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president

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“Packaging is your billboard. It’s all about branding, and your package design needs to represent your brand.”

Kimberle Lau | founder | Bake Me Healthy

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Claudia Carter | executive

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LinkedIn post on

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LEADER OF THE PACK

From a box-lunch staple to an “Irresistible” brand, The Killer Brownie Co. is loud, proud and impossible to ignore.

BY JOANIE SPENCER

Before it was part of the Irresistible Foods Group (IFG) — actually, before it was a company at all — Miamisburg, OH-based Killer Brownie was simply a decadent dessert found in the box lunches at high-end grocer Dorothy Lane Market in Dayton, OH, where businesses clamored for the lunches in large part because of the brownies.

Today, Killer Brownie is on the cusp of national notoriety while maintaining a mission of joy … and offering a constant reminder that life is short. After unveiling a rebrand and new logo, Killer Brownie is reassuring everyone that it’s okay to live a little.

“We’re really tapping into those moments where people are doing that in their everyday life,” said Chimene Ross, CEO of The Killer Brownie Co. “Whether it’s a family occasion or just living it up with people you love, it’s about embracing life. That’s who we are. There is so much joy, happiness and fun at Killer Brownie, and we can communicate that through our product.”

The brownies weren’t just a product of Dorothy Lane Market; Norman Mayne, Dorothy Lane’s CEO and third generation of ownership — and Ross’ father — helped develop the original recipe and even sketched the original Killer Brownie logo on a napkin. The popularity began in the early ’80s, and at the height of the corporate box-lunch trend, retailers around the region wanted to emulate the treat in their in-store bakeries.

“It was becoming really big in Dayton,” Ross remembered. “The other retailers wanted to [start selling a brownie like this] because there was no other product like it. In-store bakeries really revolved around bread, and desserts as we know them today were a new phenomenon.”

Mayne was willing to teach those retailers how to make it, but Killer Brownie was too hard to replicate. So, the brand remained with Dorothy Lane.

After some hard knocks from outsourcing production, the Dorothy Lane bakery team figured out how to crank out brownies from a 1,000-square-foot space, affectionately known as “the brownie department,” in the basement of the flagship store. Demand finally outgrew capacity in 2013, and Killer Brownie became its own entity led by Ross, first as head of sales and eventually as CEO.

The brand, now its own company, moved from Dayton to a 30,000-square-foot facility in Miamisburg, where until last year, production, corporate offices and warehouse space were under one roof.

In 2019, the company took another leap, investing in a full marketing team. In the five years that followed, while many brands cut back on marketing, Killer Brownie forged ahead, and the payoff was triple-digit sales growth. After bursting at the seams in the original Miamisburg plant, the team acquired

two more buildings in the neighborhood. The warehouse got its own space across the street, and the corporate functions moved into a building around the corner, dedicating the original 30,000 square feet solely to operations.

Killer Brownie had cracked the code on having a clear vision of the future while accomplishing a lot when the immediate resources and space might be scarce. After all, this is not an average brownie. Made up of multiple layers, one of which is usually caramel, a Killer Brownie feels almost like a candy bar mashup.

“That comes from the texture of the bite,” Ross said. “And that texture comes from the ratio of the inclusions, which comes from an intentional commitment.”

While social media feeds are packed with images of decadent multitextured brownies, very few of that caliber are being made at scale. Ultimately, it’s the experience that makes this product quintessentially “killer.”

“Everything we make has a gooey bite,” Ross said. “Even the brownies without

everyone’s

work.

At Killer Brownie, culture is everything. Chimene Ross (front left), CEO, and Matt Ross (right), COO, lead this bakery by encouraging — and acknowledging —

best

caramel have it. People recognize a Killer Brownie as soon as they bite into it. It’s hard to make at scale. Honestly, no one in their right mind would try to do what we do.”

Making gooey brownies with three or four layers at scale requires customization every step of the way. That requires extra attention when the bakery makes more than 30 brownie varieties, each with its own tower of decadence.

“Automating the process has been challenging,” Ross said. “But automation is our future. We have to do it. We’ve been through a lot of trial and error, and our vendor partners have been incredible.”

For starters, the process requires depositing technology designed for precision. Killer Brownie uses depositors from Reiser and Unifiller for everything from traditional brownie batter to highviscosity layers.

Because the brownies can vary vastly in terms of textures, the room’s layout has to be versatile and easily accessible.

“This is a tight space, so we have to keep things flexible,” said Matt Ross, Killer Brownie’s COO. “Depending on the brownies we’re making that day, things will get moved around and reoriented.”

When making so many varieties that each have their own unique method, temperature is critical to perfecting the product, not only in terms of climate control in the makeup room but also how the brownies are baked.

“Some brownies have chocolate chips, nuts or other inclusions, and those textures require specific parameters,” Matt said. “That means oven temperatures often need to vary.”

In a room full of Revent ovens, custom controls dial in each stage of the bake for every type of brownie.

“That ensures an even bake across the entire rack,” Matt said. “Customization has been really helpful.”

Packaging is another area where customization has supported the operation. Four packaging lines are used based on the customer and product type, whether for foodservice, individually wrapped branded, or retail-ready private label.

“The growth we’ve experienced in the past few years has really allowed us to learn about the ins and outs of retail-ready packaging lines,” Chimene said. “The first thing we did when we moved into this space was automate the retail-ready line.”

Recent investments include an automated palletizer from Onexia, robotic case packing from JLS and a Wayne Automation tray former.

“It’s fun to look back at when this was all manual,” Matt said. “It’s a great reminder of just how far we’ve come.”

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“We were baking in pans, depanning and cutting,” Matt said. “That was a lot of intense labor. Now we can cut inside the pan, overwrap it and ship in bulk, or take them out and move them into a different package.”

That said, the process is still semiautomated, but the team is looking for more automation upstream with integration solutions to bring it all together. With the International Baking Industry Expo on the horizon in September, it’s the right time to have automation on the radar.

“We want to automate the entire line, but we also want it to be people-friendly,” Chimene said. “We want the team to become operators so they can enjoy the job more. Every step of the way, we look at how we can take the strain off people and still meet demand for the product.”

WATCH NOW:

Matt Ross explains priorities and ROI for investing in automation.

That’s the thing about Killer Brownie: At the end of the day, the only things more important than the brownies are the people who make them.

That bond is another area where vendor partnerships become critical. When changes or updates are made to the process — even the ones that make it easier — people naturally have trepidation. The vendors who can navigate those concerns and help operators over the learning curve are the ones that will have staying power.

“The team truly wants to become operators,” Chimene said. “They want to learn

it all because automation is an incredible opportunity for them. And for us to be part of that personal journey, it’s a cool thing to offer.”

From the time Killer Brownie began manufacturing, the company focused on food safety and people safety, gaining SQF food safety certification in 2017 and becoming kosher certified in 2020.

“It’s fun to look back at when this was all manual. It’s a great reminder of just how far we’ve come.”

Matt Ross | COO | The Killer Brownie Co.

As more machines are introduced into the operation, Killer Brownie has also invested in building out a full safety team, starting with Sophie Ross, health and safety supervisor. With education in sports medicine, Sophie brought a focus on ergonomics and sought ways to keep the team healthy as well as safe.

The people safety team was built from the inside out, and Sophie helped choose Shannon Goodman to lead the team. With previous experience working for OSHA, Goodman not only understands the regulatory side of people safety, but she also prioritizes the people aspect.

“Shannon is such a great cultural fit because people safety can be really challenging,” Chimene said. “But she’s all about partnering with managers and helping people see that they can be successful, rather than just going out on the line and saying, ‘You can’t do that. It’s not safe.’ She’s helping everyone win through doing their best work.”

Allowing everyone to be their best is also a critical part of the culture. That’s relatively new in manufacturing, but it’s been foundational for Killer Brownie.

For instance, everyone meets twice a week in the main building to start the day with a team huddle, providing updates that allow everyone to be in the know

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about what’s happening with the business and the operation. It’s also a chance to give shoutouts for wins and other achievements. Even with 150 employees in three buildings, the culture reflects the brand ethos: accepting, open and joyful.

That vibe is present in the huddles, but it continues throughout the day, whether it’s the yacht rock playing in the mixing room or people sporting Killer Brownie’s “Caramel Drippin’” T-shirts.

And then there are Brownie Points, the system where any team member can call out anyone doing anything well. Brownie Points are read aloud at monthly town halls, but so many come in that they’re usually capped at 50 for the sake of time. Then they’re all posted on a billboard in the production breakroom each month.

A brand like this isn’t built without someone wanting to scoop it up. Over the past few years, Killer Brownie has had its share of acquisition offers … but the company has remained steadfast in its values-driven intention for the future. Killer Brownie — and its culture — were built to last.

The Mayne and Ross families were not looking for an exit plan. But when the opportunity arose to partner with IFG, the parent company of King’s Hawaiian, Grillo’s Pickles and Innovation Bakers, the stars began to align.

IFG was formed by the Taira family, which founded King’s Hawaiian, as a way to invest in companies with values similar to those that built the iconic Hawaiian sweet roll brand. Unlike traditional private equity, which often focuses on investing and reselling, IFG is all about creating a culture-based and futurefocused portfolio.

“Culturally, we are completely aligned,” Chimene said. “We care about the same things, especially the things that matter most, which are people and vision. It made sense to partner with another family so similar to us, and they’ve brought alignment and genuine partnership to the table for our vision of the future.”

With resources and expertise in sales, marketing and manufacturing, IFG is setting up Killer Brownie for significant growth, ranging from placement on more store shelves to increased capacity through automation and possible expansion.

“IFG has created a sales team that represents our brand, along with King’s Hawaiian and Grillo’s Pickles,” Chimene said. “They’ve done such an amazing job investing in and building their sales force, and that means we can grow our sales team in a way that would have been really hard for us to do on our own.”

In light of the Killer Brownie rebrand, that support could manifest in advertising opportunities like billboards in major markets

Innovation with bakeable cardboard has allowed the Killer Brownie operation to streamline production at the end of the line and decrease the process’ labor intensity.

or more brand partnerships similar to the one Killer Brownie formed with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2023.

To usher in its new era, Killer Brownie created a strategic planning team composed of five directors from Killer Brownie and six people from IFG, with John Linehan, IFG president, serving as the team’s facilitator. While the products are available coast-to-coast, there is still white space for the brand to fill, including where it all began. In the modern-day perimeter, private brands dominate. But with backing from King’s Hawaiian — one of the most notable names in the in-store bakery segment— Killer Brownie gains a strategic edge.

It’s not only reclaiming the in-store space but also doubling down on its vibe with a new mission statement: “Unleashing creativity and sparking joy through every killer bite.”

It’s off to a great start, with Killer Brownie’s Breakfast Blondie now available on first-class United Airlines flights.

While Killer Brownie is impossible to ignore, the word “brownie” is notably absent from the mission. But that’s not unintentional. The focus is on who the brand is and what the future holds, and the vision is to become a standout brand in every major US market.

“The mission is now about what we’re building for the next 50 to 100 years,” Chimene said. “This is a long-term vision that will live beyond us. It’s about specializing in creativity and joy, and that goes beyond just brownies. But when we’re recognized for our brownies first, we can accomplish that mission.” CB

INNOVATIONS FROM THE BAKERY FLOOR

With its new branding and marketing strategy, and backing from Irresistible Foods Group, Killer Brownie is on the cusp of national notoriety. Automation is the future ... and it’s already begun. Below is a list of supplier innovations that can be found helping Killer Brownie crank out this uniquely decadent product.

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Maximum Impact

A passion for people — and pie — drives Austin Kelly, CEO of Willamette Valley Pie Co., beyond the status quo.

BY MARI RYDINGS

High school jobs are typically just a temporary means to an end. Yet on rare occasions, those early experiences ignite a fire to explore an unexpected career path. That’s exactly what happened to Austin Kelly, CEO of Portland, OR-based Willamette Valley Pie Co.

Kelly worked the cherry harvest in high school for a grower that supplied bakeries with fruit for pies and other desserts. Once the fruit left the orchard, though, it was pretty much out of sight, out of mind for him. That is, until he had the opportunity to peek behind the curtain, revealing the magic of manufacturing.

“No one really talks to kids about the CPG industry and food manufacturing, so I knew nothing about it,” Kelly shared. “The first time I saw how the fruit went from an orchard to a product on a store shelf, I fell in love. It was so exciting. There are so many pieces to the puzzle, from farmers to production, to the marketing and distribution aspects, to the retail shelves. It’s an amazing story.”

Having found his niche, Kelly earned a business management degree from Western Governors University and completed the Food Industry Executive Program at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business while working to gain hands-on experience in every aspect of the food industry, from quality

All photos courtesy of Willamette Valley Pie Co.

and safety to supply chain to operations to marketing. He amassed a diverse range of experience in a relatively short amount of time, discovering a passion and talent for leadership and strategy along the way.

