Solutions Innovation Overview

Evolving Through the Uncomfortable

BY LIZ GOODWIN

No pain no gain, as they say. And the pandemic certainly brought pain to the baking industry. But as agonizing as the mountain of COVID-related challenges were (and still are), it bred evolution in the world of bakery suppliers.

Equipment and ingredient companies alike took a hard look at how the world was changing and what their customers needed. As it turned out, baking operations have a lot in common with the rest of the world: They need dependability, flexibility and ways to keep everything clean. As the world was rapidly shifting, cookies, cakes and bread became the consumer’s solace, and baking companies — and their suppliers — didn’t back down from giving them what they needed.

In this Innovations Annual special edition, the Commercial Baking team dug into how the baking industry has not only risen to the occasion but also pushed industry standards into more ambitious territory. With improvements ranging from flexibility and sanitary design to complete customization, this special edition features a host of supplier solutions that can change the game for efficient bakery operations. Here are some of the top themes for a new decade of innovation.

“The Great Resignation” has left nearly every area of business facing a workforce shortage. While the baking industry was not immune, the workforce shortage started long before the pandemic. A record 4.4 million Americans quit their job in September 2021, and with signs pointing to the shortage only getting worse, the baking industry has to think fast on how to retain talented employees

while shifting operations to function without as many people.

Suppliers are helping baking companies and their employees get what they need … and want. Automated solutions for tedious — or even hazardous — tasks allow workers to focus on the more enjoyable responsibilities of their jobs, and that allows companies to retain workers who are truly tapping into their unique talents. These solutions also give organizations a cushion when it comes to employee turnover, letting a robot step in when a human walks out the door.

BluePrint Automation is one such company, whose Delta robot tray loading system is helping to alleviate jam points and simplify quality control. Unifiller’s robotic sheet cake icing machine can ice up to 10 cakes a minute, instantly maximizing output for up to 100 recipes and custom production speeds. Meanwhile, Bakemark brought its SnotBlock innovation, reducing labor needs in the pastry process. And Kwik Lok released a semi-automatic bag closer, helping bakers bag products faster than by hand. These are just a few of the solutions that not only alleviate workforce pressures in the bakery but also allow for operations to become well-oiled machines in terms of efficiency as demand soars.

Flexibility was another standout focus of innovation in recent years. As shopping and eating habits have shifted, consumer demand went up and out: They wanted more of the favorites and also to see something different. From new pretzel shapes to individual snack sizes of crackers and cookies, the pressure was on for bakers and snack manufacturers to develop new products — and do it quickly. Opening another can of metaphorical worms, consumers were also searching for sustainable snacking from product ingredients and packaging. These food manufacturers needed equipment that could keep up in versatility and flexibility for not only the product, but also its packaging.

Products like Formost Fuji’s flowwrapper, Stewart Systems’ custom automated pan handling and ET Oakes’ Laminar Flow Servo system are just a few of the many innovations that put flexibility first. And with an arsenal of new products hitting the market — be they with new ingredients, packaging, or shapes and sizes — equipment that can shift production techniques on a dime will be key to future innovation.

Another vital element central to many boundary-breaking innovations is food safety. Sanitary design has been a critical concern for commercial baking companies for years, but thanks to the pandemic, the word “clean” has taken on even more meaning, especially in the eyes of consumers. Operators can’t shut down the lines to sanitize their machines every hour on the hour, so the burden remains on suppliers to develop new solutions. Several companies brought new ways to keep bakeries running while prioritizing cleanliness and efficiency. Burford Corp., a Middleby Bakery brand, released a target spray applicator with a flush-inplace cleaning system, while Henry & Sons brought sanitary stainless steel to its VEMAG replacement parts, and Promach’s Benchmark brand developed a sanitary, continuous-motion loading solution. These are just three of several recently released innovations that prioritize the health and safety of customers’ products and people.

While bakeries work hard to keep their operation safe and the workforce healthy, shoppers are addressing their own concerns over health and safety, which means thinking more critically about what they’ve been eating. Would their food support their immune system as a deadly disease ravages the world? At the same time, would it bring them joy as they faced uncertainty? And would it keep long enough to last in a family home — one possibly filled with angsty college students forced to return from their semester early?

As these companies continue to provide for people still hunkering down, ingredient suppliers have supplied the tools to help them do it. Corbion introduced a conditioner solution to help dough stand up to commercial processing while also reducing the need to add costly vital wheat gluten, letting bakeries create a dependable, cost-effective baked good that could get into the hands of American families faster.

J&K Ingredients is helping bakeries cater to clean-label lovers while making products last longer through a cleanlabel mold inhibitor, allowing bakeries to ditch chemical preservatives and stick to natural solutions, something consumers are looking for. And REPCO utilized the power of enzymes through its XPro solution, allowing bakers to replace large quantities of gluten protein and helping operations cut costs that come with figuring out a new normal.

A critical part of that new normal involves going digital. After online life became a replacement for social occasions, classrooms and conference rooms, online grocery delivery services have boomed as overnight sensations. When workers went completely remote or hybrid, computers and mobile devices expanded far beyond their roles as outlets for buying home goods and browsing Netflix.

Several suppliers have answered the call to put the functionality of the internet into their equipment as well. Ashworth launched a new remote monitoring system, which uses predictive analysis and real-time remote monitoring to decrease downtime. Reading Thermal released a digital humidity sensor to track a product’s moisture levels through the baking process. And AMF Tromp brought the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to the world of pizza toppings, utilizing AI-based technology to reduce waste and improve product consistency.

As the world is still grappling with the effects of pandemic-driven change, it seems nearly impossible to know what the future holds. But the baking industry is moving forward with open arms and open minds, ready to tackle whatever problems lie ahead. Many organizations are already looking ahead at what’s next, including Axis Automation, which will release its latest Apex Series Topper in 2022. The innovation will prioritize flexibility, speed and efficiency … the qualities that will surely remain evergreen despite any new circumstances that may come.

The future of innovation is undoubtedly essential, but so is honoring the baking industry’s past accomplishments through uncertain times.

Above all, people have worked tirelessly to be there for one another through a broken supply chain, sickness, fear and, at times, even failure. Competitors have become teammates as any parts they could spare were lent to someone in need, and as tips were shared on how to get ingredients and equipment when lead times are longer than ever. Perhaps the most notable evolution of innovation from bakers and suppliers alike is the ability to understand and support the industry. Everyone has found common ground as people determined to get food into the hands of consumers despite the unknowns of how they would get it all done.

And get it done they have.

There is no denying that the industry, country and world have been through the ringer over the past two years. But that pain also proved the ability of bakers, suppliers — and human beings in general — to rise to the occasion, empathize with one another, push forward and figure out ways to make something better.

And when it comes to next year? Bring it on, 2022. The baking industry’s got more where that came from. CB