Concept 2 Expands Distribution
akers, a frozen bakery products manufacturer here, has expanded its distribution network to cover the United States after revamping its production facilities earlier this year.
When it completed the automation of production lines at its 145,000-square-foot facility in Fridley, Minn., the company increased its capacity 10-fold. The facility can now produce 1,200 to 1,300 frozen-dough loaves of bread an hour.
The company's major product lines include parbaked artisan breads in 15 varieties, a full line of decorated cakes with licensed characters and team insignias, and prepackaged, thaw-and-sell cookies.
IDDA Offers Trends Analysis
MADISON, Wis. -- The International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association here recently released its 11th annual trends analysis, "What's in Store." It covers major food and eating trends, shifting demographics and technologies that are changing the marketplace and the bakery, dairy and deli industries.
A 25-page section focuses particularly on bakery. What product categories are hot, and advances in equipment, packaging and production technologies are covered.
The 125-page book is free with IDDA membership and is $299 for nonmembers. · · · ·
Quaker Pushes Bagel Kiosk
CHICAGO -- Quaker Oats Co.'s Food Service division here is offering a specially designed kiosk to supermarket in-store bakeries to help them call attention to freshly baked bagels.
With six double bins, a menu board and an ice cooler unit for cream cheeses and drinks, the self-service kiosk is designed to grab customers' attention, a spokeswoman for Quaker said.
"In in-store bakeries, bagels often get grouped together with doughnuts and other baked items in glass display cases. This kiosk gives grocers an opportunity to draw attention to the bagels themselves," said Adina Latek, assistant brand manager for Quaker In-Store Bakery.
The division currently supplies bagels -- in frozen, parbaked and thaw-and-sell forms -- to retailers' warehouses across the United States. Chains carrying the products include Acme Stores, Super Kmart, Tom Thumb, Hy-Vee, Omni, Cub and H.E. Butt.
