our workforce, and communities from further outbreaks. The work of Scottish Bakers has continued tirelessly throughout these recent months, and I am particularly pleased to report a strong surge in demand for our training services; apprenticeships are one of the best ways of supporting and developing your workforce and business, and I would urge anyone not yet taking advantage of the excellent training on offer to get in touch with the team. Remember, all our apprenticeship training is fully funded by the Scottish Government through Skills Development Scotland. Programmes available include traditional craft bakery skills as well as food processing, food retail skills and “Food Manufacturing Excellence” which targets improved productivity and efficiency in the workplace. I am also aware that many members are struggling to recruit staff at all levels. Unfortunately, this issue is being felt across all sectors of our economy. Scottish Bakers can help to circulate information about vacancies through its social media channels, so please do ensure we are “tagged” on your own posts so we can pick them up and circulate. There is also a jobs board on our website where members can post opportunities for free.

CEO

As always, it is a pleasure to reach out again to members through our newsletter, The Scottish Baker. We know from feedback that, along with our weekly e-updates, this publication has been an invaluable means by which members keep abreast of industry news during the difficult times we’ve been living through. Our commitment to you all is that we will always strive to bring you the most important news and updates as soon as we possibly can, and at this point it is fitting to single out Scottish Bakers Marketing Manager, Lucy Wheeler, for praise in ensuring the flow of information continues uninterrupted. It is pleasing that she is having to deal less and less with Covid updates and focus more on industry stories instead. I hope you have all seen the updates issued around the changes to allergen labelling regulations – Natasha’s Law – taking effect at the beginning of October this year. From that date, all “pre-packed food for direct sale” must be labelled, with allergens highlighted in some way. Advice and guidance have been published in the members section of our website so please do check this out if you have not done so already. I know many of you have also taken advantage of our training provision. Our team of training advisers, led by Training and Quality Manager, Scott Anderson, has seen a welcome return to almost full capacity with strong demand for new apprenticeship starts; I’m grateful to all members who have started apprenticeships with us. Scott and his team were hardest hit during the harshest days of the pandemic, and I must pay tribute to them all for their strength, resilience, and continued commitment to preserving and passing on the wonderful skills that drive our trade.

Finally, by now most of you will know that Michelle Phillips, of Mimi’s Bakehouse, was named as our Vice President Elect at our recent AGM. I am thrilled to offer Michelle my own congratulations and know that she will show the same enthusiasm and commitment to this role as she has done for her business.

Finally, I would like to extend my own welcome and congratulations to Michelle Phillips on her election as Vice President Elect, a post she will formally take on at our Annual Conference in May of next year. Michelle has built an exceptional business in Mimi’s Bakehouse, and I’m looking forward to working more closely with her in the months and years to come.

With best wishes,

Stay safe and stay well,

CONTENTS Vice President Elect confirmed

New Legislation: Natasha’s Law

Covid update

Workforce Survey

Kickstart Scheme

BAKO partners with Too Good To Go

Member News

New Members

Training News

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

VICE PRESIDENT ELECT CONFIRMED

PRESIDENT ELECT CONFIRMS CHOICE FOR VICE PRESIDENT At our AGM on 17 August 2021 we were delighted to confirm that Michelle Phillips, of Mimi’s Bakehouse will take on the role of Vice President when Ian McGhee, of Glasgow-based McGhee’s Bakery is sworn in as President in May 2022. On the confirmation of his choice for Vice President, Ian said, “After a great deal of thought it is a pleasure to confirm that I have asked Michelle Phillips, of Mimi’s Bakehouse, to take on this role and I’m delighted to say she has accepted this honour. Michelle has built an enviable – and growing – business and developed and extended her range of freshly-baked goods over the years since Mimi’s first opened its doors in Leith. She embodies all the qualities a good baker ought to have, and I know she will be a powerful ambassador for our association in due course. I know all of our members and the sector as a whole, will want to join me in welcoming her to this honourable position.

Outgoing President Linda Hill said, “To be president of such an esteemed association has been a great honour and it has been a wonderful but challenging time in post. I am in post until May of course, with plenty still to do, but I am delighted to know that I will be able to hand over the chain of office to Ian, who has been a great support to me during my tenure. I know that Michelle will, in turn, be great in looking after the future of the association. I will be leaving it in good hands.” Chief Executive Alasdair Smith said, “We are delighted that Ian and Michelle have agreed to step up to these crucial roles at this key time. It means that we, as a sector, can now look to our post-COVID future; we will need a strong and strategic team to help direct us and with Ian and Michelle, supporting the work of all at Bakers House, I am confident we can rise to the challenges ahead.”