He served as plant manager and director of operations at Fruithill Inc., before accepting a position as director of quality at Milwaukie, OR-based Dave’s Killer Bread during the company’s early years. He gained supply chain experience at Portland, OR-based Bridgetown Natural Foods and served as VP of operations at Baltimore-based Mason Dixie Foods.

“I realized that if I wanted to help people grow and make the largest impact I could, I needed to know about all of these moving pieces,” Kelly said. “I was very intentional about working across the different functions. I was always open to opportunities, and I maximized every second of learning. I made sure I was always learning something new that would help others and give me a larger reach.”

Kelly’s jack-of-all-trades background gave him the tools — and entrepreneurial mindset — the owners of Willamette Valley Pie were looking for in a new CEO. The irony of where he started to where he landed isn’t lost on him.

“It is quite serendipitous, certainly,” he said. “I always tell people I started in fruit, and then spent about seven years in baking. When you put the two things together, you get pie.”

He took the helm in 2021, tasked with uncovering the company’s full potential. The challenge has allowed Kelly to flex his entrepreneurial muscles, a trait he quickly instilled in his team.

“I describe us as a 25-year-old startup,” he said. “We’re a mid-size emerging business

“I have the opportunity to impact so many lives, and the decisions I make every single day have a ripple effect to everybody that’s trusted inside my care. Leadership carries an incredible burden, but it’s also an incredible blessing.”

Austin Kelly | CEO | Willamette Valley Pie Co.

— we have about 130 employees — that’s growing. We saw a tremendous amount of white space in the frozen pie category, in-store bakery, and for premium, handcrafted, artisan desserts.”

WATCH NOW:

Austin Kelly shares what sets his pie company apart when it comes to product innovation.

The company didn’t find that white space by happenstance. Like most of what Kelly does, the discovery process was wellthought-out, intentional and grounded by two of his core business values: listening and learning. Not long after he stepped into his new role, Kelly launched an immersive consumer research project to determine why the company’s products were popular locally and how he could expand on that story to create a national presence.

“We sat down with folks who came into our retail store and cafe for a slice of pie and asked them questions and got their feedback,” Kelly said. “We also did surveys and panels and really took a deep dive into understanding what people care about and what they like about our pie. Then we took those learnings and used them to inform our product development, innovation cycle and marketing.”

Those conversations combined with an organization-wide culture of questioning the status quo — always asking, “What if?” — have helped the business more than double in the past four years, with distribution expanding from local markets to national retailers such as Whole Foods Market, Safeway and Albertsons.

“Most of our revenue comes from new items that we launched in the last

couple years,” Kelly shared. “We’re constantly reinventing and reinvigorating and always looking for the next thing and how to do it quickly. That’s the competitive advantage of small companies; we can move fast.”

The grassroots consumer research revealed more than just people’s pie preferences; it also helped Kelly lead Willamette Valley Pie toward solidifying its go-to-market strategy, which closely aligns with his philosophy of going beyond the status quo.

“The things other pie companies wouldn’t do are what we lean into,” he explained. “When others say no, we say yes, and we figure out how to do it. That’s been our strategy as we’ve worked with partners, both on the private label side and with our brand, to create unique offerings and do things that are really creative, fun and out of the box. That’s how we approach innovation.”

Even the most innovative leaders can fall prey to the “This is how we’ve always done it” mindset, especially when growing a business. Kelly’s drive to be different forms the foundation of his leadership philosophy. It also keeps his skills sharp and his perspective fresh.

“I’ve realized I want to create products people love, and I want to have a lot of fun doing it,” he said. “When people look back, they don’t remember the projects they worked on or their KPIs or the financial results from 10 years ago, but they can probably tell you the people they worked with and how they felt. I like to focus on people and creating joyful memories. I want to look back and say, ‘I had a lot of fun doing that. We achieved everything we possibly could.’”

Of course, measuring the company’s success, setting KPIs and keeping close watch on the financial results are inextricably linked to the CEO seat, and Kelly is keenly aware of the weight that comes with his leadership responsibilities. And he accepts it wholeheartedly.

“I have the opportunity to impact so many lives, and the decisions I make every single day have a ripple effect to everybody that’s trusted inside my care,” Kelly shared. “Leadership carries an incredible burden, but it’s also an incredible blessing.”

On days when things may not be going exactly according to plan, Kelly leans into grounded optimism. He strives to balance optimism with realism and stay focused on the opportunities that lie ahead.

“I was always open to opportunities, and I maximized every second of learning. I made sure I was always learning something new that would help others and give me a larger reach.”

Austin Kelly | CEO | Willamette Valley Pie Co.

Kelly’s family, (from left) son Luke, daughter Rhema, and wife Aimee, serves as his daily reminder to have fun, stay optimistic and be open to fresh perspectives.

“My responsibility as a leader is to paint a realistic picture but also keep everyone focused on the better day that is ahead of us,” he said. “I remind myself of that every morning, and I’ve created a culture internally where, if I don’t tell people that it’s the best day yet, they will question it. We’ve ingrained that optimism into our everyday communication.”

That intentional optimism is fueled by Kelly’s personal commitment to learn something new every day and connect with others in a way that adds value and helps them grow as well.

“Whether I’m listening to a book or podcast in the car or structuring a oneon-one or networking lunch or coffee, I always try get a little better each day,” he explained. “I’ve almost become addicted to that process. I enjoy connecting with people so I can ask questions and learn, and it adds to my tool belt of information I can share with others.”

As he works to grow Willamette Valley Pie into a recognizable brand nationwide, Kelly is also committed to the future of the commercial baking industry. For him, that means funneling his desire to make an impact into finding future leaders.

In other words, igniting the spark in others that he’s carried throughout his career.

“There aren’t a lot of young leaders coming up in this industry,” he noted. “I see a responsibility to train leaders that can help carry the baking industry forward, and that’s where my focus has been. Whether they’re working here at Willamette Valley Pie or other companies, how can I help grow the next generation of baking leaders? It’s a big challenge, but it’s a fun challenge.”

At the end of the day, for Kelly, leadership is all about the people.

“I absolutely love interacting with folks and helping them achieve their potential,” he said. “That’s what I’m 100 percent passionate about doing. It’s what gets me up in the morning, and it’s what keeps me involved in this. It just so happens I get to make great food products while I’m doing it, and that’s a blessing. CB

Listening and learning are two of Kelly’s core business values that also provide useful insight into product development opportunities for his team.

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Setting the Standard

Mightylicious is on a mission to redefine what it means to be gluten-free.

BY MADDIE LAMBERT

Tapping into the gluten-free market goes beyond products with alternatively sourced ingredients and proper labeling. To stand out in this segment, manufacturers must do the work to create glutenfree products that have flavor on par with their traditional counterparts.

According to Fortune Business Insights, the 2024 gluten-free global market was valued at $6.7 billion, with the expectancy to grow to $14 billion in 2032. The gluten-free cookie category in particular reached $15.5 billion in US sales last year, according to Mintel data.

For those looking to disrupt the cookie category — known for indulgence — building a reputation for taste is key.

Enter New York-based cookie company Mightylicious. After being diagnosed with celiac disease in 2012, Carolyn Haeler, the brand’s founder and CEO, faced a significant diet change that required removing all foods containing gluten.

After she fully transitioned to a glutenfree diet, Haeler identified a gap in the market for tasty and indulgent glutenfree cookies. What she encountered most often were gluten-free brands in eye-catching packaging that didn’t quite meet her high expectations for taste and texture.

“As an adult with an autoimmune disease, I lost a lot of autonomy in my life,” Haeler

said. “I lost control over those moments when I wanted to pacify myself with a little treat but had to settle instead.”

Convinced there had to be a better alternative, Haeler set out to provide just that. She decided to create a gluten-free cookie that broke the trend of captive consumerism, where consumers didn’t have to settle for limited options and no alternatives when purchasing a glutenfree sweet treat. Mightylicious cookies wouldn’t just be available; they would guarantee quality at an affordable price.

In 2017, she quit her job to bake fulltime. Spending 15-hour days trying to perfect the recipe, it took three months

to capture the taste and texture of a traditional cookie in a gluten-free variety. Ambitious to perfect such a cookie for all palates, Haeler spent months of trial-and-error learning how to best manufacture gluten-free cookies that remained flavorful throughout the entire commercialization process

“A majority of gluten-free products on the market were created by a parent for a child with a severe food allergy,” Haeler said. “They haven’t been confined to the lifestyle of not eating gluten anymore. There’s a lot of sympathy in the products on the market, but there isn’t a lot of empathy, and that’s why Mightylicious stands out.”

All photos courtesy of Mightylicious

The Mightylicious gluten-free and vegan cookie lineup is elevated with original flavors and clean ingredients.

EMERGING BRAND

For Haeler, rice flour was the winning gluten alternative. To produce a baked good that delivers texture, shape and taste, Mightylicious uses a proprietary flour blend of rice flour, corn starch, tapioca and potato starches, milk powder and xanthan gum. The rice flour serves two functions: It creates a homogeneous dough similar to one with gluten and helps the cookies maintain the desired moisture level.

“I realized I needed to use rice flour for the product to taste good, but it was the weakest,” Haeler said. “It doesn’t develop a strong dough or rise well in baked goods. I discovered it had to be milled to a super fine spec — practically silky in nature — and ground to feel like corn starch.”

As the company got its feet off the ground, Mightylicious operated out of a rented facility to self-manufacture for the first year and a half. In 2019, Haeler transitioned to a co-manufacturer in New Jersey.

With more than 40,000 food manufacturing locations in the US, only about a dozen are certified gluten-free facilities. While not originally a gluten-free facility, the manufacturer — and the brand — received certification through the Gluten Free Food Program Project, testing the product before, during and after baking for any traces of gluten and ensuring the machines stay uncompromised.

For a gluten-free brand known for its taste, being content with recipes is never an option, which means R&D is an ongoing process. As a result of these efforts, Haeler reformulated a few cookie varieties to replace traditional sugars with grape juice and rice syrup to maintain the humectant properties and moisture levels.

Subbing traditional sugar for grape juice also served as a shelf-life extender; the natural preservatives inhibit oxidation and fight microbes without the need for artificial additives. To ensure the product stays as oven-fresh as possible, Mightylicious cookies are double-packaged to provide a positive eating experience by offering a gluten-free product that is not only shelf-stable but also made with the consumer’s best interest in mind.

True of any startup, cash flow is the biggest hurdle. With a background in finance and the wherewithal to practice conservative spending, Haeler opened a $150,000 line of credit to fund the business for the first two years. She also received about $90,000 in small business loans.

“It’s important people know these types of loans are available and that there are banks willing to make investments and take risks on small businesses,” she said.

“With those loans, I was able to expand and reach more consumers.”

The brand’s go-to-market strategy included onboarding to Whole Foods Market’s local supplier program, which took roughly six months. During this time, Haeler found a commercial facility, received her food handling license and incorporated the business. In January 2018, Mightylicious cookies hit the shelves with three flavors: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip, Double Dutch Chocolate Chip and Salted Peanut Butter.

By the end of 2018, Mightylicious had expanded from three Whole Foods stores to having product in all of the retailer’s New York state locations. Less than five months later, Mightylicious cookies were on shelves throughout the northeast region. Today, the product is available online and in almost all 50 states in various independent, specialty and conventional grocery stores.

Mightylicious has grown its reach beyond New York and now distributes its products in nearly all 50 states.

As the business experienced significant growth in 2020, Mightylicious responded to consumer demand for a plant-based alternative with the addition of two vegan flavors: Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Coconut.

“My two vegan SKUs became my number one and number three bestselling cookies,” she said. “Consumers wanted it, and they were fascinated that the product was vegan and gluten-free.”

After seeing large success beyond the gluten-free community, the brand added Oatmeal Raisin and Double Dutch flavors, for a total of four vegan, non-GMO certified and kosher SKUs in its product portfolio, with a later addition of a gluten- and egg-free Brown Butter Short Bread flavor.

Despite the success Mightylicious experiences with people who are vegan and gluten-free, Haeler still faces the challenge of attracting consumers who don’t shop with those restrictions.

“My goal is to get Mightylicious into the hands of consumers who are hesitant,” Haeler said. “Initiating that relationship with them is one of my top priorities.”

While Haeler is the company’s only employee, she outsources labor in areas where she needs additional expertise, with a team of about nine people who assist with sales, operations, packaging and marketing.

Fully committed to the growth of the brand, Haeler is on the lookout for strategic investors to raise additional capital within the next 12 months. The brand has national distribution through UNFI and KeHE but is currently in the first phase of getting into all of the allocated distribution centers. With assistance from an insti -

“Mightylicious is right in the middle. I’m not putting any extra ingredients in these products, but I’m also not solely focused on creating a functional cookie. I’m trying to make a clean, simple cookie that tastes good.”

Carolyn Haeler | founder and CEO | Mightylicious

tutional investor, the brand can expand distribution to reach store shelves in all 50 states and keep a watchful eye on growth opportunities. Mightylicious aims to expand into a lifestyle brand with products in multiple CPG categories. Additionally, Haeler is planning seasonal cookie launches in an array of different flavors in the upcoming years.

