4 minute read
Between the breadlines
The simple white loaf has evolved over the years, with consumer tastes — and palates — becoming ever more sophisticated. We asked four experts to share their views on what’s on the rise in the world of bread.
GHASSAN EDWARD BOU HABIB
General manager Wooden Bakery woodenbakery.com
Which are your most popular products?
Our baguettes are consistently in demand, and we have a large range of Arabic breads that are not readily available elsewhere. Furthermore, our fresh and frozen croissants are popular.
What factors should be taken into consideration by restaurants and hotels when it comes to selecting a bread supplier?
The quality and consistency of the supplier as well as their ability to customize recipes are all important factors. Customers must also balance value against price when deciding what brand/product to go with.
What should customers look out for when they buy bread?
It’s all about the freshness, smell and texture of the product.
JACQUY PFEIFFER
President and founder The French Pastry School | The Butter Book | Pastry & Culinary Consulting frenchpastryschool.com / thebutterbook.com What are the latest trends in bread, flour and derivatives?
Trends include clean labels and healthier baked options. Also, we are seeing more sourdough breads with gut-friendly prebiotics, probiotics and artisan breads made with heirloom and ancient grains, keto, gluten-free and paleo flours, among others. Breads made with vegetables, herbs and spices are also in demand.
We are witnessing the integration of simplified robots that avoid repetitive motion, in addition to vision-guided robots that are able to undertake tasks like scoring. Due to Covid-19, the focus is on What flour and baking products do you recommend?
Our go-to brand is King Arthur Baking. Our bread flour of choice is Sir Galahad Flour. We also use other flours, such as sprouted wheat flour, organic whole-wheat four, organic spelt flour, potato flour, super 10 Blend (with 10 grains), organic T65, coconut flour and gluten-free flour.
baking, machines have become more sophisticated, and new technology is being applied quickly. Today, the ambitious home baker has more access to professional machines and ingredients than ever before and is willing to invest in upgrading to new mixers and superior ovens. The trend in retail baking is still more toward artisan bread, and the equipment and technology is still more or less the same.
CHRISTIANE S. TRILCK
Head of faculty Richemont Masterbaker Richemont-masterbaker.com
What should be taken into consideration when buying a bread machine?
It is important to buy from an experienced and certified manufacturer. The size of the machine, volume of production and aftersales service and maintenance are also key factors.
Which machine is best: semiautomated, automated or traditional?
Semi-automated, automated and traditional bread manufacturing methods are all essential; it depends on the type of bread that is being produced.
People are increasingly interested in their health and wellbeing. After bread and flour was demonized for such a long time, healthy bread is now more popular than ever. This can vary from sourdough bread, ancient grains to gluten-free and even keto derivatives.
I feel this really depends on the bakery sector in question. In industrial What flour and baking products do you recommend?
As a German, bread is in my DNA. If I have to use yeast, I prefer to use fresh yeast, and my favorite flour is a German brand called Schapfenmuehle. This flour has never let me down and has given me great results each and every time.
flexible enough to pivot quickly as market trends and demands change rapidly. Furthermore, large capacity lines are not as desirable as they once were; dynamic and flexible lines are much more sought after.
TUDOR VINTILOIU
Editor in chief European Baker & Biscuit | Asia Pacific Baker & Biscuit worldbakers.com
Even before the pandemic, consumers’ attention was on health and wellbeing. This has accelerated since Covid-19, with a focus on immunity. packaging machinery that increases safety and reduces the risk of contamination. Trending technologies include those that don't process bread dough heavily, resulting in an artisan bread finished product, and mobile bread trucks that produce fresh bread on demand.
Key trends range from increased demand for healthier products or varieties inspired by street food cuisine to consumers seeking to replicate restaurant meals at home. The ongoing expansion of the ethnic foods sector across much of the western world — and especially the growth in popularity of street foods among the younger age groups — is expected to lead to the emergence of different types of bakery goods that are recognized as suitable carriers for foods, with tortilla and pita bread being two leading examples.
Hybrid ovens are increasingly popular, as manufacturers require an oven that can bake multiple types of products with various baking profiles. Bakers cannot afford to be trapped in a single-product environment with an oven that is not adaptable, so equipment needs to be What flour and baking products do you recommend?
The bakery ingredients market closely follows consumer preferences and, as such, the offering is very diverse. The choice really comes down to whether the individual is interested in industrial, mass-produced products — in which case multinational ingredient suppliers offer economically efficient solutions — or if the focus is on craft baking, where locally produced, clean-label and specialty ingredients are clearly the right choice.