Ian McGhee, Current Vice President

TO BE PRESIDENT OF SUCH AN ESTEEMED ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN A GREAT HONOUR AND IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL BUT CHALLENGING TIME IN POST...” Outgoing President Linda Hill

Michelle Phillips, Mimi’s Bakehouse

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

NEW LEGISLATION: NATASHA’S LAW

NEW LEGISLATION – NATASHA’S LAW Are you ready for 1 October 2021? It’s not long until the requirements for labelling food pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) change in Scotland and the rest of the UK. The new labelling will help inform and protect your consumers by providing ingredient and allergen information on the packaging. If your business produces PPDS food, it will need to be labelled with: - the name of the food - a full list of ingredients - allergen information (emphasised within the list Food Standards Scotland has published new guidance (2 August 2021) to help businesses understand the regulations and prepare for the changes.

BAKO LAUNCH ALLERGEN PORTAL BAKO has launched a new allergen portal on their website. This new facility has been designed to provide easy access to allergen information on products across the range, all at the click of a button. On the portal you can:

Food Standards Scotland has made a short video on the new requirements

You MUST act now on these new labelling requirements. You can access key summaries of the requirements and find the link to the Food Standards Scotland Guidance on our website – scottishbakers.org/page/PPDS_FAQs (member sign in required).

- Search by BAKO product code - Access colour coded allergen tables - Export mutiple codes to a CSV file - Access at any time

Create and print your own Natasha’s Law compliant food labels using our quick and easy-to-use labelling app and your home/office printer

We have been working with Planglow for a number of years and their software has grown and developed with our business. It is the perfect solution for bakers looking to comply with Natasha’s Law. What’s more their support team and Stephen Ferguson, our Scottish Account Manager, are always on hand should we need their help. Dawn Gillan, The Ythan Bakery

T 0117 317 8600

E info@planglow.com

W labellogiclive.com

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

COVID UPDATE

LIFTING OF COVID RESTRICTIONS BRING BACK SOME SENSE OF NORMALITY After close to 18 months of living and working under strict Covid regulations we finally moved to “beyond Level 0” on Monday 9 August. The changes saw the removal of the legal requirement for physical distancing and limits on gatherings and all venues all across Scotland re-opening. Some protective measures remain in place such as the use of face coverings indoors and the collection of contact details as part of Test and Protect. Capacity limits remain in place of 2,000 people indoors and 5,000 people outdoors and are being reviewed on a three weekly basis to ensure they remain proportionate. Adults identified as close contacts of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 are no longer automatically required to self-isolate for 10 days. Anyone who is double-vaccinated with at least two weeks passed since their second dose and who has no symptoms can end self-isolation if they return a negative PCR test. The same conditions apply to anyone aged between five and 17 years old, even if they have not been vaccinated. The requirement to take a PCR test does not apply to children under the age of five.

VACCINATIONS FOR 16-17 YEAR OLDS

On the 6 August the Scottish Government opened up the offer of a Covid vaccination to 16 and 17 year olds to come in line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). People who are 16 or 17 in mainland Scotland have been invited to register their interest through the online portal at NHS Inform to receive an appointment. Eligible young people in Shetland, Orkney and Western Isles were to be contacted by their health board and invited to attend clinics.

Drop-in clinics were also made available for 16 to 17-years-olds from the 10 August. Anyone who doesn’t register an interest or attend a drop-in clinic will be sent an appointment invitation through the post. It is expected that everyone in this age group will have been offered a vaccination appointment by the end of September. If you have employees in this age group, then we recommend that you encourage them to have their first dose of the vaccination if they haven’t already done so.