With consumer trends remaining an evolving target, Mightylicious’ strategy is to become the connecting force at the crossroads where consumers seek healthier foods but also the satisfaction of permissible indulgence.

“Mightylicious is right in the middle,” Haeler said. “I’m not putting any extra ingredients in these products, but I’m also not solely focused on creating a functional cookie. I’m trying to make a clean, simple cookie that tastes good.”

Mightylicious is starting to stand out in the gluten-free cookie market, and above all, Haeler seeks to break the stigma around the category to position her products as a top choice for all diets.

Haeler is also mindful of product affordability amidst inflation and a shifting economic landscape.

“I would like to find ways to consolidate the margin and make my cookies go from a $7.99 to a $5.99 product,” she shared.

The gluten-free segment has the potential to come into the forefront rather than be seen as an alternative category, especially as consumer interest in better-foryou baked goods grows. Mightylicious is setting the standard for what it means to be gluten-free by empowering consumers to shop — and eat — differently … and that’s an awakening that can disrupt all cookie categories. CB

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Integrated Innovation

A mix of short- and long-term tactics may be the answer to ensuring nutritious and affordable food for all.

BY MARI RYDINGS

Food insecurity is one of the most complex problems the world faces today … and it’s growing. The phrase refers to when people don’t have enough to eat and aren’t sure where their next meal will come from. In the US, it’s not a matter of scarcity; food production and supply are healthy. Rather, the high cost of living, lack of affordable housing, unemployment, and chronic health issues, among other drivers, are fueling the problem. Globally, climate change, war and economic instability make food production and distribution extremely challenging.

Even though food manufacturers — especially commercial bakers — are in the perfect position to make great strides toward solving the problem, the issue is so pervasive and personal that it’s difficult to pinpoint where to start.

In the US alone, 47 million people, including 14 million children, experience food insecurity every year, according to Feeding America, the largest hunger relief organization in the US. The World Health Organization puts the global number at around 733 million people.

Despite these numbers, 47% of Americans believe food insecurity is rare among the average family.

That’s according to “Empty Tables: The Hidden Reality of Food Insecurity,” a recent survey conducted by Downers Grove, IL-based Sara Lee Corp., a Bimbo Bakeries USA (BBU) brand, and U.S. Hunger. The survey also revealed that 3 in 10 Americans aren’t familiar with the term “food insecurity,” and 76% don’t count it among the top three issues facing families today.

The report also found that 38% of Americans believe the income level that submits the most requests for food assistance is less than $25,000 annually. In truth, food insecurity impacts households that earn between $25,000 and $149,000 per year. When made aware of the extent of the problem, 82% of survey respondents said they were interested in helping to fight it. That statistic alone opens up opportunities to raise awareness and encourage action.

Bakers aren’t on the battlefield alone. Industry associations, agriculturally focused universities, social enterprises and accelerator programs are fighting alongside them, searching for viable, sustainable solutions.

Commercial bakers fulfill the immediate need: getting safe and nutritious food to people who need it. They are known for their generous baked goods donations to hunger relief organizations and support of internal programs encouraging employees to volunteer at food banks in the communities they serve.

Thomasville, GA-based Flowers Foods is one of several companies that has been a Feeding America Guiding Partner for many years, providing millions of pounds of fresh and reclaimed bakery products every year.

“In 2023, bakeries in the Flowers Foods network donated more than $7.6 million in bakery food products to hunger relief organizations through the Feeding America network,” said Sally Bowman, director of community engagement and giving for Flowers Foods. “These donations put food in the hands of those who need it most.”

Horsham, PA-based BBU is also a long-time partner of Feeding America and donates more than 20 million pounds of bread and

baked goods every year across the US. As part of Mexico City-based Grupo Bimbo, BBU also participates in the annual Bimbo Global Race.

“This event brings together participants from around the world to raise awareness for food insecurity,” said Jonathan Berger, VP of people at BBU. “For every runner who registers for the physical race, 20 slices of bread are donated. For each virtual participant, two slices are donated. These efforts result in millions of slices being donated globally every year to help fight hunger.”

These ongoing, real-time donations allow other baking industry-related organizations to focus on longer-term solutions.

“We try to address the root cause of food insecurity,” said Jaina Wald, VP of marketing at Puratos USA, during the “Telling Your Story: Baking Businesses and the Communities They Serve” panel at the 2024 American Bakers Association (ABA) Convention. “For us, on the local level, it comes down to time, supporting food days and programs in the community. On a global level, we have a one-for-one giving program: For every pound of chocolate sold, Puratos donates a certain percentage back to the farming community.”

Kansas State University’s College of Agriculture is also focused on tackling the problem at its core. Last spring, it broke ground on the Global Center for Grain and Food Innovation, the centerpiece of its agriculture infrastructure initiative. The overarching vision for the Center is to develop an interdisciplinary approach to working with the baking and milling industry to help solve some of the world’s most challenging food-related problems, including food insecurity.

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“All of the easy questions and challenges in food and ag production have been solved,” said Dr. Ernie Minton, the school’s dean of the College of Agriculture and director of K-State Research and Extension. “The next ones are complex so we need multidisciplinary teams to work on them, and that’s what we’re trying to create.”

Baking industry organizations such as ABA are addressing food insecurity on the legislative front, partnering with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to ensure food-related policies provide long-term, practical solutions.

“One of our biggest challenges is ensuring legislative policies foster sustainability and growth so baking manufacturers can continue producing the safe and nutritious products Americans in all communities depend on,” said Eric Dell, ABA’s president and CEO.

Food security is an important piece of the association’s new strategic plan, especially as it pertains to the industry’s supply chain. Most recently, ABA tackled issues related to tariffs, port strikes and workforce policies, all of which have the potential to negatively impact the supply chain and compromise access to baked goods.

“ABA is also focused on key activities where federal action will have a significant positive impact on the communities we serve: fostering a fair and productive regulatory environment for the workforce and workplace and maintaining the integrity of key nutrition programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,” Dell added.

He noted that the Congressional Baking Caucus established last year will give bakers a wider platform from which to

47 million Americans experience food insecurity every year.

Source: Feeding America

address critical issues such as workforce development, regulatory reform, supply chain efficiency and sustainability, all factors that also impact access to food.

“By fostering collaboration between policymakers and the commercial baking industry, the Caucus helps create more awareness of the industry on Capitol Hill,” Dell explained. “And it drives solutions that ensure baking manufacturers can grow their businesses while adapting to evolving consumer needs and improving food security in all communities.”

On a global level, accelerator organizations such as the Seeding the Future Foundation approach the issue of food insecurity from yet another angle. The Foundation invests in startups that offer innovative solutions that will contribute to more sustainable, resilient and equitable food systems globally. The not-for-profit partners with the Institute of Food Technologists on the annual Seeding the Future Global Food System Challenge, which awards up to $1 million in seed grants, growth grants and grand prizes.

Winning innovations have included nutrient-dense porridges for Zambian schools, solar cooling hubs for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, nutritious and affordable novel composite flours for Ugandan school feeding programs, and a regenerative agriculture model that helps Indian farmers transition away from chemical-based farming approaches.

“Food insecurity is an issue that no single organization can solve on its own,” Berger said. “It requires collective action from businesses, non-profits and policymakers.”

In other words, it takes a village. Tackling the issue from all sides and implementing both short- and long-term solutions may be the best approach to ensuring all people — everywhere — have access to safe, nutritious and affordable food. CB

A New Age for Gluten-Free

As consumers’ health interests converge, bakery formulators are looking at gluten-free development through multiple lenses.

BY MAGGIE GLISAN

The year was 2015. Photos of avocado toast had taken over Instagram feeds. Poke bowls were having a moment. Interest in burrata had skyrocketed. Cold brew became cool. And “going gluten-free” seemed to be the diet craze du jour.

Fast-forward 10 years. Dine at a California Pizza Kitchen, and consumers can order their pie with a gluten-free crust baked in a dedicated gluten-free oven. Walk into any large grocery store, and there’s a good chance it has an entire aisle devoted to gluten-free products. While some trends have lost their initial luster, eating gluten-free has not only proven it’s more than a passing fad; it’s also become widely accepted as a

dietary necessity for some as well as a standard part of the broader health-and-wellness landscape.

It’s a category that’s booming, with MarketsandMarkets Research projecting sales of global gluten-free products to reach $11.48 billion by 2029.

Approximately 1% of Americans have celiac disease, according to the National Institutes of Health. But even though only 1 in 133 US consumers has a celiac diagnosis, there is a growing category of consumers who opt to eat gluten-free either all of the time or some of the time as part of a holistic approach to health.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

“We don’t look at [gluten-free] as an emerging trend anymore,” said Matt Schueller, director of marketing insights and analytics at Ardent Mills. “It’s really become a mainstream dietary choice or behavior.”

According to Ardent Mills research, about 94% of gluten-free eating occasions are driven by people choosing those foods, not due to a medical diagnosis.

This is happening despite the mixed opinions of health experts on the benefits of going gluten-free. For individuals with celiac or gluten sensitivity, avoiding gluten is essential to preventing digestive distress, fatigue and other adverse effects. However, for those eating gluten-free out of choice, Schueller said it benefits as a health halo, or the perception that a diet is good for you despite a lack of scientific evidence to back it up.

Regardless, there’s a level of social momentum behind the gluten-free movement.

“It has generated a lot of buzz over the years and has become a big topic in the health and wellness sphere,” Schueller said. “That has pulled curious consumers who don’t want to be left out of the conversation.”

Much of that momentum is due to an interest among younger consumers. According to Ardent Mills research, 18- to 24-year-olds are the most enthusiastic about and most committed to eating gluten-free, with 25- to 34-yearolds following right behind them. But what these behaviors really reflect is a broader trend: the desire for customized dietary parameters that are tailor-made to fit people’s specific health needs and preferences.

The global gluten-free products market is projected to reach $11.48 billion by 2029.

Source: MarketsandMarkets

“When it comes to some of those big macro trends, we’re seeing a lot of personalized nutrition, specifically how people are looking for functional health benefits that are very nuanced and specific to their own unique needs,” said Lee Brymer, head of marketing communications for Tastewise. The GenAI-powered consumer data platform included hyper-personalized nutrition in its top trend predictions for 2025.

Schueller noted that for consumers eating gluten-free by choice, they expect their diets to meet a whole host of health priorities, whether that’s improved gut health, sleep, energy or weight management, to name a few.

“Now the consumer is expecting other things that are a priority to them within their eating behaviors to be combined with gluten-free,” Schueller said. “The absence of gluten is no longer enough. The consumer is looking for gluten-free, plus additional benefits. This is the notion that consumers are looking for diets and foods that have multiple benefits that align with their goals.”

In the GLP-1 era, hormone balancing has also become an exceptionally hot topic when it comes to nutrition. In fact, consumer discussions of hormone balancing are up 150% since 2022 according to Tastewise, as hormones are now being recognized as key drivers to achieving overall wellbeing. Research indicates gluten can affect several hormones, including those that control stress, metabolism and appetite.

Consumers are more discerning than ever, and these broader health-andwellness trends should all be considered as bakers bring new gluten-free products to market.

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“Demand for gluten-free baked goods continues to grow as consumers shift toward healthier lifestyles and dietary inclusivity,” said Abigail Ceule, VP of functional systems at Corbion. “Consumers want gluten-free options that feel indulgent but are also nutrient-dense, high in fiber and contain minimal additives.”

Perhaps that’s why, for so many glutenfree product launches in recent years, gluten-free claims are merely one of the nutritional selling points.

New York-based Sweet Loren’s breakfast biscuits, whose package states “crafted with only clean ingredients,” tout 19 grams of whole grains, 4 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber and five B vitamins per serving. Salinas, CA-based CauliPuffs promotes its product as non-GMO and baked, not fried, in avocado oil. For Flings toaster pastries, produced by Canada-based RetroSnacks Inc., there seems to be a bit of something for everyone, with high protein and fiber, keto-friendly, glutenfree and grain-free all taking top billing as selling points.

But for all the benefits that might entice consumers to opt for a gluten-free product, if it doesn’t taste good, or if the texture is off, it won’t sell.

“The number one most important factor when choosing gluten-free products, not surprisingly, is the taste,” Schueller said. “Gluten-free has really evolved over the past several years, and the expectation level among consumers is high when it comes to taste as well as texture.”

According to Ardent Mills, for those eating gluten-free by choice, fewer than 40% of eating occasions among that group are actually gluten-free. So, if the

product doesn’t deliver on taste and texture, they won’t come back … simply because they don’t need to.

Ceule observed that demand for better taste and texture in gluten-free products — coupled with a heightened focus on clean label and nutritional value — is a major innovation driver.

“We’re observing a clear evolution in consumer expectations,” she said. “Gluten-free products must now match the sensory qualities of traditional baked goods. Taste, texture and nutritional profile are top of mind.”

She predicts the future of gluten-free baking will likely see breakthroughs in plant-based protein blends that deliver on structure and nutritional value.

