As the saying goes, people eat with their eyes first. Considering that truism, it makes sense that bakery glazes are such an important ingredient, since they can help a baked good shine (literally). However, there are more considerations when choosing a glaze than simply appearance. To learn more, we connected with Jaina Wald, VP of marketing and digital with Puratos.

Jenni Spinner: Could you share a brief overview of Puratos and the products, services, and innovations it offers to the bakery business?

Jaina Wald: Puratos is a global leader in bakery, sweet goods, and chocolate ingredients, serving industrial bakeries, retailers, foodservice companies, distributors, and bakers in over 100 countries. Its portfolio includes dough conditioners, sourdoughs, mixes, egg wash alternatives (Sunset Glaze), chocolate, compound coatings, and clean-label patisserie solutions, among others. Beyond ingredients, Puratos offers innovation services through 88 global centers, consumer insight trend tools like Taste Tomorrow, and sustainability programs such as Cacao-Trace.

JS: Please tell us about the Innovation Center in Pennsauken and how it helps customers solve challenges. The AMF Industrial Pilot Bakery sounds impressive.

JW: The Pennsauken Innovation Center is a hub for collaboration and creativity. Part of a global network of 88 centers and almost 500 technical advisors, it helps customers of all sizes to refine recipes, benchmark products, and explore ingredient interactions to achieve the perfect taste, texture, and freshness. Beyond product development, the Pennsauken center also offers hands-on training, technical seminars, category management strategies, consumer trend sessions based on Taste Tomorrow research, and product benchmarking to ensure every recipe hits the mark.

New this year and located just a few steps away, the Puratos Industrial Pilot Bakery powered by AMF, adds another dimension; now customers can move from a concept in the Innovation Center to scale up on a full production line in a single visit. This unique arrangement allows bakeries to test and refine recipes in a dynamic environment that supports rapid prototyping and innovation. With real-world simulations, bakers can reduce an often expensive trial-and-error process for new innovation. The goal is to solve our customers’ biggest pain points—how to move from the bench to scale-up faster and with less waste and cost.

JS: You recently held a bread-breaking ceremony for your new glaze production facility. Why was the facility needed?

JW: Our new Sunset Glaze plant was launched to meet growing demand for glazed products, provide domestic production for faster delivery, and reduce supply chain risks. It also supports premiumization and innovation in bakery categories while enhancing food safety and sustainability through advanced UHT technology.

JS: Puratos USA President Andrew Brimacombe said glaze is “a powerful driver of category growth.” Could you elaborate?

JW: Glaze elevates the appeal of baked goods by adding shine and freshness, making products look more indulgent. This is an important driver of consumer preference—in a 2024 survey, 78% of consumers said glazed items look fresher and more appealing, and 55% said they'd pay more for glazed buns. Since consumers find glazed products more appetizing and fresh, it’s also a great way for bakeries to differentiate and command premium pricing in a more challenging volume environment.

JS: If someone visited the new plant, what would they see?

JW: Visitors would encounter a modern, highly automated facility featuring UHT processing lines for glazes, ergonomic design for safety, and sustainability features like reduced CO₂ emissions. The goal was to develop a plant with minimal manual steps, ensuring more consistency and speed for customers. Within the plant, they would also see a pilot line designed to test products on a smaller scale. This space was designed with cocreation in mind, making the plant a true innovation hub.

JS: Tell us about the “star” of the facility—Sunset Glaze. What makes it special?

JW: Sunset Glaze is a plant-based, allergen-free alternative to egg wash. It delivers brilliant golden shine, is vegan-friendly, and works for both sweet and savory applications—from brioche and pastries to hamburger buns. It reduces food safety risks, cuts costs tied to eggs, and has a 59% lower environmental impact than pasteurized eggs. Thanks to the use of UHT technology, the glaze is also shelf-stable, making it more convenient and less wasteful.

JS: What’s next for Puratos?

JW: It’s certainly been a whirlwind for the last few years! We’ve been fortunate to oversee an incredible period of growth for Puratos, and with it, a rapid pace of investments and innovation which will continue into 2026. We just unveiled a range of new items at IBIE, including Cubease dough conditioners and Nuxel hazelnut filling, and 2026 will be equally exciting with new sourdoughs, glaze solutions, and compound colors and flavors (cinnamon melting chip!). We’ll also be working closely with our customers on clean-label solutions and cost reduction strategies to comply with the latest MAHA regulations and keep ingredient costs manageable in a dynamic market. We’ll also be investing in new capabilities at our facilities, including new features in our pilot bakery, more capacity at our plants, and continued investments in automation. It’s sure to be an exciting time!

JS: Finally, what’s your favorite bakery item? Sweet, savory, whatever!

JW: I love soft, buttery rolls—I could eat brioche buns all day, every day!

Related: IBIE announces winners of 2025 BEST in Baking awards