KANSAS CITY, MO — When a new hire joins our team, I tell her grocery shopping will never be the same again. Having an insider’s view of the industry shatters a layperson’s perception of food manufacturing. Whether it’s a small- or mid-size operation — or one with facilities around the world — baking companies care first about feeding people, and I love seeing our young professionals learn about it.
What the average consumer doesn’t see is that bakers — whether in operations or the c-suite — focus on how manufacturing benefits people and ensures that baked goods can remain accessible and affordable.
I’m not a baker, nor do I play one on TV. But I do apply the lessons I learn from them, and I’ve realized that staying true to the roots is monumental. Earlier this year, my partners and I had our annual founders’ retreat, and we opened with a simple question: Why did we start this company? The answers validated some of our practices, prompted us to reconsider others, and formalized our guiding principles.
On the pages ahead, you’ll read about emerging brands and global powerhouses, bakeries new to automation, and those with the greatest purchasing power. They all have a lot in common, not the least of which is knowing why they’re here and what they stand for.
Good companies set values. Great companies live by them, which requires constant self-reflection. It’s a tenet of our industry and one we can all benefit from. How do your company’s core values prompt hard questions and important business decisions? Reach out and let me know … I’d love to learn from you and share your story with the industry.
This story has been adapted from the AUGUST | Q3 2024 issue of Commercial Baking. Read the digital edition here.
