Bakery

American Muffin Co ramps up production capacity

08-Feb-2011 - London-based baker American Muffin Co is adding a mezzanine floor to its factory in the Park Royal trading estate in a bid to meet growing demand.

Firms face toughest price negotiations 'in living memory'

01-Feb-2011 - Commodity price hikes are presenting some manufacturers with their toughest negotiating environment “in living memory”, with retailers delisting or suspending products not meeting their price demands.

No limit to hot water

31-Jan-2011 - After its two 1,000l calorifiers were struggling to keep up demand for its cleaning operations, Fox’s Biscuits in Preston has upgraded to an energy efficient system that delivers limitless hot water.

Three metal detectors become one


31-Jan-2011 - Cornish bakery W C Rowe is standardising the metal detection systems at its sites in Falmouth. It will source equipment from a single supplier, Fortress Technology, which will carry out servicing and calibration of its own and other suppliers’ equipment at Rowe under contract.

Krispy Kreme chooses Manchester for first UK factory

31-Jan-2011 - US-based doughnut giant Krispy Kreme is opening its first UK manufacturing unit, as it bids to double its number of stores in the country within the next five years.

Free-from foods set to enter mainstream market

28-Jan-2011 - Free-from food and drink products are expected to see rapid growth over the next few years, according to delegates at Food Manufacture's business leaders' round table debate last month.

MP: Closing Burton’s plant at Moreton would hit Manor Bakeries and Typhoo Tea

27-Jan-2011 - Burton’s Foods’ proposals to close its biscuit factory in Moreton would significantly increase costs for Manor Bakeries and Typhoo Tea, which share the same site, Labour MP for Wallasey Angela Eagle has warned.

Burton's defends closure plans as MP launches attack

26-Jan-2011 - Burton's Foods has challenged claims made by Labour MP Angela Eagle that it has reneged on promises made to staff at its Moreton biscuits factory in the Wirral and failed to give them access to the data they need to challenge its plans to close the site.

Micro salt: Coming to a supermarket near you ...

25-Jan-2011 - The firm behind a new breed of microscopic salt crystals that is helping manufacturers slash sodium and retain their clean-labels has branched out into the retail market with the development of a consumer product called Solti.

Finsbury in insurance spat over dioxin recall costs

21-Jan-2011 - Finsbury Food Group has become embroiled in a spat with insurers over who will cover the cost of recalling products caught up in the egg dioxin scare.

Haskins: Boparan must build better customer relations

18-Jan-2011 - If he does succeed in breaking up Northern Foods’ arranged marriage with Greencore, Ranjit Boparan will need to prove he can build better relationships with supermarkets than the current management to re-build the firm's reputation, according to its former boss.

412 jobs at risk but Burtons boss still 'bullish'

12-Jan-2011 - Burtons Foods boss Ben Clarke says he remains "bullish" about the prospects for the UK biscuit market despite announcing proposals to close one of his firm's four UK biscuit factories with the loss of 342 jobs and make a further 70 staff redundant at another.

News in brief

Warburtons wraps it up

24-Dec-2010 - To provide a bread-free alternative to the sandwich, Warburtons has launched square wraps and sandwich thins. 


News in brief

Pen stroke of Genius? Finsbury inks gluten-free JV

23-Dec-2010 - Finsbury Food Group and Genius Foods have signed a joint venture to sell further gluten-free products under the Genius brand.

Honeytop to open new bakery in India in Q2, 2011

01-Dec-2010 - Honeytop Speciality Foods has invested £3m to build a new factory in India that will supply naan bread and chapattis to India and the wider Asian and Australian markets.

News in brief

Finsbury's cake division returns to growth

30-Nov-2010 - Finsbury Food Group's larger cake division has returned to growth following last year's decline, posting organic growth of 2.5% in the first 17 weeks of the financial year, bosses have revealed.

Warburtons invests £2.5m in dedicated gluten-free plant in Newburn

29-Nov-2010 - Warburtons has pumped more than £2.5m into building a dedicated facility in Newburn to support the launch of a new eight-strong range of gluten-free products.

New plant allows doubling of premium bread output, claims Giles Food

19-Nov-2010 - UK based specialty bread producer, Giles Foods, claims an expansion of its production facilities to the tune of £4.5m (€5.26m) will allow it to meet a hike in demand for its premium and artisan range.

BFAWU strike ballot called off at Fox’s Biscuits

08-Nov-2010 - A strike ballot called by the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers’ Union (BFAWU) at Fox’s Biscuits’ factories at Kirkham and Batley has been called off due to ‘technical’ glitches.

Big Interview

...And by the way, they're gluten free: The rise and rise of Mrs Crimble's

08-Nov-2010 - "Would you eat this?" asks Stiletto Foods md Jeremy Woods, thrusting forth a nondescript looking bar with the words ‘diabetic chocolate’ emblazoned over the front.

Cleaner work with cheese

04-Nov-2010 - Growth in demand for premium speciality breads has created challenges for bakers in terms of both production and costs. Toppings like butter, cheese and garlic can be extremely volatile, and if they drop into the bottom of an oven can become baked onto the oven floor and caramelise, causing a serious fire hazard.

Expert kit puts hygiene in the mix

04-Nov-2010 - The latest range of spiral mixers has been unveiled by VMI, which makes mixers and automatic mixing systems for plant bakers.

The ideal accompaniment to bread rolls

04-Nov-2010 - The Vemag dough divider from Reiser adds versatility to production lines and is said to be ideal for all types of breads, buns, rolls and English muffins. It is easily adjustable to produce a range of exact-weight portions, dough absorptions and crumb structures.

Feature

Plant baking focus: Bakers wipe the slate green

01-Nov-2010 - As energy costs rise and green initiatives move up the agenda, the 
baking sector has become a target for change, reports Anne Bruce