DEBAG: Oven market in Thailand – case study

Thailand takes on HELIOS

The HELIOS oven is Thailand’s favorite solution for in-store ovens made by DEBAG, providing traditional stone-slab baking with static baking atmosphere. Grainbaker, the company’s sales partner in the country, observes the sought after process characteristics in the market, to achieve high-quality products.

+For Grainbaker, the main features and reasons why they recommend DEBAG ovens are baking consistency, their user-friendly interface, and the technology they pack, Kullanan Wilaiwan explained on behalf of the Thai company that partnered with DEBAG at the beginning of 2020, just before the start of the pandemic. Sales figures show Thailand’s in-store bakery market mainly chooses the HELIOS oven, versatile equipment that can be adapted to various requirements. This oven can stack up to five stoves of different heights, widths and depths, to ensure the greatest product variety can be achieved.

It features single-stove steaming heat from above and below, providing evenly radiated heat via the static baking atmosphere. Each unit can be controlled individually, providing the required flexibility for baking baked goods with different requirements in temperatures, humidity, and baking curves. The size of the baking surface in the HELIOS can also be a choice between 0.24m², 0.48m², and 0.96m². The loading side can also be chosen; according to the available floor space and preference, and baking trays can be inserted lengthways or crossways in the new HELIOS 6080. Optionally, it can be equipped with a proofing chamber, placed underneath the oven, and pull-out supports. In addition, its design has considered visible placement and offers options to suit various in-store concepts, modern or retro-inspired.

Baking parameters can be set manually and can be readjusted during baking. Controls do not require extensive baking expertise to operate this range of ovens. For automated operations, program control provides access to all processes at any time: up to 99 program settings can be used. In addition, data monitoring the baking process can be evaluated to optimize parameters, via an integrated even memory database.

GRAINBAKER also observes a rise in demand for the DILA oven (which can also be combined with HELIOS ovens), as it anticipates the launch of the DECON (DEBAG CONvection Oven) in the near future. The DECON in-store oven is designed for branches that rely on a diverse range of snacks and need to bake, cook or reheat products. This oven uses 8.5% less energy than an average in-store oven and also comes with a flexible, modular design that allows it to adapt to different store concepts, including space requirements, baking quantities, breadth and depth of the range. Moreover, it comes in a wide range of variants to meet specific needs. The new one-touch control with a split-screen graphic display ensures significantly greater ease of use.

Care for products

Consistent results weigh in when selecting an oven. “We are very serious about quality, regarding the product and the baking process,” Wilaiwan underlines. She founded Grainbaker out of her passion for baking, at first as a baking school, and brought her experience in baking, ingredients and technology into the partnership with the oven manufacturer.

In her observations, the most important product that should be mastered in Thailand is the croissant – in contrast, the continent’s popular choice, Asian sweet buns. Thailand, however, sees viennoiserie products trending, building on the love for croissants. Health concerns are also reflected in this market, where whole-grain flour, lower sugar and fat levels are prone to a rise in popularity. These baking profiles are in sync with the capabilities of the HELIOS oven, which is why it is poised for further growth here, Wilaiwan anticipates. “The first year, despite COVID-19, exceeded my expectations. The trend seems to be our friend,” Grainbaker’s head concludes.

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