Volume 77, Issue 2
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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THIRD GENERATION BAKER Dawn Ebert serves on WBA Board ART OF THE CAKE CONTEST State’s Top Bakery Competition
BUILDING 12 MOMENTUM ABA Sugar Reform Support Update
Cover Photo: This amazing sugar work was designed by Jenn Malvitz and Sue Horvath from Fox Valley Technical College. The cake placed third in the 2012 Creative Cake Decorating Competition!
WBA Member Services Center
Phone: (800) 542-2688 Fax: (414) 258-5582 Email: info@wibakers.com Website: www.wibakers.com
2514 S. 102nd Street West Allis, WI 53227
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013-2014 Chief Executive Officer Dave Schmidt, CMB
Wisconsin Bakers Association
West Allis, WI
(414) 258-5552
Executive Committee President - Mike Vande Walle Vice President - Dawn Ebert Treasurer - Joe Crubaugh Allied Rep. - Joe Sanfilippo
Uncle Mike’s Bake Shoppe Simple Simon Bakery Fosdal’s Home Bakery BakeMark
Judy Baggenstoss Bob Hiller
Melody Cookies Rollin Pin Bakery
Board Trustees
De Pere, WI (920) 330-0048 Appleton, WI (920) 733-4377 Stoughton, WI (608) 873-3073 Menomonee Falls, WI (262) 251-1190
Oak Creek, WI Janesville, WI
(414) 762-2720 (608) 754-8267
Directors-At-Large Ken Heil Susan Runkel Tamara Mugerauer Judy Semrad David Weber Brandon Grebe
Sweet Perfections Bake Shoppe Waukesha, WI Sweetheart Cakes Port Washington, WI Tamara’s the Cake Guru Oshkosh, WI Muskego Marketplace Foods Muskego, WI Weber’s Bakery Lodi, WI Grebe’s Bakeries Milwaukee, WI
(262) (262) (920) (262) (608) (414)
446-2253 284-6221 236-9144 679-1166 592-4115 543-7001
Wisconsin Bakers Association Wisconsin Bakers Association
(414) 258-5552 (414) 258-5552
WBA Staff Debbie Lowery Jessica Hoover
West Allis, WI West Allis, WI
The WBA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping members increase their baking and business knowledge, fostering the education of future bakers, keeping members informed about developments in the baking industry and legislative matters affecting them, and representing members’ interests at the state and federal government levels.
Third Generation Baker Continues Family Tradition Dawn Ebert Looks Forward to Serving on the WBA Board of Directors By Dawn Ebert, Simple Simon Bakery
Wow, what a week - Fat Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day! I was wondering if our Valentine’s Day sales would be affected because of Fat Tuesday but was I wrong. People were still buying treats for their sweeties earlier in the week and all day Saturday, as well. I am very excited to be the newly elected Vice President serving the WBA Board of Directors and I am so excited to work under the leadership of Mike Vande Walle. I think he has some great ideas and we are both looking forward to increasing the value of WBA Membership. I was very impressed with his first article that appeared in January’s issue of Beyond Baking. I completed four out the five action plan items the very next day. My business partner and brother, Scott, was wondering what kind of fire got in my pants but he cooperated with me and was impressed by the goals we set up for 2013. We are still working on item number 4: “Step out of your comfort zone”. We are certain that my sister-in-law, Jenny, will definitely have something in mind that will leave us both asking ourselves, “Wow! We did that? Way cool.” I was honored when Dave asked me to be the WBA Board of Director’s next Vice President and even a little nostalgic because my grandfather Sylvester Simon served as President on the WBA Board of Directors in 1962 when he was the general manager of Laux Bakery in Appleton, WI. My grandfather retired from Laux Bakery in 1965 and then came out of retirement and bought Bessler Bakery in 1966 which is now Simple Simon Bakery. My brother Scott and I are currently 3rd generation owners of Simple Simon Bakery. I knew that my grandfather was smiling down on us because on Ash Wednesday we were serenaded by a barber shop quartet singing, “I want a girl just like the girl that married dear old dad.” If anyone remembers my grandfather, he loved to sing that song. I would like to encourage WBA members to enter one of the cake decorating contests at the WRA Expo on Monday, March 11, 2013 in Milwaukee, WI. I know that competing in a contest is not easy but it does get us out of our comfort zone! I will be doing the cupcake challenge and entering a cake in the butter crème category so please sign up for the contest today! Contact Jessica at WBA if you have any questions. The deadline to sign up for the Art of the Cake Competition is 1 PM on Friday, March 1, 2013. Thank you, Dawn Ebert Simple Simon Bakery Action plan and marketing ideas from Dawn can be found on page 6. Dawn Ebert and Scott Simon Photo courtesy of Dawn Ebert BEYOND BAKING
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FEBRUARY 2013
State’s Top Bakery Event !