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

WORKFORCE SURVEY

A CALL FOR FRESH TALENT TO HELP MAKE FRESH BREAD Results of our workforce survey revealed A workforce survey of our members has shown that the skill shortage across the spectrum of bakery businesses in Scotland is real and that without a continued focus on upskilling existing staff and a concerted effort to bring in and train up new talent to secure the future of this skilled role, the sector could be at threat. The survey showed that: • 75% of Scotland’s bakers have hard to fill vacancies across their businesses • There are issues with the quality and availability of candidates across the different roles • Reasons for the poor quality of applicants is mainly: - Lack of experience and poor motivation/ attitude cited by 75% of respondents.

undertook a workforce survey of our members last month and the findings were revealing. “The results showed a sector that has worked hard through the last 18 months showing grit and determination. A sector that has weathered the storm, building back better, ready for growth and is now looking to invest in its existing people and indeed bring new talent in, but the applicants simply aren’t there. Driver shortages have been hitting the headlines but the food sector, in particular our own sector, is also feeling the pinch. We need Government to focus its efforts on investing in and promoting the value of apprenticeships as a positive career path, so the bakers of the future see this route to success clearly and feel confident to join our sector and reap the rewards.”

Scott Anderson, Training and Quality Manager at National Food and Drink Training, (NFDT), - Lack of skills by 50% our training arm said, “Attracting talent is a massive issue across the United Kingdom. • However, the lack of qualifications is not a We need an education system that incorporates huge issue (12%) which suggests that the food & drink as a career choice into the psyche sector is happy to train motivated candidates of school kids from an early age and this up from within. Scottish Bakers Workforce must beSurvey followed2021 through at all stages of Chief Executive, Alasdair Smith said, “As we their education. Interventions by trade began to ease out of the harshest lockdown bodies and local business can help nurture restrictions, we heard more and more about new talent. But changing the teaching the recruitment challenges facing our members. syllabus to incorporate aspects of food & In order to quantify the scale of this issue, we drink manufacturing, along with work

experience programmes to encourage youngsters to come and see the sector, could have a huge impact. The one thing we all need is food and it’s an exciting sector to get into with amazing career opportunities; we just need to get that message out there to bring the best and the brightest in.” The full survey findings can be found on our website - scottishbakers.org/news

WOULD YOU LIKE OUR HELP PROMOTING YOUR VACANCIES? If you would like Scottish Bakers to help promote your vacancies, there are two things you can do: 1. Post your vacancy on the bakery jobs section of our website (sign in required) 2. Send the following details to Lucy Wheeler, Marketing & Events Manager (lucy@scottishbakers.org) for us to share on our social media: - Job role and brief description - Location - How to apply

Q8 If you currently have vacancies, would you regard any of these as hard to fill” because applicants are not of sufficient quality and/or there have been have enough applicants (mark apply) Q8: If not you currently vacancies, would you regard any ofALL thesethat as “hard to fill” because applicants are not of sufficient quality and/or there have AS WE BEGAN TO EASE OUT OF not been enough applicants Answered: (mark ALL10thatSkipped: apply) 11 THE HARSHEST LOCKDOWN 100% RESTRICTIONS, WE HEARD MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE 80% RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES FACING OUR MEMBERS. 60% Alasdair Smith, Scottish Bakers Chief Executive

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Not enough applicants

POOR QUALITY APPLICANTS

NOT ENOUGH APPLICANTS 66.67%

TOTAL RESPONDENTS 66.67%

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

KICKSTART SCHEME

The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to create new 6-month jobs for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment. Thousands of employers across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors have already applied for funding, which covers: - 100% of the National Minimum Wage or the National Living Wage for 25 hours per week for a total of 6 months - associated employer National Insurance contributions - a grant of £1,500 per job to cover setup costs and employability support. Why should you apply for Kickstart? - You get access to emerging, young talent that you can develop to help you grow - You can grow your business by creating new jobs

SHOWCASING SCOTLAND REGIONAL EVENT Scotland Food & Drink is bringing back it’s Showcasing Scotland Regional events to help connect producers with buyers after a tough couple of years for the food and drink industry. Supported by the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership Recovery Plan, Showcasing Scotland Regional will be focused on the North East and Highland & Island regions, taking place on Tuesday 2 November in a virtual setting.The online event will bring together buyers, suppliers and producers from those regions, to help build relationships in order to secure future business. If you are a buyer from the region or a Scottish supplier and would like to find out more and apply to take part, visit the website www. foodanddrink.scot/showcasingscotland-regional Following this event, the aim is to also deliver events focusing on other regions in 2022, keep up to date by visiting www.foodanddrink.scot for further information and updates.