“We expect significant advancements in flavor and texture that mirror traditional baked goods,” Ceule noted. “Our focus on sustainable and clean-

label ingredients will help us stay ahead of these trends, allowing us to support customers in creating high-quality, gluten-free options that are both enjoyable and nutritious.”

She said Corbion is working to address the complex structural and textural needs of gluten-free baking through functional ingredients that work synergistically to provide stability, moisture retention and a soft, resilient crumb. Extending shelf life without compromising on texture is also a focus.

Setting a high bar for flavor and texture has been standard practice for Shelby Township, MI-based Ethel’s Baking Co., which is known for its handcrafted gluten-free dessert bars and cookies since 2011.

“At the core, it’s got to have an amazing flavor,” said Jill Bommarito, founder and CEO of Ethel’s Baking Co. “That’s where we start.”

Consumer demand for taste, texture and clean-label ingredients is driving gluten-free product innovation.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

The baking company prides itself on creating the kind of treats a grandmother would make, with the kind of ingredients she would have used. That can prove to be a challenge when innovating.

LISTEN NOW:

Jill Bommarito talks about the art behind gluten-free baking.

“It’s easy to be enticed into having some other additions that are clean; however, a consumer wouldn’t see them in their grandmother’s cupboard,” she said. “Pea protein helps hold a crust together in a gluten-free world. It might even give us a better yield … and yield equals dollars. But we’re not adding pea protein because we don’t think it will look good on the label. That’s part of our commitment.”

Nailing the right flavor and texture is equally important for bakers looking to create gluten-free variations of their existing products. When Southhampton, NY-based Tate’s Bake Shop developed gluten-free versions of its cookies, Jessica Goon, Tate’s CMO, said the company had to be relentless in its commitment to quality and taste to replicate its signature thin-and-crispy texture.

“We ultimately landed on rice flour as the key gluten-free ingredient that produced [that texture],” Goon said. “The majority of the other cookie ingredients, such as real sugar, butter and chocolate, are naturally gluten-free, so once we nailed the wheat flour replacement, the rest of the ingredients were relatively simple to integrate into the recipes.”

When developing gluten-free products, many bakers turn to 1-to-1 flours,

which often contain a combination of rice flours and starches, including tapioca and potato. But with recent innovations, coupled with consumer demand for higher nutritional profiles, a growing number of ingredients, including chickpeas, lentils, quinoa and sorghum are making waves in the space.

It relates to a trend that Brymer calls “versatile hero” ingredients. These are nutritionally dense ingredients — like chickpeas or lentils — that have multiple uses and work in a variety of applications.

“They are ingredients that can be everything to everyone and appeal to a variety of diet claims and nutrition profiles,” he said, noting a wealth of opportunity for gluten-free baked goods with these

types of ingredients, especially those that consumers are already familiar with.

While a gluten-free diet is a healthy solution for people with sensitivity and celiac, when formulated — and marketed — properly, these products tap into the dietary needs and preferences of a wider swath of consumers.

“There’s a convergence of interests that people have with their food, especially as it pertains to the support of their health and wellness goals,” Schueller said.

As that convergence plays out in the gluten-free category, and as consumers’ knowledge and preferences evolve, bakers will have no choice but to innovate in response to those demands. CB

Photo courtesy of Tate’s Bake Shop

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Back and Better Than Ever

As the next generation of bakers enters the commercial baking industry, joining veterans eager to pass down their wellearned knowledge, the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) 2025, set for Sept. 13-17 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, is positioned to provide industry experts, newcomers and everyone in between with just what they’re looking for.

The triennial event, which puts all profits back into the baking industry, is owned by the American Bakers Association (ABA) and BEMA with support from the Retail Bakers of America (RBA). In anticipation of the Baking Expo, Lily Cota, associate editor for Commercial Baking , sat down with IBIE 2025 planning committee members to find out what attendees can expect from the show.

Lily Cota: IBIE 2022 was the only international baking show not impacted by the pandemic, so it had a ton of energy. How will IBIE 2025 top that excitement?

Allen Wright: That is a challenge for any recurring event: How do you make it better than the one before?

There was a lot of pent-up energy coming out of COVID going into IBIE 2022, and from what we’ve seen so far, excitement is just as robust, if not more so. Our team is pulling together exceptional programming, and we have no doubt our exhibitors will show up with the latest innovations.

Jorge Zarate: With each IBIE, we try to surpass ourselves, and we’re achieving that in 2025. We constantly look for what’s new, what’s trending and what’s next for our industry. We are already 98% sold out on the floor, a great indicator of a successful show.

Are there any residual effects from COVID, such as supply chain struggles, that affected planning for IBIE 2025?

Ken Newsome: Well, iba is being held in the same year and while we were not affected by COVID, they were. To get back onto their regular schedule, they doubled up last year with interpack, and they’re doubling up this year with IBIE, so exhibitors who attend both shows have been planning earlier than normal. But other than that, the effects of the

“That’s a challenge for any recurring event: How do you make it better than the one before?”

Allen Wright | IBIE 2025 vice chair | president | Hansaloy

pandemic are principally behind us. While 2022 was unique because we were the first international industry event to occur following the pandemic closures, every show brings its own excitement.

Wright: The biggest thing that impacts planning for the show is mindset. We’ve come out of the pandemic planning mindset and are back into a normalized planning timeline. Fortunately, there’s a lot of continuity on the committee, and we can go back several show cycles to guide us.

As a committee of bakers and suppliers, how do you tap into those business relationships to deliver what IBIE exhibitors and attendees need?

Wright: The committee is equally divided amongst bakers and suppliers, with diverse perspectives from both sides. We tap into their respective expertise and experiences to ensure the show is relevant and solutions-focused. We all have our pulse on the industry and what matters because we are the industry.

Zarate: That is the beauty of how IBIE is organized. The committee is voluntarily working, giving their time and their expertise to create this product between both groups, for the best of the industry.

Kim Nisbet: We know the different types of learning, experiences, and commercial pursuits attendees are after, and we know what constraints they face. This is the committee’s North Star when planning IBIE.

MEET THE COMMITTEE

The IBIE Planning Committee is made up of five American Bakers Association (ABA) members and five BEMA members, with support from three representatives from the Retail Bakers of America (RBA). The committee members representing ABA and BEMA shared their insights on what exhibitors and attendees can expect at IBIE 2025.

Representing BEMA/ABA

Jorge Zarate

IBIE 2025 chair | chief supply chain officer and chief sustainability officer, Grupo Bimbo

Allen Wright

IBIE 2025 vice chair | president, Hansaloy

Dennis Gunnell

IBIE 2022 chair | president, Formost Fuji Corp.

Jason Frye

IBIE 2025 secretary and treasurer | senior VP of supply chain planning and performance, Flowers Foods

Kim Nisbet president and CEO, United States Bakery

Rick Hoskins CEO, Colborne Foodbotics

Akeem Babatunde senior director of supply chain, Kroger Co.

Mark Hotze VP of sales, Corbion

Trina Bediako CEO, New Horizons Baking Co.

Ken Newsome executive chair, Markel Food Group

Representing RBA

Amie Smith owner, Amie Bakery

Marissa Sertich Velie executive director, RBA

Scott Calvert owner, The Cake Plate & Tootie Pie Co.

Trina Bediako: The committee is inherently tight-knit. We interact with each other in so many different ways and at several events. By keeping these relationships and communication open, we see what we’re faced with so that IBIE can be in a position to support the industry.

How has consolidation, whether for suppliers or baking companies, changed the industry, and how will it impact the show?

Dennis Gunnell: Consolidation will continue; it’s nothing new. It’s important to the industry, but it’s also important to know that 75% of our exhibitors and attendees return show after show. But that also means that 25% of our exhibitors are new, which is equally important. We have new startups and suppliers who offer bakers something new and different.

Jason Frye: I agree. Consolidation is not new, it’s just part of the industry. And it makes the industry stronger. When there is a consolidation, now you’re bringing more people with different points of view and experiences, and it’s very enriching for the exhibitors as well to interact with them. And while that means we have more “big” suppliers, there’s a still a lot of smaller suppliers that provide great relevance as well.

Newsome: I don’t think it affects the attendee experience. What impacts the

IBIE 2025 committee members Jorge Zarate (left)and Dennis Gunnell at IBIE 2022.

attendees is a hall full of interesting and appropriate suppliers. If you look at the space, we don’t have a lack of people who want to be there and tell their story.

What are your predictions on how the rise of private equity ownership will impact capital expenditures? What should exhibitors be thinking about in that regard?

Bediako: Private equity groups are newer members at the bakers table, and, in some cases, they can upset the available capital chart. However, the industry is experiencing an influx, moving from small family businesses to private equity groups. If we collaborate and integrate appropriately, there can be learnings on each side.

Rick Hoskins: I think the influx of private equity in baking will further increase capital investment within the industry. One of the quickest ways for private equity to obtain worthwhile returns is to invest in capital. Exhibitors need to be focused on communicating how their solutions will impact return on investment for attendees.

Booth displays are getting larger and more complex. What kind of pressure do exhibitors have to up their game?

Bediako: Bakers come to this event looking for innovative business solutions. It’s critical that each exhibitor showcases the reasons why bakers should visit their booth. Whatever size, whatever complexity: Just bring it!

Newsome: There’s pressure to up your game every year, regardless of whether

“The committee is voluntarily working, giving their time and their expertise to create this product between both [bakers and suppliers], for the best of the industry.”

Jorge Zarate | IBIE 2025 chair | chief supply chain officer and chief sustainability officer | Grupo Bimbo

it’s a show year, regardless of how big your booth is. You have to always stay in front of the competition if you want to remain a leader.

Gunnell: Your booth has to be engaging enough to grab attendees’ interest, and you can do that with any size of booth. With our attendees getting younger, we have to tap into what appeals to them. Seeing AI and all these technologies they’re fluent in gives them a sense of comfort and the ability to really experience what’s going on.

In terms of technological advances for supplier offerings, what do you think will be some of the overarching themes at the show? Any predictions on what will be the big draw?

Akeem Babatunde: AI and automation are at the top. Attracting people to manufacturing in general is not the easiest thing to do, and bakeries have their own unique subset of challenges within that.

Mark Hotze: Many times, people think automation means eliminating jobs, but really, that’s not true. Automation is an attempt to address the workforce gap issue.

Gunnell: During COVID, if one thing really took a hit, it was sustainability. Everyone wanted everything packaged; they wanted things safe. Now that pendulum is swinging back the other way, and we’re looking for ways to reduce plastics and use biodegradable materials.

GemPro Nova:

IBIE AT A GLANCE

• 98% of exhibit space is sold out.

• Attendees aren’t looking for the largest booth, but the booth that offers the best solutions.

• 70% of attendees view in-person content as their top choice for learning about new trends, training and professional development.

• All IBIEducate sessions are included in the cost of registration and will feature expanded sessions in Spanish.

• More than 75% of exhibitors return to IBIE every show cycle.

• 95% of presenters viewed speaking at IBIE as a valuable opportunity, and similarly, 95% of speakers in 2022 expressed a desire to present again in 2025.

What new show features will tap into more experiential programming?

Nisbet: IBIE will have several show floor features with experiential programming, including the Artisan Village and Wholesale/Retail Bakers Centers. We’ve noticed that celebrity chefs resonate strongly with most IBIE attendees. The key is bringing in a celebrity or influencer who is a baking industry expert as opposed to a more generic, famous figure.

Zarate: One thing that started under Dennis’ leadership was the Rockin’ Pint, powered by AB Mauri. This is a great place for people to interact, network and see an excellent show from celebrity baker Duff Goldman and his cover band.

IBIEducate programming drew a record number of speaker applications this year. What does that say about the Baking Expo’s evolution?

Wright: Education has changed dramatically in just a couple of show cycles. The multitude of applications that came in are a testament to its world-class standing, but also to the work of the organization, the refinement of the process and the overall program.

Newsome: At IBIE, education isn’t just vendor-by-vendor in the booths. IBIEducate is the most comprehensive industry education program in the world. It’s tailored to the industry and the roles within it and has topic-specific tracks, which bring added value that convinces people to travel halfway across the country — maybe halfway across the world — to gain a substantial education within just a few days.

Hoskins: In our business, training is so important. People can learn about something they never knew was possible by listening to other perspectives and hearing what others have done to solve a problem.

Zarate: We will also have more Spanish sessions than ever before because Mexico and Latin America are growing markets, and we want to give even better service to the Spanish speakers in attendance.

When today’s bakers have so much access to information ahead of the show, what’s the key to having impactful conversations at IBIE?

Bediako: Bakers need to think ahead and arrive with an open mind. They should be ready to enjoy the experience but also be prepared with ideas for future plans. Think beyond 2025 and ask questions like, ‘How is our business evolving? What does our budget look like?’ Come in prepared with those thoughts already sketched out.

“Think beyond 2025 and ask questions like, ‘How is our business evolving? What does our budget look like?’ Come in prepared with those thoughts already sketched out.”

Trina Bediako | CEO | New Horizons Baking Co.

