Story by Lily Cota and Maddie Lambert
KANSAS CITY, MO — Another year in the books for the commercial baking industry marks another year of innovation and product development that drives and inspires bakers and equipment and ingredient suppliers to ultimately meet the needs of consumers around the world.
While the industry as a whole is seizing universal growth opportunities, bakers need reliable and efficient equipment to do so, with supplier partners that can adapt quickly to emerging trends and evolving market dynamics. For packaging suppliers, creating solutions that balance sustainability with streamlined operations is a surefire way to meet the growing demand for a machine that does it all.
Meanwhile, ingredient suppliers are seeing an uptick in demand for longer shelf stability and lower grocery store bills, resulting in the need for solutions that target freshness and accessibility.
The Commercial Baking team has curated a collection of solutions that are redefining the landscape of the baking industry and solidifying its growth for the future. Dive into a few key themes here and view the full collection in the Solution Showcase.
As consumer awareness of environmental impact grows, incorporating sustainable and eco-friendly practices into bakery processes is a high priority. Processing suppliers have risen to the occasion by developing machinery with a smaller footprint and improved energy efficiency. Manufacturers such as Baker Thermal Solutions, a Middleby Bakery brand, introduced the RapidBake oven, which supplies greener energy to generate its electrical portion and provides a 10%-15% energy reduction.
On the packaging side, companies such as BluePrint Automation have developed technology that offers end users more versatility by allowing various product sizes and case types to be run on the same packaging line. The company’s Spider 200i case packer minimizes carbon footprint with its all-in-one compact system, which has the ability to service different supply chains.
Pacteon’s end-of-line Robox robotic palletizer balances optimized packaging processes with sustainability, handling case weights of up to 50 pounds in a small footprint.
Two key components for efficient operations are increased automation and faster production times with consistent finished product quality. As a result, equipment suppliers have reimagined machinery to incorporate up-to-date technology and streamline operations. Reading Bakery Systems redesigned its 90-degree laminator used in cracker production to feature an optional bypass, allowing bakers to produce both laminated and non-laminated crackers on a single line.
Fritsch/Multivac revised its Impressa bread line with a newly revamped sheeting section and hygienic design that significantly reduces the use of separating agents, such as oil, in dough sheet production. The updated bread line’s improvements allow its various modules to be washed down quicker and with fewer cleaning products to amp up production.
Innovation within the ingredients space has included an increase in shelf-life extenders. With the squeeze of inflation affecting a majority of households across the country, avoiding food waste is a top priority among US consumers. Data results from a Capgemini report found that 91% of consumers prefer to purchase food from companies that are taking steps to reduce food waste. Due to this, bakers are interested in boosting shelf life and broadening grocery access to allow consumers to make the best use of the food they purchase.
Lesaffre’s Saf Pro Natural Mold Inhibitor can be used in a variety of bakery applications — including bagels, croissants, pretzels and more — and extends product shelf life while inhibiting mold growth with clean-label assurance.
Targeting this same issue, Repco released PureGuard, a natural mold inhibitor that can be used in all types of doughs and offers 15 days of mold inhibition without altering the flavor or taste of the product.
On the other end of the ingredient spectrum, Puratos developed a new improver with a unique blend of enzymes to deliver initial softness, finer crumbs and longer shelf life for a variety of bakery items.
Whether on the baking, packaging, processing or ingredients side, the ability to adapt and evolve anchors the industry for growth opportunities and sustains it against unexpected challenges. Suppliers are increasingly equipped to meet bakers’ ingredients needs, automation demands and sustainability initiatives. The sectors of the industry are joining forces to fulfill consumer demand for preserved freshness, effective packaging and reduced footprint. As the year draws to a close, 2025 is shaping up to be promising for the commercial baking industry, with innovative thinking and consumer-centric approaches lighting the path for the new wave of industrial technology.
This story has been adapted from the 2024 Innovations Annual of Commercial Baking. Read the digital edition here.