Art of the Cake Competition – Watch or Compete! • Extreme Wedding Cake Challenge • Creative Cake Decorating Competition • Cupcake Warrior Championship Pastry Studio – Hands-on Dessert Workshops 100s of Exhibits – 1000s of Products Business Seminars – Valuable Education High-Profile Keynotes • Green Bay Packer Donald Driver • Celebrity Chef Rick Tramonto And more!
REGISTER TO ATTEND Just $30 by 3/7 or $40 onsite
www.everythingfoodservice.org MARCH 11-13, 2013 Delta Center Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Bakery programs presented in partnership with:
Art of the Cake Competition State’s Top Bakery Show By Tracy Kosbau, Wisconsin Restaurant Association
The popular Art of the Cake Competition will return to the Wisconsin Restaurant Expo, the state’s top bakery show, with a brand new addition - cupcakes. Wisconsin’s leading bakery professionals and budding pastry artists will sweetly battle in the cake design competition, to be held March 11-13, 2013, at the Delta Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Presented in partnership with the Wisconsin Bakers Association, the Art of the Cake Competition can expand a competitor’s business credentials by winning one of three professionally-judged categories: the Extreme Wedding Cake Challenge, the Creative Cake Decorating Competition and the all new Cupcake Warrior Championship. In the Extreme Wedding Cake Challenge, competitors showcase out-of-the-box ideas and unique approaches to wedding designs using fondant or buttercream icing, as well as any type of sugar artistry. Some entries may reach the maximum height of 120 inches. Prizes will be awarded on skill, extreme presentation, professionalism, sanitation and artist’s talent and originality. The Creative Cake Decorating Competition features spectacular special occasion cakes and novelty designs, designed in fondant, buttercream or royal icing. In judging, a large emphasis will be given to creativity, but other scoring considerations include: icing quality, borders and scroll work, decorations and difficulty of technique, to name a few. In the brand new Cupcake Warrior Championship, teams of two will work together to present stunning and delicious cupcakes for three rounds of judging on Monday, March 11. In round one, teams assemble a stunning display of 200-400 cupcakes incorporating the “Dancing with Cupcakes” theme. Industry professionals judge three cupcakes on taste and design in round two; at least one cupcake must contain liquor as the challenge ingredient. Round three is the public sampling portion, where attendees vote for their favorite cupcake flavor and display. “The Art of the Cake Competition is the only competition of its kind in the state,” said Dawn Faris, exposition director. “The high-level of bakery talent in Wisconsin is clear when you see the exciting decorating ideas and delightful flavors presented in the competition held at the Wisconsin Restaurant Expo.” Professional judging of all three events occurs on Monday, March 11. People’s Choice awards will be awarded as well; attendees vote on their most favorite visual for the creative and extreme wedding cakes, on display March 11-13. Competitors may enter multiple cakes or cupcakes in a single category or enter multiple categories; each entry requires a $25 fee to compete. All three competitions have professional divisions; students or beginners with up to three years of experience will be judged in their own category for the creative or extreme wedding cakes. More information on entering or viewing the competition is available at www.everythingfoodservice.org. About WRA Expo The Wisconsin Restaurant Expo is the largest and most inclusive state foodservice and hospitality show in the region and the only area show offering programs specifically tailored for catering and event professionals. The Expo is produced by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association and is a trade-only show. Since 1933, the Wisconsin Restaurant Association (WRA) has been dedicated to the promotion, protection and improvement of the foodservice industry. WRA offices are located at 2801 Fish Hatchery Road in Madison, Wisconsin. BB BEYOND BAKING
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Action plan and marketing ideas from WBA Vice President, Dawn Ebert Your action plan for this week: 1. Sign up for one or more of the cake competitions at the WRA Expo! 2. Sign up for RPIA if you haven’t done so already! (Contact your Valley Bakers sales rep.) 3. Come up with a new item for St. Patrick’s Day that you want to promote this year! 4. Do one act of service in your community to help represent the importance of bakers and market your bakery at the same time! 5. Start thinking of a succession plan if you do not have one in place. It is never too early to come up with a game plan for the next generation of your legacy! SERVICE IDEAS OF THE MONTH Make a video (DVD) tour of your bakery. Include any outdoor signage in the beginning of the video. Record kids in the shop cutting out cookies, making loaves of bread, buns, or donuts. Keep it to about 15 minutes (little kids get a little squirrelly any longer than that). Play the video on a loop for customers to watch when they visit or shorten the length and post a clip on YouTube and your bakery’s website! Send out a flyer to local youth groups (Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, daycare centers, Brownies, preschool classes, and even church groups) saying that you offer cookie decorating sessions. Charge $3.00-$5.00 per child. Bring 2 to 3 cookies per student along with decorating bags, icing, and sprinkles. Show the kids a few age-appropriate decorating techniques and watch them have fun! Send them home with coupons for $2.00 off their next birthday cake and 1 free cookie or donut. I can’t tell you how many of those coupons I get back because the child wants to come and see ME because they had the best time ever decorating cookies. BB 071721 Miller 121207.ai
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Miller Bakery is famous for a wide range of artisan breads and baked goods.