You’ll be at the centre of helping the UK economy recover from the pandemic, and you’ll be giving our young people a chance for a brighter future You can apply directly online or through a Kickstart gateway, which will act as an intermediary and apply for funding on your behalf. The Department for Work and Pensions are running a series of webinars to introduce employers to the benefits of the Kickstart Scheme. Following an overview of the scheme, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. Don’t delay and apply now. Employers can then spread the start date of your Kickstart jobs up until the end of 2021. For more information and how to apply visit gov.uk/kickstart.

MORE INFORMATION For further information on taking forward your interest in the Kickstart scheme contact: Susan Kerr Scotland Area Partnership Team Susan.Kerr@dwp.gov.uk Telephone 07581 579758

THE KICKSTART SCHEME PROVIDES FUNDING TO CREATE NEW 6-MONTH JOBS FOR 16 TO 24 YEAR OLDS ON UNIVERSAL CREDIT WHO ARE AT RISK OF LONG TERM UNEMPLOYMENT.”

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

BAKO PARTNERS WITH TOO GOOD TO GO

BAKO LAUNCH PARTNERSHIP WITH TOO GOOD TO GO BAKO has recently launched a partnership with Too Good To Go, an easy to use app which allows food businesses to sell surplus food directly to their customers. Since 2016 over 10,000 businesses have been using the app to combat food waste and over 5 million have downloaded the app across the UK. A win-win solution that is helping bakeries fight food waste! As society becomes increasingly concerned about food waste, bakeries are finding new ways to combat over-production - and discovering that the fight against food waste comes with unexpected bonuses. Every day, the UK wastes 20 million slices of bread. That’s 900,000 tonnes, or 90 Eiffel Towers’ worth. It’s a scale that’s difficult to fathom - but as anyone in the bakery sector knows, it isn’t hard to believe - and bread waste is just the tip of the iceberg. “If you have an empty counter towards the end of the day, you’re unlikely to sell much,” says Asher Budwig, Managing Director of cupcake chain Lola’s Cupcakes. “This means we have to stock the counters later in the day to ensure the display looks reasonable. The challenge is, how do you do this without wasting too much of the product?” Budwig’s concerns reflect the feeling across the industry. In an independently run survey, food-waste-fighting app Too Good To Go discovered that 89% of bakery employees are aware of how much food their workplace throws away every day, with over half

BAKO GROUP LTD APPOINTS NEW CHAIRPERSON

admitting that the environmental damage associated with this waste concerned them on a personal level. They’re right to be concerned: responsible for 8-10% of greenhouse gases (for comparison, aviation was responsible for 2% in 2019) food waste is one of the most significant problems threatening our planet. But while 60% of bakeries surveyed were aware that they should minimise food waste to help the environment, the reality isn’t quite that simple. “As a business, it’s important for us not to have empty shelves,” says Curtis Williams, Sales Director of North London bakery chain Wenzel’s. “We need enough variety so that when customers come into a Wenzel’s store, they have choice and availability. It’s a fine balance.” To help tread that balance, Wenzel’s and Lola’s Cupcakes both use Too Good To Go: the app that lets businesses sell ‘Magic Bags’ of surplus food to local customers. These businesses are among 2,000 UK bakeries using the app to combat food waste, and have contributed to 740,000kg of food being saved from bakeries through the app since 2016.

EVERY DAY, THE UK WASTES 20 MILLION SLICES OF BREAD. THAT’S 900,000 TONNES, OR 90 EIFFEL TOWERS’ WORTH. IT’S A SCALE THAT’S DIFFICULT TO FATHOM...”

Think Too Good To Go could benefit your business? Head to www.toogoodtogo.co.uk/bako to discover more. BAKO will donate £25 for every active customer to Charitable food redistributors in the UK.

David Yates has been elected Chairperson of Preston-headquartered bakery products distributor BAKO Group Ltd after previous chair Joe Hall stepped down from the role at the end of his tenure in May 2021. Mr Yates took over as Chairperson on 1st June 2021, Mr Yates has served on the board since January 2018 and as Deputy Chairperson since December 2019.

He said: “The coming years present many challenges but also many reasons for huge optimism for the bakery industry. As the world and the industry recovers from the impact of Covid-19, I am really excited and honoured to have been elected as Chairperson of BAKO and look forward to a bright future of innovation, diversification and positive change for the benefit of our members, partners, customers and colleagues across the baking industry.”

