Bakery Products

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Like most products within the bakery segment, tortillas are evolving to appeal to consumers’ demand for a healthier product that provides new and unique ingredient combinations.

Summer is here—finally! It’s time to hit a few golf balls and kick back. It’s also time to peruse our annual State of the Industry issues (June and July). This month, we’re covering the bakery market, which includes the bread aisle, sweet goods, cookies, bars, snack cakes, frozen baked goods, tortillas, pies and more.

It can be rather tough for sweet goods products these days. The huge movement to better-for-you items hasn’t exactly been good news and a smooth fairway for this category. But bakers and manufacturers of sweet goods, snack cakes and other delectable treats are watching the demands just as closely as producers in other bakery market segments, and heeding the calls.

Baked goods have been a part of peoples’ diet for thousands of years, far longer than golfers have been hitting a little ball across a grassy surface with a long stick. As ingredients, production methods, distribution and a host of other factors have evolved, consumers at all income levels have been able to enjoy staples like breads and rolls, as well as sweet treats like cookies and pies.

We visit one of three of Little Lady Foods’ production facilities, which are all about customization. The frozen food manufacturer produces about 100 stock-keeping units that vary with customer desires, and as many as five million pizzas and three million sandwiches each week.

The snack industry should plan on attending or exhibiting at SNAXPO 2012, March 16-19, in Phoenix at the Phoenix Convention Center. Hosted by the Snack Food Association, this exciting diamond anniversary (75th year) snack event will provide opportunities to network with snack food industry professionals from around the world, learn the latest and greatest trends and technologies and hear interesting speakers, such as former Arkansas governor and best-selling author, Mike Huckabee.

Ahhh, a new year—a time to start over, cross those to-dos off the list and make the wrongs right. It’s a time to flip the calendar, look ahead, plan ahead and move forward with unfinished business.

Don Pancho Authentic Mexican Foods’ state-of-the-art tortilla production facility in Halifax, N.C., is now fully onstream, paving the way for tortillas to become a weekly staple in the non-Hispanic market. Adding three more production lines at the Halifax location, the company is offering an array of new, better-for-you tortillas, wraps and chips that are helping make the most of its dynamic tortilla business.

Quick changeovers and enhanced technologies help Ruiz Foods’ Dinuba, Calif., plant meet ever-changing consumer demands.