Zarate: There are four main reasons why people go to these kinds of shows: To learn, to experience, to connect and to do business. Bakers can do homework in advance to research suppliers, but it’s nothing like having one-on-one, hands-on interactions on the show floor. Many exhibitors have their engineering, maintenance and operations people there too, not just sales folks. So really, this is the perfect time to connect with those experts and dig into your specific questions.

Babatunde: I agree. This is the perfect time for deeper and more meaningful discussions. Suppliers can appropriately align the solutions when they understand their customers’ challenges as deeply as possible.

Wright: The industry is evolving, but there’s still nothing that can replace human interaction. I’ve been in the industry a long time and attended several Baking Expos — call me ‘seasoned,’ if you will — and I’m certain that people in every generation genuinely value being together, face-to-face, and that’s really encouraging to me. CB

ant Food Media named Gold Media Sponsor

The International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) announced Avant Food Media as the exclusive Gold Media Sponsor for the upcoming show, set for Sept. 13-17, 2025, in Las Vegas.

Avant will provide in-book and online promotional advertising, editorial coverage and on-site programming through its two titles, Commercial Baking and Craft to Crumb. Though a new player in the marketplace, the media company has proven to be a valuable partner for Baking Expo. Avant’s products, such as the IBIE Monthly Newsletter, Booth Trailers, IBIE Show Guide and Innovation Minutes, played a pivotal role in promoting the 2022 show.

“As an official media partner, the Avant team will once again put our decades of experience and progressive approaches to work, ultimately raising the bar on what’s possible for IBIE-related media,” said Paul Lattan, president of Avant Food Media. “We know how important this event is to our industry, and we look forward to working with IBIE to make it the best one yet.”

Jorge Zarate, IBIE chair and senior VP of global operations and engineering for Grupo Bimbo, emphasized the value of strategic partnerships with trade media in expanding the event’s outreach to broader, more diverse audiences.

“Working with Avant Food Media gives us access to highly engaged, senior baking professionals and the hard-to-reach retail market,” Zarate said. “In a short amount of time, they’ve become a trusted industry voice and an innovator in media.”

The Kansas City, MO-based media company also maintains a cooperative agreement with Food2Multimedia (f2m), a leading euro-international baking publisher. With an eye on international markets, brot+backwaren and baking+biscuit international report on bakery trends, innovations and critical developments relating to raw materials, technology and processes — helping IBIE expand its growing international representation.

Taste, Function, Size, Growth

BY BETH DAY

Despite people’s on-again, off-again relationship with bread, buns and rolls, the category remains a constant because these products meet a variety of consumers’ needs. A 3.4% CAGR is expected between 2022 and 2030, with the category reaching a total of $350.17 billion, according to a 2023 bread market analysis conducted by The Insight Partners.

Storewide Growth for Buns and Rolls

Nearly 9 in 10 Americans consume buns and rolls, with 57% eating them at least once a week, according to The Bakery Playbook 2024: Buns and Rolls , a consumer research study series from the American Bakers Association (ABA). Consumer preferences support strong growth for this category in the center store and perimeter. Center store sales increased 2.3% in dollars and 1.0% in units, according to Circana’s data for the latest 52 weeks ending Dec. 1, 2024.

Sales grew in center store for hamburger/ hot dog buns, which garners more than half the market share for overall buns and rolls. Dinner rolls follow closely behind, with 24.1% of the dollar share. With a 28.4% rise in dollar sales and 32% jump in units, specialty rolls is the breakout subsegment of center store buns and rolls.

“Growth for center store dinner rolls is driven primarily by private label, but also by King’s Hawaiian and Martin’s Famous Potato Buns and Bread,” said Melissa Altobelli, senior VP of bakery and dairy for Circana. “Private label Hawaiian flavor profiles increased growth as a less costly alternative to the King’s Hawaiian brand.”

Torrance, CA-based King’s Hawaiian shows a strong performance, dominating

the dinner rolls category with 5.8% dollar and 2.5% unit increases. Altobelli noted the company’s growth was fueled by offering both small and large sizes of its savory butter dinner rolls and large 32-ounce packs of Hawaiian dinner rolls. Chambersburg, PA-based Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe’s dinner rolls also reported significant gains in dollars

Center Store Buns | Rolls Sales

and units — 91.2% and 110.6%, respectively — with success attributed to its sweet variety of potato rolls.

Center store specialty rolls are enticing consumers away from perimeter, with 28.4% dollar sales and 32.0% unit growth. While it is a small percentage of the overall center store category, private

DOLLAR SALES ($ IN MILLIONS)

% CHANGE VS. A YEAR AGO

HAMBURGER | HOT DOG BUNS

DINNER ROLLS

SANDWICH BUNS

SPECIALTY ROLLS

ALL OTHER TOTAL

Total US - Multi Outlet W/ C-Store (Grocery, Drug, Mass Market, Convenience, Military and Select Club & Dollar Retailers) | Latest 52 Weeks Ending Dec. 1, 2024

Source: Circana Omnimarket Integrated Fresh, A Chicago-Based Market Research Firm (@WeAreCircana)

Bun Brands Dominate

Some center store hamburger/hot dog bun brands performed well, with gains in both dollars and units. Thomasville, GA-based Flowers Foods increased 8.9% in dollar and 6.6% in unit sales, and Evansville, IN-based Lewis Bakeries reported 14.6% dollar and 11.5% unit increases. Flowers’ Wonder and Nature’s Own brands are driving the company’s hamburger and hot dog bun growth.

“The Wonder brand offers value for consumers, while Nature’s Own’s

success is attributed to its Perfectly Crafted brioche hamburger and hot dog buns and newly launched Nature’s Own Life Keto buns,” Altobelli said. “Lewis Bakeries’ gains are driven by its regular white hamburger and hot dog buns.”

Center store bread has the largest dollar share, with $11.80 billion vs. $1.70 billion for perimeter, according to Circana. However, the perimeter saw a 6.3% rise in unit sales, whereas center store, units were down -1.2%.

label specialty rolls are leading with 17% dollar and 20.3% unit increases.

“Growth for center store specialty rolls is driven mainly by private label, Pepperidge Farm and Sara Lee Artesano,” Altobelli said. “Both Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse and Sara Lee Artesano brioche rolls are a hit with consumers.”

57% of Americans eat buns and rolls at least once a week.

Source: American Bakers Association 2024 Bakery Playbook

“Perimeter continues to outperform center store across food and beverage, including bakery categories,” Altobelli said. “Consumers are making more shopping trips and purchasing fewer items. The perimeter space lends itself to the quick trip to get a few items for the evening meal.”

Perimeter bread varieties showed strong growth post-pandemic, flattened in 2023, and then increased in the latest 52 weeks ending Dec. 1, 2024, followed

by 2% growth for buns and rolls, according to Altobelli. Bulk buns and rolls gained 7.3% in dollars and 4.3% in units, with consumers seeking more value for their purchase.

Growth for perimeter breads is impacted by private label, but some brands performed well, such as Louisville, CO-based Izzio Artisan. The brand’s sandwich bread gained in both dollars (38.9%) and units (24.6%).

“Izzio Artisan is leveraging consumer interest in fresh organic ingredients, producing artisanal bread that is free from additives, and extended fermentation makes it easier to digest,” Altobelli said. “Additionally, fresh bread alternatives and formats similar to those found on menus can be found on the perimeter and provide a restaurant-like experience at home that costs less for consumers.”

Rise of Functional Ingredients and Sizes

Increased consumer awareness of foods’ impact on health has bolstered demand for healthier bread varieties, according to The Insight Partners’ report. The inclusion of functional ingredients and free-from options appeal to people with specific dietary preferences.

Circana evaluates branded bakery innovation each year and found that, in 2023, several bread brands focused on launching wellness options.

“During the first half of 2024, we observed launches in the wellness sector, including keto, low-carb, gluten-free, grainy and seeded,” Altobelli said. “We also saw half loaves and smaller bread slices offered to meet the needs of small household consumers.”

Perimeter Buns | Rolls Dollar Share

BUNS AND ROLLS TRAYS: 0.3%

BULK BUNS AND ROLLS: 7.3%

ALL OTHER: 10.0%

ROLLS: 29.6%

Total US - Multi Outlet W/ C-Store (Grocery, Drug, Mass Market, Convenience, Military and Select Club & Dollar Retailers) | Latest 52 Weeks Ending Dec. 1, 2024

Source: Circana Omnimarket Integrated Fresh, A Chicago-Based Market Research Firm (@WeAreCircana)

The Insight Partners’ research indicated that evolving demand for specialty and functional bread is expected to grow. Organic and artisanal bread, buns and rolls made with functional ingredients are appearing on shelves nationwide.

“Hawaiian, brioche and pretzel flavor launches were very popular,” Altobelli said. “Similarly, in buns and rolls, we saw expanded flavor innovation with Hawaiian, brioche and Everything profiles.”

Consumers buy fewer units to address budgetary constraints and avoid waste. The perimeter is well-positioned, with single units being offered along with large multipacks to have an assortment of sizes to meet varying consumer needs.

“Price-pack architecture continues to be extremely important for bakery,” Altobelli explained. “I think smaller pack sizes remain an opportunity for buns and rolls. For example, the launch of King’s Hawaiian 4-count packs has contributed to the brand’s growth.”

Innovation on a Roll

Taste and flavor edge out price as the No. 1 purchase influencer, according to ABA’s Playbook . Consumers are interested in unique flavor experiences, and savory is on trend. Altobelli suggested exploring winning flavors in categories such as savory and applying them to innovation in bread, buns and rolls.

Bread, buns and rolls are still the standby for consumers. Innovation that considers taste, health trends, portion and pack sizes will be the key for growing this staple category. CB

Hand Bagger

Great for clustered or very firm products can

loaded with a 110v blower motor for wicketed inflation

Simple spring loaded design with a 110v blower motor for wicketed bag inflation. Great for clustered or very firm products. Average operator can operate bag between 10 and 25 bags/min.

Deluxe Hand Bagger

Air operated retractable tuckers designed for a more positive bag hold. This works great for really soft or hard to hand bag products. Uses compressed air. Average speeds run between 10 and 25 bags/min.

Model B Bagger

This is a hand-loaded automatic bagging system. Operators load flights with product as they pass by. Allowing for the bagging of most items with ease at average speeds of 30 to 55 bags/min.

BSI ALPS

Fully automated line that groups, slices, stacks, and bags most types of buns/rolls at average speeds of 35 to 55 bags/min. High Speed option allows for speeds up to 66 bags/min. Not all products run at the same speeds.

FILLING INNOVATION: TRANSFORM YOUR BAKED GOODS

On Track With Consumer Trends

As a global leader in the food industry, Puratos USA collaborates with commercial bakers, retailers, foodservice companies and distributors to develop innovative, on-trend and budget-friendly baked goods consumers want.

Puratos has the industrial knowledge and expertise to help mid- and large-size baking companies navigate evolving consumer behaviors and rising ingredient costs with customized solutions that help their businesses stay competitive, relevant and moving forward.

From fruit and cream to chocolate and beyond, fillings are a simple and versatile way to transform everyday baked goods into unique eating experiences. According to research from Taste Tomorrow , Puratos’ proprietary consumer research program, fillings align with several consumer trends.

Trend 1: Better-for-you. Consumers view fruit fillings as healthy and tasty. Fillings with high fruit content and integrity can help bakers create a health halo around sweet goods such as cheesecake and open-faced pastries.

Trend 2: Clean labels. Food made with natural ingredients is the No. 1 health priority for consumers searching for baked goods. More than ever, consumers are reading labels, and clean-label fillings meet growing demand for products made without artificial ingredients.

Trend 3: Classics continued. Comfort foods with a twist still rank high among consumers. While 3 out of 4 people prefer familiar flavors, they’re also willing to try something new. Fillings can add an unexpected burst of flavor or color that elevates traditional baked goods.

Trend 4: Indulgence. Budget-conscious consumers are willing to splurge on high-quality “treasured treats,” and fillings can add that sense of sophistication and indulgence.

Baking With Fillings: Challenges and Solutions

Puratos taps into decades of formulation expertise and its global network of manufacturing plants to help bakers overcome potential challenges when using fillings in high-speed production environments.

Challenge: Technical performance. Puratos’ Vivafil fruit fillings are designed for performance. The R&D team can create a balanced water activity specific to each application so bakers can achieve extended shelf life and the desirable taste, texture and appearance.

Challenge: Shelf-stable, clean-label fillings. Puratos’ clean-label fillings are formulated, processed and packaged to be shelf-stable. No refrigeration required.

Challenge: Depositing limitations. Puratos’ Smoobees soft filling pearls are an alternative to frozen inclusions, dehydrated fruit and fruit bits. They maintain their integrity during mixing and baking, and for scratch bakers, they solve the challenge of sourcing and storing fruit.

