This article was originally posted by our friends at Alchemy Systems, and is shared here with permission.
Things are looking pretty sweet in Bakery and Snacks. Bread is back, and the sandwich is enjoying a bit of a renaissance in all its glorious forms: burgers, bahn mis, tortas, gyros. Enriched and sprouted grains are also on the rise, ensuring the low-carb craze has finally cooled off.
Snacking is trendy, too — both healthy snacks that promote wellness, and rich, decadent snacks meant for indulging. Nutritious plant-based proteins, like nuts and seeds, are still popular as ever. And once-exotic ingredients, like chile, caramel, and cardamom are popping up in baked treats and sweets everywhere as consumers (with Millennials leading the charge) seek out flavors that broaden their palates.
Several challenges still face the industry, and while solving them won’t be a piece of cake, a proactive approach and a well-trained workforce can help bake consistency into operations.
Here’s a look at some key issues in Bakery and Snacks:
Allergens
Allergens are nothing to sneeze at. And they affect all aspects of the supply chain. As we know undeclared allergens due to mislabeling or cross-contamination is the number one reason for recalls and Bakery and Snacks are particularly susceptible, thanks to the Big 8.
The good news is allergens are highly preventable. Read this blog post to discover Four Ways to Prevent Undeclared Allergens. Educating your workforce on the risks and impacts of allergens is also a great line of defense.
Premium Quality
Call it what you will: gourmet, craft, small batch. High quality products are having a moment, especially in Bakery and Snacks. Think: “flatbread” instead of “cracker,” or “small cake” instead of “muffin.” Led by the tastes of status-seeking Millennials, consumers’ preferences have been tending toward anything upscale.
But consumers also care about value, which is why they’re willing to pay extra for premium products. Higher quality is associated with better health. A recall can ruin a brand’s image faster than you can say “artisanal.” Going beyond compliance requirements to create a culture of food safety in your company ensures frontline workers can take smart actions to stop food incidents before they happen. This video shows how multi-channel training keeps safety top of mind.
Demand for Innovation
Nothing kills a snack attack faster than the same old routine. Consumers chase trends, and these days the weirder, the better. Once-exotic flavors like smoke, wasabi, and Sriracha have gone mainstream.
It’s always been a challenge for Bakery and Snacks manufacturers to stay innovative, especially if a fad fizzles fast. Tight margins make it difficult to keep up. Shortening the time a product moves from research to retail is critical to staying cutting edge, even relevant. Retaining a well-trained workforce, as demonstrated in this webinar, can cut costs better spent on innovation.
Evolving Regulations
One big change brought on by FSMA is recordkeeping’s magnified importance in operations and inspections. Documentation has always been important, but now it will carry even more weight in mandatory procedures. One way to track documentation is to standardize your systems. Learn more recordkeeping best practices in this webinar. Another way to get frontline employees on board is to incorporate one-one-on coaching.
About Alchemy Systems
Alchemy is the global leader of innovative solutions that help food companies engage with their workforces to drive safety and productivity. Over two million food workers at 10,000 locations use Alchemy’s tailored training, coaching, and communications programs to reduce workplace injuries, safeguard food, and increase yield. From farm to fork, Alchemy works with food growers, manufacturers, processors, packagers, distributors and retailers of all sizes to build a culture of operational excellence.
Topics: Industry Trends