Straight Dough from the CEO Be Prepared for Life Changing Events My dear friends and colleagues, I want to take a brief word to say thank you for the outpouring of support our family has been shown in the loss of my wife, Kathy. Her hard fought two year journey with stage four breast cancer combined with four years of debilitating orthopedic problems have taken a toll on all of us. She is at peace now with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Bakers truly are one of a kind and I’m glad to share my professional life with all of you. Take a moment and ask yourself the following questions. Have you prepared for a life changing event to happen? Have you worked out a will? Do you have a succession plan in place for your business? These questions can be overwhelming to consider. I know it can be extremely difficult to think about, but the truth is, if you address it now, it will bring you peace of mind when the time hits. You never know when a life changing event may occur. I encourage you to select a medical power of attorney, take care of financial planning, and any other legal matters that are left undone. Just like preparing your business for succession, your personal plans should contain important details that will save your family the challenges of making those decisions. The financial impact of planning this out ahead of time will be less than waiting until tragedy strikes. Even with unexpected losses due to accidents, a little bit of time spent planning now will ease some of the difficulty later for your spouse, children, and family. These my friends are lessons I have learned the hard way. In closing, I want to urge all of you to please get your medical screening when they are due! If something doesn’t feel right, seek help now. Always make certain your family is aware of what you are facing together. Once again, Thank You and God Bless! Profitable Baking, Dave Schmidt, CMB BB
Pastry Art’s Scholarship Foundation Raises Over $100,000 For the Love of Chocolate Gala Treats Its Guests Like Stars Press Release reprinted with permission by Anne Kauffmann, The French Pastry School
After the rush of the holidays, Chicagoans prepare for a highlight in their long winter: For the Love of Chocolate Scholarship Foundation’s Annual Gala, a sweet feast for the senses dedicated to raising scholarships for dedicated students of the pastry arts. In its eighth year on Saturday, February 23rd, the event devoted itself to making its guests feel like stars for their contribution to scholarships for future students of The French Pastry School of Kennedy-King College at City Colleges of Chicago. The historic venue, Union League Club of Chicago, lent the perfect ambience to Students from The French Pastry School Photography credit: Ross Bacon bring life to the theme of Old Hollywood Glamour – soaring ceilings, rich wood paneling, lavish chandeliers, and an unmatched collection of artwork served as an elegant backdrop for the over 800 party-goers. For some guests, the evening began with a five-course dinner by a collection of Chicago’s greatest chefs but all ended their night indulging in decadent sweets and lively tunes in the Dessert Dance Party. Thanks to all of the attendees, participants, volunteers, and the incredible sponsors of For the Love of Chocolate, the foundation netted $106,000; all of which will go to funding student scholarships for L’Art de la Pâtisserie and L’Art du Gâteau programs. The gala began with a red carpet reception, complete with a troop of paparazzi from Redmoon Theater and a cheering crowd of fans, among them current students of The French Pastry School and beneficiaries of For the Love of Chocolate Scholarships. Before sitting down to dinner in the dazzling dining room, the VIP guests were treated to a reception featuring live music from a local big band and appetizers served by old-fashioned cigarette girls. Gathering some of Chicago’s greatest gastronomical talents in one meal, they were treated to dishes by Chef Paul Virant of Vie Restaurant, Chefs Paul Kahan and David Posey of Blackbird, Chef Yves Roubaud of Shaw’s Crab House, Chef Michael Garbin of Union League Club of Chicago, and Chef Dominique Tougne of Chez Moi. Guests roamed between two Dessert Dance Parties where they sampled cuisine – both sweet and savory – from friends and alumni of The French Pastry School. “Tonight, we had an event filled with alumni from The French Pastry School’s first full program in 2000 to last term’s graduating class,” explained Franco Pacini, Director of For the Love of Chocolate Foundation. “They were here to support future students to receive the training that they benefited from and strongly believe in; this is exactly the kind of community that makes our foundation so special. Every single participant in the event made such marvelous contributions and it is important to us that every single dollar that they helped raise will go to funding scholarships.”