All Fillings Are Not Alike: The Puratos Difference

Puratos customers have support from concept to completion, with assurance that results achieved in the lab can be replicated on a high-speed production line with consistency, batch after batch. Customers also have access to:

• Channel-specific packaging options

• Always-on consumers insights and trends

• Field-to-Fork immersion days

High-Performance Fillings: Puratos’ Portfolio

• Cost-efficient fillings under the Pennant Ingredients banner

• Sourcing expertise to determine optimal pricing and availability

• Sprint sessions to accelerate the go-to-market timeline

Puratos’ wide range of fillings ensures bakers can find the perfect fit for their applications and processes.

• Cremfil — Everyday fillings for donuts, cakes and other baked goods

• Cremfil Ultim real chocolate fillings — Waterbased, bake-stable fillings that offer extended shelf life

• Deli (short for delicious) cream fillings — Premium fillings made with noble ingredients such as milk, eggs and cream cheese

• Smoobees — Mix- and bake-stable soft filling pearls for cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, waffles and more

• Topfil fruit fillings — Traditional pie and pastry fillings containing 20%-80% real fruit

• Vivafil fruit fillings — High-performance fillings that offer extended shelf life or improved bake stability

• Carat Nuxel nut fillings — Premium fillings made with real nuts and Cacao-Trace certified cocoa

YOUR RELIABLE INGREDIENT PARTNER for delectable sweet goods

Donuts, Cookies, Cakes, Muffins, & Brownies

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CREATIVE SOLUTIONS AND EXPERTISE

Fresh, Flavorful, Convenient

BY BETH DAY

Donuts excite and delight consumers, with 86% reporting they like or love donuts, according to Datassential. Moreover, Rich Products Corp.’s “2024 Donut Trends and Insights” survey revealed 56% of respondents purchase donuts at least once a month.

Perimeter Donuts Drive Growth

Last year, total donut dollars increased 1.1% compared to a year ago, driven by 3.8% growth in perimeter sales, according to Circana data for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 1, 2024. Perimeter donuts edged out center store with $2 billion in sales vs. $1.8 billion, respectively.

“Donuts show strong performance in the perimeter, with units up 18 percent compared with four years ago,” said Melissa Altobelli, senior VP of bakery and dairy for Circana. “Increases can be attributed to producers offering more prepackaged or fixed-weight items and a variety of sizes. While growth was hotter on the heels of the pandemic, the space is still retaining high sales relative to the last decade, even though perimeter units have not yet returned to 2019 prepandemic levels.”

Total US - Multi Outlet W/ C-Store (Grocery, Drug, Mass Market, Convenience, Military and Select Club & Dollar Retailers) | Latest 52 Weeks Ending Dec. 1, 2024

Source: Circana Omnimarket Integrated Fresh, A Chicago-Based Market Research Firm (@WeAreCircana) *Percent rounded to nearest tenth.

Offering single-serve or bite-sized donuts will engage consumers looking to try new flavors or meet a variety of needs.

Source: Mintel’s “March 2024 In-store Bakery” report

Perimeter Donuts by Dollar Share*

Fresh Offerings Take the Lead

Despite not hitting the prepandemic highs, consumers are still responding well to fresh donut offerings on the perimeter. Private label is dominating this space, with traditional items such as glazed ring and cake donuts driving sales. Specialty items such as fritters, Boston cream donuts and variety packs are also appealing to shoppers. Charlotte, NC-based Krispy Kreme is competing with private label, and Altobelli observed that the brand is experiencing success with its “delivered fresh daily” concept and expanding its footprint within retailers that offer fresh products.

“We also see an opportunity for mini donuts in the perimeter,” Altobelli said. “While mini donuts only comprise about 1.5 percent of sales in the perimeter, units have grown 39 percent over last year.”

Full-Sizes Win in Center Store

Center-store donuts showed strong unit growth in 2021 and 2022. Though sales declined in 2023 and 2024, units are still slightly higher than prepandemic levels. Full-size donuts garner the largest share for center store, and brands such as Orrville, OH-based The J.M. Smucker Co.’s Hostess Jumbo Donettes and Horsham, PA-based Bimbo Bakeries’ Entenmann’s Donut Cakes, are doing well in retail outlets.

“Both of these products offer consumers convenience with individually wrapped full-sized donuts for on-the-go consumption,” Altobelli said. “The center-store Hostess brand has gained 2.2 unit share points compared to last year, driven by

Center Store and Perimeter Donut Holes vs. Full-Size Donuts by Dollar Sales ($ in Millions)

Total US - Multi Outlet W/ C-Store (Grocery, Drug, Mass Market, Convenience, Military and Select Club & Dollar Retailers) | Latest 52 Weeks Ending Dec. 1, 2024

Source: Circana Omnimarket Integrated Fresh, A Chicago-Based Market Research Firm (@WeAreCircana)

the success and continued distribution expansion of its iconic Donettes.”

Mintel’s “March 2024 In-store Bakery” report suggested offering singleserve or bite-sized donuts to engage consumers looking to try new flavors or meet a variety of needs. Some brands are leveraging the appeal of smaller-scale items packaged to feed a household.

“Full-size bags of mini donuts are experiencing the largest unit and dollar growth over last year, including mini-powdered sugar, frosted and old-fashioned flavors, as well seasonal flavors like apple cinnamon, lemon blueberry, and hot cocoa and marshmallow,” Altobelli said. “Innovation with fun and festive mini donuts is likely to continue.”

The Rise of Donuts for Snacking

Donut occasions are growing, with 68% of consumers citing snacking as a top occasion to have donuts, according to Rich’s report. More than half of consumers surveyed reported increased consumption at breakfast (55%) and late night (53%) for a dessert or snack.

The top performing product for center store is The J.M. Smucker Co.’s Hostess Powdered Sugar Donettes, with 7.1% growth over last year, according to Altobelli. The growth of this and other multipack mini donuts and donut sticks seems to indicate consumers are buying these items for snacking occasions.

Moline manufactures the three core elements of yeast-raised donut systems in sheeting, prooﬁng, and frying.

• Mid capacity/high ﬂexibility or highest capacity systems available.

• Fully rounded technical support for operations, maintenance, and sanitation.

• Full washdown systems designed for 24/7 operation.

• Full offering of in-line ﬁnishing including glaze, icing, topping, sugaring and crunch.

Donuts Honeybuns

Donuts Accessible for All

Donuts are driven not only by innovation but also by expanded availability and the appeal of convenient ready-to-eat foods for busy consumers. Mintel’s report found that 93% of consumers shop at in-store bakeries, which appeal as a one-stop shop for at-home and on-the-go items. Expanding in-store bakery offerings beyond indulgent specialty items and featuring more bakery products as food solutions to meet everyday occasions will engage new and returning shoppers.

“Consumers look to the perimeter bakery for convenient on-the-go items, and donuts are no exception,” Altobelli said. “Perimeter assorted multipacks provide fresh, low-cost options to meet a variety of preferences for the entire household.”

Perimeter assorted multipacks increased 6.3% in dollar sales and 2.7% in unit sales. While consumers may not be increasing their consumption with additional units, Altobelli explained they are still willing to spend for convenience. There is opportunity for unique pack sizes and formats to meet these needs. Offering preboxed, grab-and-go multipack alternatives is driving perimeter growth.

Perimeter assorted multipacks increased

6.3% in dollars vs. a year ago.

Source: Circana

Center Store Donuts % Change vs. a Year Ago

Total US - Multi Outlet W/ C-Store (Grocery, Drug, Mass Market, Convenience, Military and Select Club & Dollar Retailers) | Latest 52 Weeks Ending Dec. 1, 2024

Source: Circana Omnimarket Integrated Fresh, A Chicago-Based Market Research Firm (@WeAreCircana)

A Flavorful Future

While tried-and-true classics still dominate the donut space, consumers seek fun and unique flavor experiences. From seasonal sensations including springtime strawberry lemonade and apple cider, to popular flavors such as birthday cake and PB&J, exciting product development engages adventurous snackers, according to Rich’s report. Savory flavors, global profiles and donut sandwiches may satisfy increasing interest in donuts for breakfast and other occasions, like snacking.

“There is flavor innovation opportunity for donuts, particularly in the perimeter,” Altobelli said. “In 2023, popular center-store products such as Hostess Kazbars and Meltamors and Oreo Cakesters focused on new flavors, unique formats, and wellness options like protein and plant-based. Donuts may benefit from this kind of innovation as well.”

Tighter food budgets persist, yet consumers still seek an affordable treat. True indulgence remains the largest of the snacking segments, according to Circana’s latest “State of Snacking” report, and donuts check every box. Replicating that restaurant-style experience at home also appeals to consumers. Highlighting the cost-benefit of eating a donut at home vs. a coffee or donut shop can drive sales for retailers.

Consumers are snacking on donuts more than ever, creating tremendous growth potential for the category. Leveraging donuts’ appeal as a fresh, convenient, on-the-go snack combined with creative flavor and formats and expanded accessibility is a win for producers and donut lovers alike. CB

TECHNOLOGY MEETS

THE NEW DIMENSION OF DIVIDING AND ROUNDING MACHINES

Industrie Rex V AW EC

The head machine Industrie Rex V AW EC is the new dimension for your quality and performance requirements. With a maximum hourly output of 50,400 pieces, we are setting new standards in terms of performance with this dough dividing and rounding machine. Robustness, maximum weight accuracy (+/- 1%, depending on the dough), performance, flexibility and cleaning (EC design) also meet your requirements and expectations.

FOR OPTIMIZED CLEANING Easy Clean Design »EC«

Save valuable time for cleaning and changing products. The innovative „Easy Clean“ design with its new frame structure ensures optimized hygiene and accessibility.

(Re) Formulating for Success

BY BETH DAY

With higher food prices constraining budgets, consumers are turning to staple bread, buns and rolls to create low-cost meals at home.

Here’s how a few bakers are thinking outside the box with new formulations and production advances to meet demand and provide superior products across industry segments.

Photo courtesy of Crown Bakeries

Photo courtesy of General Mills Foodservice

The in-store bakery channel is strong, but labor issues impede efforts to offer high-quality bread varieties with that fresh-from-the-oven eating experience shoppers seek on the perimeter. While taste and flavor are always drivers, a baked-fresh production claim is a powerful incentive for consumer purchase, according to The Bakery Playbook 2024: Buns and Rolls, a consumer research study series from the American Bakers Association.

Minneapolis-based General Mills Foodservice leveraged this opportunity to partner with its retail customers and create solutions.

“Our goal is to make the best frozen baked goods that can be baked fresh for consumers,” said Josh Kraft, national sales manager for retail foodservice at General Mills Foodservice. “We focus our efforts on creating innovative solutions that simplify the baking process to minimize skilled labor challenges in-store, like our prescored and prestamped technology with breads and rolls.”

The General Mills Foodservice team believes the high-speed processing techniques for its frozen dough products

and the high-quality flour that is integrated into its supply chain provide a competitive advantage. The company’s bread and roll products are designed to be highly tolerant of any operation without the use of a proof box, which is unique.

“Our products free retailers from having to rely on a proof box in their bread and roll production,” Kraft explained. “Eliminating this step reduces the need to troubleshoot or continually invest dollars to maintain functionality. Helping our customers maintain consistent quality adds value because shoppers expect product consistency at point of purchase.”

Last year, General Mills’ Pillsbury brand launched a line of frozen bread dough in various styles to help meet the needs of its in-store bakery customers. For example, prescoring Pillsbury’s Italian loaf minimizes preparation steps and creates consistency across appearance, texture, shape and size of products.

“Our Pillsbury breads and rolls portfolio streamlines operations and makes the execution of consistent fresh breads and rolls possible from store to store,

“We focus our efforts on creating innovative solutions that simplify the baking process to minimize skilled labor challenges in-store ...”

Josh Kraft | national sales manager, retail foodservice | General Mills Foodservice

across all geographies,” Kraft explained. “It takes a lot of guesswork out of the equation for the bakery execution. We will continue to invest and prioritize resources to advance creative ways to make baking high-quality frozen baked goods as easy as possible.”

To provide efficient timesaving solutions for its customers across the foodservice industry, Nashville, TN-based Crown Bakeries focused innovation efforts on its freezer-to-oven (FTO) products. Its R&D team, which includes certified master bakers, invested considerable time into perfecting a proprietary leavening system that has been a game changer, allowing products to go directly from freezer to oven in one step.

“Our FTO assortments enable our customers to offer European-style laminated dough products and rolls without the need to slack, thaw or proof,” said Jennifer Shaw, director of marketing and communications for Crown Bakeries. “This can mean reduced headcount and less time required to offer fresh in-house baked breads and rolls with enhanced taste and quality.”

For in-store bakeries, preparing housemade rolls or croissants can take 12-15 hours. With Crown Bakeries’ FTO products, fresh rolls can move from freezer to oven to table in about an hour and a half.

“Crown Bakeries FTO rolls have the texture, taste, aroma and crumb that you find in traditionally baked products,” Shaw explained. “For retailers and foodservice operators looking to optimize labor without compromising on offering quality in-house baked items, our FTO line checks all the boxes.”

Crown Bakeries’ in-store bakery segment is growing, and the company will continue investing in FTO innovation for laminated dough products, yeast rolls and breads, with the goal of providing a preservative-free fresh product that helps streamline labor for operators and retailers.