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

MEMBER NEWS

MACPHIE LAUNCHES LIMITED-TIME ADDITION STICKY TOFFEE FLAVOUR Macphie’s Sensation® Cake Mix range just got sweeter with a limited-time addition of sticky toffee flavour. The food ingredients manufacturer has responded to rising consumer demand for indulgent comfort food with the development of a sticky toffee flavour cake mix. The new powder mix contains date pieces, is suitable for vegetarians and is available in 12.5kg bags. When combined with water and vegetable oil it creates an indulgent sticky toffee pudding as well as muffins, loaf cakes and celebration cakes. Macphie’s marketing and insights manager Kirsty Matthews said: “While health has played a more prominent role in food trends over the last few years, comfort food is back

and is here to stay with 69% of consumers saying they will continue to enjoy the same amount of comfort food post pandemic as they did during lockdown. “Sticky toffee pudding stands the test of time or you can mix things up using a more topical flavour twist whether its caramel miso, pear, apricot or the ever-popular salted caramel. Take advantage of its perennial appeal too by switching its application. Serve hot with toffee sauce for a comforting winter warmer or with a salted caramel sauce, cream and fresh fruit during the summer months. This cake mix also creates a delicious muffin which can be injected with salted caramel filling or topped with cream cheese frosting to create a crowd-pleasing food-to-go option.”

AMERICAN PAN BAKE IT FORWARD CAMPAIGN

FINALISTS REVEALED FOR BAKING INDUSTRY AWARDS

Shortly after the publication of our June newsletter, American Pan UK launched their Bake It Forward Campaign.

We were delighted to see that four Scottish Bakers members have been shortlisted across four categories in the Baking Industry Awards

The campaign was established through a partnership with FareShare, designed to show how the nation’s bakeries are helping to fight hunger and reduce food waste.

JG Ross (Bakers) Ltd of Inverurie is a finalist in the Customer Focus Award following their smooth transition to supplying 14 Home Bargains stores in their region, which the judges thought demonstrated their customer focus.

Bakeries can submit unique stories via the Bake It Forward UK website (bakeitforwarduk.com) showing what they’re doing to reduce hunger and decrease food waste in their local communities. In addition, bakeries can purchase new stock bakeware up until the 14 September from American Pan UK, knowing that 5% of all sales will be donated directly to FareShare. American Pan has also recently announced their acquisition of Runex, Scandinavia’s leading bakeware manufacturer and coatings provider. With the acquisition, Runex has moved its pan coating facility, previously in Luton, to the American Pan UK Skelmersdale facility meaning they will now be able to provide Runex’s rubberized silicone coating for new and refurbished bakeware.

The Craft Bakery Business Awards sees two of our members reach the final shortlist – Mimi’s Bakehouse of Edinburgh and Stephen’s Bakery of Dunfermline. The judges said of Mimi’s that the skills, passion and dedication shown by the staff was “exemplary”. The judges were impressed by Stephens product range and their work with local communities. There is only one other bakery in contention for this award so we will be keeping our fingers crossed that it comes home to Scotland! Either bakery would be a worthy winner. Finally, Associate Member Carr’s Flour has been successful in two categories, shortlisted for new product and Team of the Year, where they were accredited by the judges as being very adaptable and cohesive. The winners will be revealed on 21 October 2021.

PLANGLOW PARTNERS WITH ERUDUS Expert labelling and packaging provider Planglow has teamed up with food data specialist Erudus offering caterers direct access to thousands of branded products which may then be added directly to the caterers own food and drink labelling. This includes data sets from 140 national and regional wholesalers as well as the full ingredient declarations for 42,000 branded products from 800 manufacturers. This new feature is available through Planglow’s multi-award-winning labelling app LabelLogic Live. The quick and easy-touse software allows users to create and print their own food labelling online using any internet-connected device and a standard office / home printer. LabelLogic Live ensures legally compliant labelling for its users including the UK Food Information Amendment (also known as Natasha’s Law) which comes into effect on the 1st of October 2021.

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

MEMBER NEWS

NEWLANDS HOME BAKERY CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY Glasgow based Newlands Home Bakery recently celebrated the significant milestone of 50 years in business. The bakery first opened in July 1971, making freshly baked bread for the local area. As the business grew it meant that a move to bigger premises was needed to meet the demand. So in 1983 they moved to Thornliebank where they are today.

Newlands Home Bakery Then

With the move came the addition of a café named the “Coffee Parlour”, allowing their customers to sit and enjoy a cake along with a cup of coffee on the premises. And in 1985 a young Scott Anderson began working at the bakery. His first ever job in the industry, so we can thank them for the passion and enthusiasm Scott so often demonstrates in his position as our Training & Quality Manager!