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BEYOND BAKING
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FEBRUARY 2013
A highlight of the evening was the Cocoa Couture Fashion Show: twenty-six dresses made from ingredients and kitchenware were modeled down the runway right in both the VIP dinner and the Dessert Dance Party. Each design featured Jelly Belly® products: whether they were sixteen pound dresses; strands of “pearl” necklaces; or one-of-a-kind clutches. Designers accented their designs with serving tongs, strainer baskets, re-purposed packaging, and, of course, lots of chocolate. The foundation and gala could not exist without the many generous sponsors and donors that make these grants possible for future students of the pastry arts. The 9th Annual For the Love of Chocolate Gala, already in the planning process, will take place in February of 2014: keep current with details on next year’s amazing event and the work of the eponymous foundation by visiting www.ftloc.org and following them on Facebook and Twitter. The next For the Love of Chocolate scholarships will be awarded to students who start L’Art de la Pâtisserie on July 8th and L’Art du Gâteau on September 3rd. Stay tuned for news of the progress of the many scholarship recipients, students, and alumni of The French Pastry School. About For the Love of Chocolate Foundation For the Love of Chocolate Foundation provides scholarships for qualified students in the specialized training of the pastry arts, specifically in the full-time programs taught by The French Pastry School of Kennedy-King College at the City Colleges of Chicago. For the Love of Chocolate Foundation promotes commitment in pastry arts education for individuals looking to change careers, as well as individuals who have shown potential in the culinary field but who have no formal pastry education. For more information, see www.ftloc.org. BB
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When something happens to your home, car, or business, it may not be a disaster. But whatever it is, you always deserve fast and fair service from your insurance company. West Bend provides a Silver Lining, no matter what the claim may be. When a pipe broke and flooded Julie’s shop, repairing it quickly and cleaning up the water damage with no disruption to her business was important. So that’s just what we did. Sometimes little things mean a lot. And every day, when something bad happens to someone, West Bend makes sure our customers experience the Silver Lining. Because the worst brings out our best.® To find out more, visit thesilverlining.com.
Sprouting a Successful Future
Newly named Angelic Bakehouse stays ahead of the curve with GMO-free ingredients, new products and plans for expanded markets Press Release reprinted with permission from Angelic Bakehouse
Cybros the Sprouted Bakehouse, a leading producer of fresh sprouted grain breads, today announced that it will use only non-genetically modified grains, natural sunflower oil, and locally sourced domestic honey in all of its bread products. The company also announced it is changing its name to Angelic Bakehouse to better reflect the wholesome goodness of its breads. Owners Jenny and James Marino said the ingredient upgrades and name change are part of a series of moves that position the family-owned company for continued growth and potential national distribution opportunities, while maintaining the product purity and quality customers have come to expect. The changes mean that Angelic Bakehouse will add more premium ingredients to its unique and growing product line made primarily from unprocessed sprouted whole grains, instead of traditional flour. Additionally, to limit allergens in its products, the company will discontinue cookies and other non-sprouted grain products that contain soy or treenuts. Angelic Bakehouse’s improved products will make their debut – with all-new packaging, updated nutritional information and a new “Oh so pure” tagline – on store shelves around Feb. 23. President Jenny Marino said an ingredient upgrade makes good business sense at this point in the company’s growth. The company’s sales have tripled since the Marinos bought the bakehouse in 2009. “The GMO-free movement is really gaining steam among health-conscious consumers,” she said. “As a family, we believe in it and, as business owners, we saw a tremendous opportunity to get ahead of the curve. We’re making great sprouted grain breads even better and our company even stronger with higher-quality ingredients that have wonderful taste and real appeal in today’s marketplace. Marino added that Angelic Bakehouse’s “Pure Promise” to customers – demonstrated not only through GMO-free ingredients and a commitment to sprouted grains, but also through locally sourced domestic honey and the use of no artificial sweeteners, fats, or preservatives – help the company’s products stand out. “The bread aisle is a ‘Sea of Sameness,’ with every brand promoting itself as natural and a good source of this or that. But we know most products can’t touch ours in terms of purity and quality of ingredients,” she said. “Our