Belgian pastry specialist Pidy expands in UK market

Belgian ready-to-fill pastry specialist Pidy aims to expand its presence in the UK market by pursuing growth in the independent café, bakery, industrial, catering, cash and carry and wholesale sectors.

In the industrial sector, the firm, which has factories in Ypres, Belgium; Halluin, France; and Long Island, New York, plans to grow its partnerships with restaurant chains, foodservice groups and high street retailers.
“Most importantly, we are making a big move into the frozen and chilled market in Britain,” said Pidy UK general manager Robert Whittle. “We’ve been manufacturing this type of product for years for our own use but we now have the freezer and chill facilities ready and waiting for this expansion.”
Pidy said it was planning a stream of new product launches throughout 2010 aimed at showing a new generation of chefs the versatility of ready-made bases. “We are planning to help chefs, caterers and foodservice operators to meet the demands of an ever more sophisticated public,” said Whittle. “So we will be making more noise about specialist pastry products such as Paté a Foncer with 50% less fat and our rustic options including Artisan Quiche.”
Referring to bakeries and cafés, Whittle said: “The main problem is - time and available skill in what is a fast moving business. So in 2010 we plan to address this by launching bakery and café-friendly kits which can be assembled in minutes to create eye-catching ‘window candy’ using fruits, custards/fondants, chocolate and many other ingredients that bakers, patissiers and café owners will be proud of.
“Still under wraps - plans are already afoot to join forces with partners in the industry in order to create these for you. Coupled with one of the widest ranges of pastry cases and bases in Europe, we intend to be the best ally a baker or café owner can have by the end of 2010.”
Pidy is relaunching its cash and carry and wholesale packs and is planning a range of new product launches including Trendy Shells, Artisan Quiche and Sablé Breton, a light and buttery pastry base.
The company has designed a new website for next year, containing technical information on lines and distribution and retail channels. Customers will be able to share recipe suggestions incorporating Pidy products on the site.
Pidy was founded in 1967 and is active in 42 countries and specialises in dry puff pastry, as well as making short crust, fonçage dough, choux pastry and sponge cakes.