General Mills Foodservice is also committed to providing its retailers with a key suite of back-of-house tools, advancements and support to ensure bread and rolls are easy to bake and end products perform well. Whether online videos, back-of-house templates or patented tools, the goal is to make its products turnkey for anyone to produce.

Recent shifts in consumer snacking and clean-label requirements are impacting innovation for Crown Bakeries. The company has worked extensively to reformulate products to meet updated nutritional requirements and clean- label ingredient standards. The R&D team monitors trend shifts relating to seed oils, high fructose corn syrup, food dyes and preservatives and considers how this impacts its customer production needs.

Because FTO products can be baked fresh by the customer, they are typically

clean label and do not require preservatives to aid in shelf-life extension.

“Clean-label items are a top request, and our R&D teams remain committed to sourcing and integrating the latest advancements in natural ingredients and preservative technology,” said Yianny Caparos, president of Crown Bakeries. “We constantly reevaluate our formulas for cost efficiencies or the opportunity to include new ingredient technology. Much of our recent R&D work produced extended life for many of our products without sacrificing clean-label requirements or impacting nutritional statements.”

Crown Bakeries understands clean label can mean different things to different customers. It partners with a diverse customer base, and its production capabilities span industries and product use occasions. As a result, the bakery invests in R&D and in improving management of production on the line.

“We are a customer-centric organization,” Shaw said. “We approach innovation as a driver to optimize our customers’ current product assortments and to introduce new products that meet consumers’ evolving needs and preferences.”

Equipment and technology advances can be a game changer for improving operational efficiencies and quality of output. With nearly three decades of experience baking buns and

rolls for some of the largest QSRs in the world, Crown Bakeries knows that best practices keep production lines running quickly and efficiently. This experience has also taught its operations teams that even the smallest optimization can have a compounding impact on production, and they are highly skilled in fine-tuning these areas.

“For us, technology that is truly compelling is any advancement that improves the ability to execute changeovers more efficiently,” Caparos noted. “We are constantly integrating the latest advances in this area, whether digital technology or procedural enhancements.”

Crown Bakeries has numerous facilities and production lines for bread, buns and rolls, and each line is tailored to specific products. Caparos pointed out that flexible production capabilities differentiate the bakery. Teams operate highspeed lines that are fully automated, and production varies, with some producing more intricate products, like artisanal buns and others focused on more traditional high-volume value SKU buns.

The company takes a hands-on approach with innovation to ensure packaging options are efficient and tailored to each customer segment. This investment enhances production lines to provide flexibility in packaging styles for buns and rolls, such as bulk pack, retail bags, trays and pillow packs.

“It is critical for our customers that packaging is tailored to their own operational footprint, and we work together with them to ensure their product is packaged to their unique specifications,” he said.

General Mills Foodservice utilizes its category management teams to

evaluate consumer trends and create best-in-class recommendations to accelerate growth. Whether product, display or packaging, the goal is to identify what is most important to the consumer and then create a path for the retailer to meet that need.

As with consumers, inflationary pressures are top of mind for Crown Bakeries’ operations team. Always on the hunt to find cost-effective solutions for all customers, continuous improvement is an ongoing, cross-functional discipline.

“We launch a product, commercialize and then go back to review every step of the process, from ingredients and raw materials to equipment refinement and labor impact, always seeking the most efficient manufacturing procedures,” Caparos said.

As a manufacturer of laminated dough products, Crown Bakeries actively monitors the supply and demand of key commodities, such as butter and margarine. Over the past few years,

butter has proven much more volatile, but recently margarine costs have increased as well. Caparos noted that R&D and operations have dialed in margarine-butter conversions, and the supply chain team focuses on strategic procurement of raw materials.

General Mills Foodservice’s multifaceted teams proactively minimize potential supply chain challenges to avoid disruptions. For instance, its high-quality flour is vertically integrated.

“Maintaining a high spec on such an important ingredient gives our product high levels of consistency,” Kraft observed. “General Mills started more than 150 years ago as a flour miller, and we embrace our heritage as a significant competitive advantage.”

Producers are committed to meeting customer needs and driving strategic growth for bread, buns and rolls. Manufacturing teams work tirelessly to innovate with formulations and new production advancements to create the highest quality bakery products. CB

accelerating the industry standard

Automated solutions for dividing, rounding, sheeting, moulding, and panning.

AMF Flex means unmatched scaling accuracy and more consistent product quality from the industry’s leading extrusion and volumetric dividing, rounding, and makeup systems. Engineered for efficiency, flexibility, and precision, our fully automated Flex equipment has been redesigned with sanitation and food safety in mind.

The new ADD-S Bread Makeup System incorporates the leading sanitary design elements for flexible and precise dividing and rounding. Quick clean manifolds and easy access frame designs are combined with toolless sanitationand maintenance for an improved operator experience.

DOLLAR-SAVING AUTOMATION

Regardless of scale, artisan bakeries rely on efficiency to bring their products to fruition. That’s because efficiency opens the door for creativity in baked goods. However, rising ingredient and processing costs and a lack of skilled labor can challenge even the most efficient operations and, in turn, the capacity to create disruptive offerings.

From pan return systems to specialized conveyor solutions to packaging systems and more, Rexfab’s portfolio of downstream automated solutions transforms challenges into opportunities.

For more than three decades, Rexfab has provided commercial bakeries of all sizes with high-performance solutions, top-level design engineering expertise and services tailored to meet their specific needs. Its partnerships with leading global bakery equipment suppliers, including GHD Hartmann and SR Pack, bring innovative solutions to North American bakery operations.

Source: BEMA’s Q3 2024 Member Pulse Survey

Prioritizing Process Reliability

Rexfab’s commitment to process reliability drives overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), which positively impacts key success factors, including:

• Customer service and delivery

• Quality variation and defect loss

• Raw material scrap and waste

• Labor efficiency

• Equipment repair and maintenance expense

• Overhead spending and absorption

Improved OEE results in sales growth, improved safety and quality, reduced costs, and capital efficiency. In turn, these factors drive a commercial bakery’s cash flow and influence enterprise value and share price.

Flexible, Scalable Solutions

Rexfab solutions integrate seamlessly with automated artisan production lines to help commercial bakers reduce costs and improve efficiency.

For example, the Pan Stacker – Pan Unstacker (PSPU) can lower operation costs for bakeries across several areas. Here’s how it breaks down:

Pan-related cost savings | The PSPU reduces the number of glazing cycles, extends pan life and minimizes the need for pan rebuilding.

Energy-related cost savings | Because the PSPU is fully electric, it consumes only a fraction — 6% — of the energy used by pneumatic machines.

Spare parts cost savings | Gentler pan handling reduces wear and tear, resulting in a 50% reduction in spare parts costs.

Downtime-related cost savings | The system reduces unplanned downtime, minimizing labor cost losses.

Installation, startup and changeover savings | The plug-and-play installation reduces startup support costs and keeps disruptions to a minimum.

Safety enhancements | The system prioritizes food and worker safety. It reduces the risk of metal shavings, ensuring cleaner and safer production, and at less than 85 decibels, the quieter operation improves the work environment and reduces injury risks.

COST SAVINGS SUMMARY

Pan-related savings

$53,978 per year

Energy-related savings

$8,507 per year

Spare parts savings

$15,000 per year

Downtime-related savings up to $84,000 per year

Installation, startup and changeover savings $8,520 per year

TOTAL: $170,005 per year*

*These savings estimates are based on real data from previous installations running for more than fi ve years.

Ramping Up and Rolling Out

BY BETH DAY

Donuts are a timeless indulgence. Many consumers remain true to classic varieties, while others seek exciting flavor innovation, seasonal surprises and even healthier alternatives. Donuts are always on trend, and now they’re playing to the appeal of ready-to-eat snacks.

Here’s how a few producers are ramping up operations to keep pace with demand.

Photo courtesy of PlanetBake

Photo courtesy of BakeFresh Co.

Chesapeake, VA-based BakeFresh Co., a subsidiary of Coppermine Bakeries, works closely with its customers to supply a variety of freshly baked donuts daily. The company helps manage its customers’ product pipelines by providing a full bakery solution that includes donuts in various flavors and other bakery items that round out the case offering.

“Our strategy is to work with our customers a year in advance so we can align their plans with our operations,” said Brandy Lee McNamee, president and COO at BakeFresh. “Including promotional offerings in the plan allows us to better prepare to efficiently produce whatever LTOs or seasonal flavors the customer may need.”

Selling mainly to 7-Eleven and other c-stores is the sweet spot for BakeFresh. Its facilities operate daily, making anywhere from 20 to 75 SKUs per day, which means producing between 100,000 and 200,000 fresh donuts, depending on seasonality. The bakery ships 365 days a year to support the convenience channel.

“Our R&D team understands that our core competency is changeovers. We are good at pivoting production from product to product by understanding how to best manage labor and automation.”

Brandy Lee McNamee | president and COO | BakeFresh Co.

“We have become efficient with short runs because if our customers are expected to be open seven days a week stocked with fresh donuts, then our goal is to make sure they have fresh, delicious donuts ready to sell,” McNamee said.

Aligning R&D with production is key to efficiency and output. Each member of the BakeFresh R&D team has worked with all aspects of the operations channel. This prior experience on the line promotes better understanding of production capabilities.

“Our R&D team understands that our core competency is changeovers,” McNamee noted. “We are good at pivoting production from product to product by understanding how to best manage labor and automation.”

At the same time demand is growing for traditional donuts, the appeal for healthier versions is, too. New York-based PlanetBake responded with donuts made from plant-based, alternative ingredients.

“The industry’s shift toward health and specialty diets has both encouraged

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and challenged us,” said Kathrin Henon, founder and CEO of PlanetBake.

“Demand for sugar-free, plant-based and allergen-friendly products drives our innovation. However, the need to meet high-quality standards while scaling production with minimal processing requires constant monitoring of supply chains and equipment technology.”

It took nine months for PlanetBake to create its donut recipe. The process began with extensive R&D to identify innovative alternatives, such as glutenfree almond flour, that could replace conventional baking ingredients.

“Our process has evolved to balance ingredient limitations with precise baking techniques,” Henon explained. “This attention to detail is key to the quality of our final product.”

These ingredients change the texture of the batter, so operations must speed up the process of moving the mixture into the line. Batter cannot sit for more than five minutes, or it will not flow properly into the moulds.

“These timing gaps force us to do small-batch production and finetune baking time, temperature and binder ratios, requiring formulation and equipment adjustments,” Henon said.

“Given our dough’s complexity, consistently producing donuts with the same taste, texture and quality every time is difficult.”

Finding a co-manufacturing facility that could process PlanetBake’s unique dough texture was challenging. The bakery currently runs product on a traditional donut line with adjusted settings. Operations consist of 70% automation and 30% labor, producing seven to 12 batches of donuts, or 8,000 units, daily.

LISTEN NOW:

Brandy Lee McNamee shares how BakeFresh added frozen donut production to its operations.

Fresh donut production uses a shorter fryer and requires more manual labor. Deck icers flip donuts into a bath of chocolate, vanilla or other icing flavors to frost the top half of the donuts, with other toppings added manually. BakeFresh relies on several equipment manufacturers, including Topos Mondial and Belshaw, for its donut lines.

“We make about 1,000 donuts in one run of icing with added sprinkles, then the line is changed to finish donuts with another color icing, sprinkles or toppings, taking about 15-20 minutes to deck ice 1,000-10,000 donuts,” McNamee explained.

Fresh and frozen donut production require completely different processes and equipment. Frozen donut lines are built for all production to take place on the line, including dough depositing, frying, finishing, cooling and packaging.

For its frozen donuts, BakeFresh typically utilizes an automated fryer and makeup line that can be simultaneously fed by two mixers all day. Inline icers flip donuts into, and then out of, a bath of icing.

Traditional yeast donuts require more technical skills than cake donuts. Relative humidity impacts the yeast in the mix, so when seasons change, different mixes are used based on levels of temperature and humidity. As a result, BakeFresh constantly modifies various aspects of its process, including moisture content and proofing time.

For PlanetBake, adding dry ingredients such as cinnamon requires batter reformulation to ensure there is enough moisture for it to machine properly. Testing new flavors creates hurdles, as ingredients must be evaluated for compatibility and dough consistency.

While LTOs and seasonal flavors typically challenge operations, short run SKUs are not a problem for BakeFresh. Production capabilities, facility configurations, long-term planning and management of supply chain help the company navigate those items with precision.

“For us, the risk that comes with seasonality is the commitment from the customer about what they plan to buy,” McNamee noted. “Convenience stores selling LTO

CREATE recipes

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EVALUATE historical and current performance of recipes at mixers from a dashboard

donuts are not buying a truckload. They are buying daily, and if they did not sell everything, they may adjust their daily orders, which requires a fine balance of managing seasonal ingredients.”

The current dynamic between the economy and the labor market requires producers to constantly balance demand with cost to produce. NcNamee said these considerations impact investments in automation that allow the team to be flexible, nimble and move quickly to market, especially when it comes to LTOs and seasonal items.

