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Zeelandia acquires bakery ingredients producer James Fleming & Co Ltd.

Zeelandia acquires bakery ingredients producer James Fleming & Co Ltd. To expand their bakery ingredients capabilities and their UK customer base, Zeelandia has acquired James Fleming & Co. Ltd. (“Flemings”). It is currently owned by the German-based Südzucker Group. The sale will be effective from 1st January 2017, at which date James Fleming & Co Ltd will become a part of Zeelandia UK.

This acquisition is part of Zeelandia’s growth strategy and further strengthens their position in the European market for bakery ingredients. Flemings is a leading UK producer of fillings including mincemeat, jams, jellies and caramel for use in industrial baking. Flemings’ expertise combined with their excellent market position will be of great value to Zeelandia. It allows them to expand their offering in the UK market for bakery ingredients and grow their customer base.

David Amos, Managing Director Zeelandia UK comments: “James Fleming & Co Ltd has a long-standing tradition for quality products and considerable expertise in meeting the needs of industrial bakeries with fruit fillings and jams. In addition, they have a culture where people are highly valued. These traditions and standards will prove just as valuable once they are integrated into Zeelandia. As a family company with heritage dating back to the year 1900, we share many of the same values.”

Adds Royal Zeelandia Group CEO, Michiel de Ruiter: “Fruit fillings and jams are an important part of the Zeelandia portfolio. And the demand for fruit products and fillings continues to be on the rise. We already have two excellent production facilities for fruit products, one in Belgium (Aldia) and one in the Czechia. With this acquisition, we will expand our fruit-producing capabilities as a group. Flemings will be the third production location where Zeelandia manufactures fruit products.”

IBA 2015

Zeelandia loves... ...chocolate, fruit, cake, bread - all bakery products for which we supply top-quality ingredients! We have a true passion for the bakery business. Visit us during iba2015: you will find us in Hall A2, booth 331. With: live demonstrations from our own top specialists in pastry and bread. Plus: many displays, ranging from healthy concepts to clean label solutions and new products.

IBA 2015

Leading supplier of bakery ingredients Zeelandia is dedicated to innovation that caters to the needs of different customers, serving consumers all over the world. ‘Healthy and Nutritious’ is one of our innovation themes. Health is a major consumer trend and Zeelandia has a wide range of products that offer several health benefits to enable consumers to live their best life.

‘For the love a healthy lifestyle’

At iba2015, Zeelandia will showcase multiple solutions for health-conscious consumers.

These include:

Zeelandia Zero Problem

Gluten-free bread, pizza, cake or croissants? It’s no problem for bakers using the innovative Zero Problem product range from Zeelandia.

This gluten-free range is produced in a certified gluten-free production facility to guarantee absolute product safety. Our wide range of gluten-free mixes enables production of a complete assortment of great tasting gluten-free alternatives in every major product category, including bread and pastry.

The demand for gluten-free bakery products is rising steadily. For people with celiac disease, the only effective treatment is to completely ban gluten from their diet. Zeelandia offers a range of gluten-free mixes that enables bakers to offer customers a gluten-free, tasty alternative for cake, bread, and many other bakery products. The complete absence of gluten is guaranteed thanks to using dedicated production lines which rule out the risk of cross-contamination. Every batch is also tested externally. The Zero Problem range contains many mixes, which means that gluten-intolerant consumers have a tasty, high-quality and healthy alternative for a wide range of products, from pizza to cake to bread and puff pastry.

Mr. Korn Chia

At iba2015, the new Mr. Korn Chia will be introduced. Chia contains Omega 3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid/ALA). These contribute to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol level. In addition, chia seeds are rich in fiber and contain proteins. Lastly, a chia seed can absorb about 12 times more water than its weight. Adding Mr. Korn Chia to the dough, results in lasting moistness of bread as well as extended softness and freshness.

Prokorn

A great combination of functionality and lifestyle, Prokorn is a consumer brand from the Zeelandia Group. Prokorn appeals to the health-conscious consumer with healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle. Prokorn is a very tasty multi-cereal bread, it is rich in calcium and contains a reduced level of sodium.

Clean-Label Solutions

Many health-conscious consumers also demand reformulated, healthy bakery products. In the eyes of the consumer a product without additives or artificial processing is a healthy product. For example, the majority of EU consumers believe that ‘natural’ foodstuffs contain more vitamins and bring health benefits. Many are convinced that additives and intensive industrial preparation methods are responsible for allergies. This leads to a strong demand for what consumers view as a ‘Clean’ product. And Zeelandia offers many solutions that help bakeries meet the demand for such products: we currently offer well over 200 different solutions. At iba 2015, the Zeelandia stand will include a special display dedicated to Clean Label bakery products.

Students knead their way to bakery success!