To mark the birthday there was a cupcake giveaway for the first 50 customers in store. Congratulations to all at Newlands Home Bakery and here’s to the next 50 years!

GOLD AWARDS FOR CALVINS FREE FROM FOODS Calvin’s Free From Foods won double Gold recently at the Free From Food Awards for their Original Coconut Flat Bread. They won in the Bread categories and the Best Product by a Start Up company which includes a year’s mentoring by Tesco. Calvin’s Free From Foods Founder, Sabine Claus-Carter said: “When it was announced

SURPRISE PHONE CALL FROM FOOTBALL LEGEND We’ve all ignored unsolicited phone calls at one time or another. It’s just as well Gary Reid of Reids of Caithness didn’t do that recently, as the person calling was football legend Sir Alex Ferguson! Gary almost didn’t answer as his son was watching YouTube on his phone, but by some divine intervention he decided to answer the call, only to be shocked to have one of his idols on the line! Sir Alex was calling to thank him for sending him some Reids famous shortbread and a fantastic portrait painted by a local Thurso artist. He liked it so much that he offered to sign it so they can raffle it to raise money for a local Caithness foodbank and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Newlands Home Bakery Now

that we won, I just welled up with happy tears as it means so much to me. As an allergy mom, I originally created this product so my son could have a safe and nourishing bread to eat. When I found out that it could help others, too, I decided to put everything into it to start this business and make a difference. Seeing it now out there getting this recognition is huge, it does not feel so long ago when I stood with Calvin on my back baking coconut flat breads in our kitchen at home.”

THE BREAD GUY’S BAKERY EXPANSION Aberdeen based The Bread Guy’s Bakery shared news of their expansion plans with us in July. They recently opened a second shop in the city and now have plans for a further bakery shop. The third site will be at the former Kelly of Cults bakery where owner Gary, first did his apprenticeship and found his passion for baking. He started working there at 17 and is keen to inspire the next generation of bakers in the city. Fantastic to see this young business going from strength to strength.

ONLY THE BRAVE CAN TAKE THE CRUNCH

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THE SCOTTISH BAKER

NEW MEMBERS

NEW MEMBERS BE-ST HOLLAND PRODUCTS B.V.

UCC COFFEE

WYLIE & BISSETT LLP

Based in The Netherlands, over the last 20 years Be-St Holland Products B.V. has gained vast experience and know how in manufacturing plastic cheese moulds for cheese makers.

UCC Coffee are providers of exceptional coffees, world-class equipment, tailored insight and market-leading maintenance.

Wylie & Bissett LLP is a leading chartered accountancy firm based in Glasgow.

Ten years ago, they decided to look for other industries where they could implement and use their technologies of food coming into direct contact with plastics. In 2011 they introduced their first pocket, the round pocket that fits WP Haton provers. Today their portfolio consists of pockets that fit many different prover brands, like BAKER PERKINS, BENIER, APV, KEMPER, SOTTORIVA, SUBAL and many more. Their products, standard and bespoke, are now used by artisanal and (semi) industrial bakeries worldwide.

They work in partnership to help shape and create coffee offers that exceed the expectations of today’s coffee consumers and outperform the market. That’s why they are trusted by leading operators in foodservice, hospitality and retail. A high-quality coffee offering is now an essential part of any retail baker’s operations so do get in touch to see how they can help you.

BOOST SALES WITH BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL

Rtu Cream Fillings

Their experts have significant experience in all aspects of the Food and Drink Industry and are well placed to advise clients from across the entire food and drink supply chain. Wylie & Bisset has a significant track record in supporting all aspects of the industry, from farming and agriculture, brewing and distillers, through to food manufacturing and hospitality. They provide a range of services, from bookkeeping, VAT control, management accounting and tax planning, to more complex strategic business and financial advice.

Bakels doughnut finishing ingredients have all the taste and application advantages you need to transform your sweet bakery range. RTU Cream Fillings  Deliciously smooth  Ready to use  Bake-stable  Inject into doughnuts, muffins and more  Freeze-thaw stable  Suitable for vegans Clear Glaze  Crispy touch-dry finish

Fill doughnuts, muffins and much more!