“Whether a short-run item, LTO or seasonal product, we must consider where to invest to meet demand but also keep the final cost of the donut low enough to offer a reasonably priced product,” she shared.

BakeFresh built its business on developing long-term partnerships with suppliers and customer relationships. As a result, McNamee explained it can build manufacturing facilities that are flexible and better serve changing customer needs.

On the equipment side, smarter ovens with IoT integration that allow real-time monitoring of temperature and humidity are becoming more accessible, helping small manufacturers ensure consistent quality at scale.

“Ingredient and equipment advances have been instrumental in refining our recipes,” Henon said. “Ovens with precise humidity control helped us finetune baking conditions, and small-batch production tools allowed us to innovate with new flavors while minimizing waste.”

Purchasing a special enrobing machine to apply chocolate icing was a game changer for Henon. Prior to acquiring this

“Given our dough’s complexity, consistently producing donuts with the same taste, texture and quality every time is difficult.”

Kathrin Henon | founder and CEO | PlanetBake

equipment, donuts were hand dipped; automating the process saves time, reduces costs and ensures consistency.

For BakeFresh, technology around enzyme development and dough stabilizers that help enhance product characteristics has positively impacted both fresh and frozen production. These advances can create an extra one to two hours of freshness.

“Additionally, smaller scale automation has trickled down and made sense for the fresh side of our business, where we realized an ROI in two to three years,” McNamee said. “We have looked into a miniPal palletizer manufactured by Columbia Okura, which would reduce labor by one person and pay for itself within a year.”

BakeFresh embraced the idea that while all its facilities were making donuts, they do so very differently. Adopting this business model supports its fresh convenience business, and McNamee believes growth will stem from being a complete bakery solution for its customers.

PlanetBake plans to build out retail on the East Coast next year and then potentially expand to foodservice.

“We are looking to invest in automated depositing equipment to streamline dough portioning and consistency, which would help us scale without sacrificing quality,” Henon said. “We would also procure a more advanced oven system to improve consistency and precision of baking, depending on how we scale.”

Consumers’ love affair with donuts remains strong. Innovation and expanded accessibility keep donut manufacturers working efficiently as they meet demand rolling out high-quality products. CB

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VIRTUOSOS AUTOMATION

Delicious baked goods begin with baking professionals, like you — people who care about what they do and see change as a chance for growth. That’s who you’ll find at IBIE. Crafted by the industry for the industry, this event brings you together with a global community facing your same challenges (like supply chain issues), as well as opportunities specific to your role. From strategies for navigating unpredictable ingredient prices to innovative automation solutions, everything you need is here, at your show.

Building a Flexible Workforce

Fractional talent can increase responsiveness, cost efficiency and specialized expertise.

BY DAVID PELYHES, JPG RESOURCES

Your brand just had a fantastic quarter, and the sales and marketing teams have secured a flood of orders. With higher quantities and tight deadlines, supply chain and operations teams need to scale — fast.

Most companies struggle to handle a sudden rush of orders, resulting in unexpected challenges. Without a flexible team, they end up fighting fires rather than strategically planning for the long term.

During the pandemic, people tried new ways of working, including taking on more freelance and contract work. A recent survey by Korn Ferry indicated that the number of global interim or short-term workers grew from 43 million in 2018 to roughly 78 million in 2023. The report also suggested that a 70/30 split between full-time and contract workers creates a team with the ideal mix.

Three fractional experts with JPG Talent shared the benefits of a flexible workforce and what it’s like to jump in, fill gaps and provide specialist expertise.

Increased speed and responsiveness to challenges. If a company gets a sudden rush of orders or when an important team member leaves, it’s important to promptly respond. Being ready to hire in a nontraditional way allows companies to bridge the gaps.

Fractional hires save time and resources because of a shorter onboarding period. Ultimately, a flexible workforce provides the ability to scale along with

operations and the agility to evolve as supply chain needs fluctuate.

Marko Matla, a supply chain and operations professional, used his skills to help a baby pouch manufacturer with quality issues that arose when orders increased.

“They were in the middle of contracts and manufacturing negotiations,” Matla said. “They were also having quality issues with some of their pouches they had out of recall. There was a lot to solve all at once, and the issues were causing ‘out of stocks’ in the marketplace, which is never good.”

Matla came in to run operations while the company looked for a new COO. Being able to lean on his experience in the meantime allowed the company to solve its quality issues and keep processing orders.

Improved cost efficiency and productivity. With flexible working arrangements, companies only pay for the time needed from a hire. If the budget allows for 25% of someone’s time, it’s harder to hire internally. With fractional talent, a company can hire for a project or short-term need.

“They could take projects on internally, but it’s such a big learning curve that it would take much longer for an internal team to do that,” explained Beth Brown, a 20-year veteran of supply chain,

A

mix of full-time, part-time and fractional employees offers the right balance for fast-growing businesses, allowing them to adapt quickly to busy periods and take on valuable extra projects without overextending a team.

procurement and operations roles. “It’s not cost-efficient. They’re taking their resources and utilizing them in ways that don’t make sense for the organization.”

Brown addressed the common misconception that contract hires are more expensive than internal resources.

“Often, companies will try to take on these projects and ask individuals on the internal team to start the project only to realize that it is a full-time job and what’s really needed is additional help with specialized expertise,” she said.

Access to specialized industry expertise. Fractional hiring gives companies unique access to experts and specialists. Much of the leading talent is highly skilled, mission-oriented and project-based. These experts can quickly assess a situation and strategize from day one.

Andrew Bott has 15 years of CPG experience, specializing in solving complex supply chain and operations problems for growing companies. He joined a seven-employee company as a fractional expert.

“Before I joined the team, the company’s founder and CEO was handling a lot of the operations work,” Bott said. “She needed bandwidth on the operations side because it wasn’t her specialty. Specialists understand how to scale. They’ve seen things happen multiple times in different environments. They know what can — and will — go wrong and can help companies navigate and avoid some of the potential pitfalls.”

Not overloading the team. Bringing in additional shortterm support allows a team to focus on its core competencies and helps reduce mistakes.

“Mid- to large-size companies typically have the right staffing in place, but they don’t usually have project

staffing or project managers,” Brown said. “So when they have new projects, specifically strategic projects, staff must work on a project in addition to their existing roles.”

Matla shared an example of when he brought in four additional hires to sort out supply chain, distribution and fulfillment issues. The additional staff allowed the existing team to focus on keeping the business running while the interim experts worked on sales and operations planning.

“If you don’t have your operations settled zero to six months out, then you can’t look at what your projections are,” he said. “They were in the business of firefighting. No one had time to slow down and give a thought because they were always rushing.”

Bringing in seasoned professionals to identify the most pressing issues allowed for more strategic long-term planning.

“We removed all the noise that was happening on a daily basis and operations flowed a lot better,” Matla added.

A mix of full-time, part-time and fractional employees offers the right balance for fast-growing businesses, allowing them to adapt quickly to busy periods and take on valuable extra projects without overextending a team CB

David Pelyhes, business partner at JPG, developed critical talent assessment skills through progressively more responsible roles on the plant floor and R&D leadership. He combines those experiences with knowledge of multiple food platforms and large CPG reorganizations to provide clients a clear view of the talent that will best fit their situation. Contact him at david@jpgresources.com

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 Kwik Lok | Packaging Automation

Blair Chastain, chief revenue officer, talks about how packaging automation can help alleviate a variety of operational challenges. www.kwiklok.com

TechTalk with Puratos USA | Fillings

Jessica Blondeel, product director for sweet goods, and Curtis Himpler, national accounts director, discuss new developments in bakery fillings. www.puratos.us

TechTalk with Schubert | Robotics

Edmund Konsen, North America regional sales manager, shares the latest advances in automated packaging technology and robotics. www.schubert.group

Catching Up with Commercial Baking : Joseph Yeatts at Pack Expo 2024

Joseph Yeatts, senior project engineer of Dessert Holdings, highlights the trends and innovations on display at Pack Expo 2024. Sponsored by Coperion | Shick Esteve.

Catching Up with Commercial Baking : Gary Gottenbusch at Pack Expo 2024

Gary Gottenbusch, baking industry veteran and pretzel expert, discusses some of the biggest manufacturing trends impacting the industry today. Sponsored by Coperion | Shick Esteve.

A Day at More Than A Bakery

Get a look inside the family-owned bakery experiencing significant growth through strategic investments in its facility and Family Members. Sponsored by Schubert.

Ian

Lady on the benefits of modular packaging equipment

More Than A Bakery’s assistant VP of operations discusses the benefits of implementing modular packaging equipment for future growth. Sponsored by Schubert.

Jane Miller on managing priorities for a growing bakery business

The CEO of Rudi’s Rocky Mountain Bakery shares how she manages priorities for expanding her bakery business.

Cliff Nordquist on the operational challenges of flavor innovation

The Just Bagels president offers insight into the troubleshooting required to produce 35 different bagel flavors.

STORE SMART.

STORE SAFE.

READY TO ELEVATE YOUR STORAGE SOLUTIONS? .

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Lewis Goldstein on the strategy behind Better With Buckwheat’s rebrand

The artisan cracker company’s CEO outlines the strategy behind revamping Maine Crisp Co. to Better With Buckwheat and how the change supports its growth.

Revolutionize Your Bakery Process with Rexfab

Rexfab partners with bakeries for a wide variety of projects, ranging from pan stacker-unstackers to specialized conveyor solutions to data collection on automated equipment. www.rexfab.com

ARTISAN AT A GLANCE

Artisan innovation is flourishing. From unique flavor combos to boundary-breaking baked goods, see what’s trending in retail bakery cases.

POWERED BY

PICKLED SWEETS

Demand for pickle-flavored baked goods is growing from Gen X and millennial consumers. Retail bakers are hopping on the bandwagon by crafting pickle-inspired cupcakes, cakes, toaster pastries, croissants, muffins and more to boost foot traffic and online orders.

Photo courtesy of Crust Vegan Bakery

SOURDOUGH, MEET COOKIES

Scooch over, bread: Sourdough cookies are seeing an uptick as upcycled foods gain popularity among customers. Made with sourdough starter or sourdough discard, these cookies have a naturally fermented flavor and a soft, chewy texture.

CHAOS CAKES

While classic cakes will never go out of style, chaos cakes are set to make a splash by going against the status quo. These cakes embrace a messier approach, allowing bakers to not only accept decoration imperfections but also take risks with their craft.

SAVORY CHEESECAKE TARTS

The savory-sweet combination is already a popular flavor profile, but artisan bakers are elevating this duo in innovative ways. Products such as this tomatillo apple tart topped with a savory white cheddar cheesecake and orange and lemon zest marry contrasting flavors to create something new, yet familiar.

ONIGIRI CROISSANTS

Dubbed “Cronigiri,” this Japanese and French mashup is making waves in the artisan space. Combining the three curved points of a Japanese rice ball and flaky texture of a classic croissant, the hybrid treat features a buttery crust and seaweed-wrapped bottom.

Craft to Crumb is an Avant Food Media title and sister publication of Commercial Baking . This section offers a glimpse into what’s trending in the artisan world and what could be next to hit commercial production. For more insight and inspiration happening in the retail baking community, scan the QR code or visit www.crafttocrumb.com

Photo courtesy of Onggi

Photo courtesy of The Fox and the Raven Bakery

Photo courtesy of Cakes for No Occasion

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Middleby Bakery Group

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Tielman Group

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paul@avantfoodmedia.com 816.585.5030

Reinvention Advances the Industry

Reflecting on my year as chair of the American Society of Baking (ASB), I am filled with great pride, gratitude and optimism for the current and future state of this organization. Serving in an industry that is committed to collaborating, networking and thriving professionally has been a privilege.

ASB defined a new strategy to better serve its members. Specifically, it has rebranded and evolved in ways that will take the organization to the next level while honoring its legacy. The board made strategic changes to deliver solutions that provided added value to its members, including online and in-person training resources, equipment certification through an alliance with Bakery Equipment Assessment Group, webinars, the Education Hub and a robust mentoring program.

Looking ahead, the BakingTECH Conference, set for Feb. 15-18, in Orlando, FL, promises to reveal innovative, disruptive and best-inclass advances. The change in venue reflects ASB’s reinventive mindset, and reimagined

conference features such as the Formulation Floor and Innovation Stations are designed to foster brainstorming and discovery sessions to find new solutions.

This past year, ASB challenged the status quo to break barriers and innovate, pushing boundaries despite the headwinds. The organization is committed to living by its rebranded values, focusing on leading the way for learning and developing resources dedicated to its members and the industry they serve. I am deeply humbled to have served and thrilled for the bright future ahead. CB

Xochitl Cruz is the global VP of operations for Bimbo QSR and oversees the company’s global bakery operations, supply chain and business technology. She has been a key figure within Grupo Bimbo and Bimbo Bakeries USA (BBU) since 2004. Cruz is also involved in mentoring and volunteering and previously was the executive sponsor for LevelUp, contributing to the diversity, equity and belonging efforts within BBU.

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