Pure Promise – with GMO-free grains, sunflower oil, and an insistence on honey sourced in the U.S.A. ensures that Angelic Bakehouse products contain the very purest ingredients. Our research shows that’s what today’s consumers want, and now, we are in a better position to provide it.” Executive Vice President James Marino said Angelic Bakehouse also recently attained the OK-Pas Yisroel Kosher Certification, one of the world’s most respected symbols of kosher approval. He said the national kosher certification will allow the company, which currently distributes its breads to grocery and specialty stores across the Midwest and in markets in both the Northeast and Southeast parts of the country, to explore expanded national distribution opportunities. To match its new opportunities, the company is finalizing plans to select a Southeast Wisconsin location for a new, 22,000-square-foot facility that it will occupy by the end of the year. Jenny Marino said the new facility will offer the company the opportunity to increase production, expand product lines and pursue additional channels. “Cybros was the foundation for our success, and Angelic is our future,” she said. “Our family is thrilled with the success our company has achieved over the past three years. That growth has made it possible for us to make these changes now, and we feel very positive about what’s ahead. These changes are just the beginning of many more exciting, pure and delicious things to come.” BB BEYOND BAKING
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Momentum Building to Modernize the Sugar Program ABA Urges Congress to Support Sugar Reform By Cory Martin, ABA
The American Bakers Association (ABA) strongly urged Congress to pass the 2013 Sugar Reform Act, legislation introduced on Valentine’s Day seeking to modernize the current U.S. sugar program. “The current U.S. sugar program is a major impediment to job creation for all food manufacturers, including thousands of U.S. bakers small and large,” said Robb MacKie, ABA president and CEO. “Archaic sugar policies have driven costs up for U.S. bakers and consumers to unmanageable levels for far too long. Now is the time for Congress to support reform that will level the playing field and allow bakers and other food manufacturers to create new jobs,” added MacKie. “The current sugar program is a net job killer”, said Cory Martin, ABA director of government relations. “According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. has lost over 112,000 jobs between 1997 and 2009 due to the impact of the sugar program. If job creation is a key Congressional concern, then reforming the current sugar program should be a priority as it would allow bakers a to expand and improve our ailing economy,” Martin added. “ABA is extremely pleased with the leadership shown by Reps. Pitts, Davis, Goodlatte and Blumenauer, as well as Sens. Shaheen, Kirk, Portman, Durbin, and Toomey, along with more than 45 other congressional cosponsors, in pushing for needed reforms,” added MacKie. “We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to seek reform of the current U.S. sugar program and passage of the Sugar Reform Act.” BB
Greg A. Wagner, Sr. Territory Manager Phone: (612)-940-7596 Greg.Wagner@genmills.com
www.professionalbakingsolutions.com
Thank You! The WBA would like to thank the following members for renewing their memberships: Lesaffre Yeast Corporation, Maple Grove, MN BakeMark, Menomonee Falls, WI Pavek’s Antigo Bakery, Antigo, WI Roeck’s Bakery Inc., Kiel, WI Rollin Pin Bakery, Janesville, WI Valley Bakers Association, Greenville, WI West Bend Mutual Insurance Co, West Bend, WI Caravan Products Co., Lenexa, KS Caravan Products Co., Bancroft, WI Cooke Marketing Group, Inc., Ringwood, IL O & H Danish Bakery, Racine, WI WCTC Hospitality & Cul. Arts, Pewaukee, WI Quaker Dairy & Bakery Co., Appleton, WI Aggies Cakes & Pastries, Milwaukee, WI Jerry’s Bakery Inc., Two Rivers, WI St. Germain Bake Shop, St Germain, WI Benefits of WBA Membership * Group business insurance programs * Credit card program * Baking Buzz email subscription * Member newsletter, “Beyond Baking” * Legislative directories—federal and state * Baking industry promotions and events * Scholarship programs * Workshops and conventions * Education and training opportunities * Friendship and advice
...and more!
Interested in joining the WBA? Contact the Wisconsin Bakers Association to find out how you can join for as little as 34 cents a day! Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8 am - 4 pm. Call (800) 542-2688 or email info@wibakers.com to learn more!
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Wisconsin Bakers Association 2514 S. 102nd St., Suite 100 West Allis, WI 53227 Phone: (414) 258-5552 (800) 542-2688 Fax: (414) 258-5582 info@wibakers.com www.wibakers.com
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Editorial Staff
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Publisher
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Editor
Dave Schmidt, CMB dave@wibakers.com Jessica Hoover jessica@wibakers.com
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