 Heat and apply  Ideal for Doughnuts and Yum Yums  Suitable for vegans Discover a whole host of recipes at www.britishbakels.co.uk

www.britishbakels.co.uk 01869 356400

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

TRAINING NEWS

NATIONAL FOOD & DRINK TRAINING We now enter a crucial time in the bakery sector where vacancies are getting harder to fill. We no longer have a bank of skilled bakers looking for work and our sector struggles to attract “new talent”. So what can we do to attract and retain talent? - Offer competitive wage rates in line with Scottish Bakers JIC Union agreement.

Scott Anderson, Training & Quality Manager

Welcome to the first of my National Food & Drink Training updates for the newsletter. The training team, much like everyone else, has spent time supporting our sector, safeguarding jobs and guiding on-programme apprentices through unprecedented times. Whilst not fully over and we are all still working on a new normal, the training team and I are back out on site covering training needs from Orkney to Stranraer and beyond. We are immensely proud of every individual within the bakery and wider food & drink manufacturing sector for their dedication to the job and ensuring the wider nation has enjoyed the necessary food stuffs throughout the pandemic.

Please do remember that Scottish Bakers has a job board on our website for posting any vacancies and I would encourage members to make use of this. We receive regular enquiries from people looking for employment so it helps that we can point them to one place to search for any available roles. It’s also worth checking out what government-led employer incentives are available in your region.

- Offer full training incentives to new and existing employees via Skills Development Scotland (SDS) Funded Modern Apprenticeship programmes. Upskill your staff, give them accountability & create a succession plan of talent for your business!

MORE INFORMATION

- Engage with local schools and offer local insights into the “wonderful world of baking”

If you would like to discuss any of your training needs, do not hesitate to get in touch – scott@scottishbakers.org

- Celebrate success – showcase talent via social media and corporate publications fed through Scottish Bakers channels. Does it work? A survey of last year’s learners across the MA programme assessed how they intend to use the knowledge gained. The results showed that they would control costs more effectively, do their job more efficiently, progress their career, share knowledge with others and improve their customer service. All of these things can really help your business to become more efficient, more customer focused and ensure you have a succession plan for the future.

NFDT MAINTAINS MATRIX STANDARD We are delighted to report that we have maintained our accreditation for the Matrix Standard for the Information, Advice & Guidance (IAG) we provide to learners and employers throughout the United Kingdom. Matrix is the international quality standard and is the Department for Education’s (DfE) standard for ensuring the quality of the delivery of high-quality information, advice and guidance.

MAD BATTER STAFF PRESENTED WITH HS1 CERTIFICATES Our NFDT training advisor, Pat Finnigan as been working with the Mad Batter Bakery &

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Café in recent months and was delighted to present staff members Amy and Elaine with their HS1 food handlers certificates in June. Bakery owners David and Graeme are incredibly proud of their achievements. Well done to them both!

Sue Harding from the Growth Company who carried out the review said, “How Scottish Bakers/NFDT has managed to keep in touch with learners and employers during the pandemic, and provide ongoing IAG digitally is impressive, and I hope things will now progress well as restrictions ease”.

THE SCOTTISH BAKER

TRAINING NEWS

VEGAN BAY BAKER ENROL APPRENTICE BAKER After nine months Steve realised that the business had grown so much that he could no longer produce the quantities required from home and acquired a unit in Newburgh, Aberdeenshire. It is now a fully functional bakery, doing wholesale and weekly farmers markets, where his vegan products always sell out. The huge demand for Steve’s vegan products mean that they have been able to take on an apprentice, Robbie Milligan. Steve Buchan

Vegan Bay Baker apprentice Robbie Milligan

When Steve and Zoe Buchan chose the vegan lifestyle in 2019, they felt there was not a good choice of vegan bakery products so, as a trained baker himself, Steve decided to start making products from home, using social media to advertise and attending local farmers markets.

Robbie was unemployed and looking for a chance, he then applied for the job at Vegan Bay Baker and was taken on as an apprentice baker eight months ago where he is settling in well and is now enrolled on an apprenticeship programme with NFDT. Robbie is enjoying learning and working, gaining new skills and knowledge and is adapting well to his new responsibilities and role in the bakery.

SCOTTISH BAKERS Bakers House 2 Halbeath Interchange Business Park Kingseat Road Dunfermline, KY11 8RY T: 01383 661 555 E: info@scottishbakers.org www.scottishbakers.org