Ever wondered what happens when you put bread in the microwave? Well that is exactly what Andrew Taylor; Bakery & Development specialist at Zeelandia did with level 2 Bakery students at Brooklands College. This was to demonstrate to the students how the protein structure expands and sets within a loaf of bread. Daniel Thornton said “It was amazing to see how the protein structure formulates; it actually looked like a human brain!” The students were given an insight into how the sensory characteristics change with the addition of various ingredients. Bakery lecturer Sue Haskell said “The students were really enthused by the session and it was great for them to learn about the science behind the bread in a fun way.” The workshop explained to students various bread production processes and ingredients relevant to their qualification including both theory and practical’s ranging from sourdough to the Chorleywood bread process. Katy Simmons said “It was great to learn about how to make a sourdough starter; I will definitely be trying this out at home!” Andrew also talked about his career to date to illustrate to the students the range of careers on offer within the bakery industry. He said “As a previous student of Brooklands College, it was fantastic to re-visit and give something back to the college where my career in bakery began.” Zeelandia will continue to support the college to invest in bakers of the future and further develop the industry.

JPEG image icon Brooklands College Science behind baking event April 2013.jpg — JPEG image, 3.48 MB (3648766 bytes)

Liv gains HEART UK product approval

Zeelandia’s cholesterol-lowering bread Liv has been given the stamp of approval by Heart UK - the cholesterol charity. Following an independent review by Heart UK’s scientific panel, Liv Bread has been awarded official accreditation by the charity. The review found that due to the inclusion of recommended levels of beta-glucan, it can be proved that eating the bread can actively lower your cholesterol. The consumption of just 3g of beta-glucan per day has been shown to help reduce cholesterol. Liv bread contains a minimum of 1g of beta-glucan per 50g. Linda Main from at Heart UK, said: “We are extremely pleased to confirm that Liv Bread is being officially approved by Heart UK and is able to carry the Heart UK stamp of approval on-pack. “Adopting new healthy habits, such as limiting saturated fat, eating foods that actively lower cholesterol such as Liv bread and being more active, can help you lower and maintain healthier cholesterol levels.” Visit www.livbread.co.uk for more information and a list of stockists - See more at: http://www.bakeryinfo.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/12265/Cholesterol-lowering_bread_gains_Heart_UK_approval.html#sthash.Lvi9nrS9.dpuf

Zeelandia launches Reduced Carb Bread Mix

Bakery Ingredients manufacturer, Zeelandia have recently launched a new reduced carb bread mix, Shape. Lewis Davage, Product Group Manager, “We have developed Shape for those who are following a low-Carb diet and it can be simply be substituted for a consumer’s usual choice of bread. The ‘message’ for consumers is simple to understand as it contains only half of the carbohydrates and twice the fibre of typical wholemeal bread. With these powerful USP’s, Shape creates a real opportunity for bakers to take advantage of this trend.” The launch of Shape is supported by a POS pack including a leaflet holder, A5 leaflets and an A4 poster. Sold in 16Kg bags, the mix is available from your local wholesaler.

Zeelandia launches Reduced Carb Bread Mix

Zeelandia launches Bakery College Scheme

Zeelandia is working with colleges to give bakers an insight into the industry. The programme to support bakery colleges nationally, which started in September, will see the ingredients manufacturer working with Newcastle College; Tameside College, Manchester; Sheffield College; Neath Port Talbot College, Wales; Brooklands College; City of Bristol College; and Barking & Dagenham College. Nick Harrison, Zeelandia’s Technical Sales Manager, hosted a four hour workshop at the Newcastle College’s Lifestyle Academy on 27 September, working with students to create Danish pastries and Devonshire splits. Teaching included instructing the students on weighing out ingredients, mixing, kneading by hand and moulding the pastries into shape. A relatively new specialism available to professional cookery students at the college, the bakery course provides skills and expertise required to work within a professional kitchen or bakery. According to Zeelandia, working closely with employers ensures that students gain not only practical skills, but valuable industry knowledge. Nigel Grant, bakery lecturer, said: “The students thoroughly enjoyed the demonstrations and it was great for them to understand how bakery ingredients play a role within industry. We look forward to working with Zeelandia in the future. It is these links with employers that help our students to really understand how the sector operates and prepares them for employment.” Holly Coke, a bakery student, commented: “I enjoyed the demonstration from Nick and it was interesting to learn more about the types of ingredients that are available to make life easier for a baker.” The scheme itself started six months ago when Zeelandia began working with Brooklands College in Weybridge, carrying out a ‘Science behind Baking’ masterclass. Each masterclass will be tailored to the requirements of each bakery college, and dates are being finalised for the next. Harrison said: “The industry needs craftsmen and women with good brains - people who are analytical, disciplined and hungry to learn more about ingredients and processes. But it’s our job to help improve skill levels and to stimulate interest among bright young people. It’s up to us to show talented students just what fantastic opportunities there are in the bakery and bakery ingredient industry.”

Zeelandia launches Bakery College Scheme

Trainee Bakers get the Ingredients for Success

Budding Bakers at Tameside College were given an insight into the Science behind Baking when two baking experts from Bakery Ingredients Manufacturer, Zeelandia visited the college to provide bakery masterclasses. The purpose of the visit was to allow students to gain valuable knowledge and skills that will help them continue their studies and gain a career in the baking industry. The first masterclass saw Nick Harrison, Technical Sales Manager at Zeelandia showcase the ingredients and process for making Zeelandia's version of the doughnut and croissant hybrid treat, the "Zeenut" to level two bakery students. The second masterclass focused on the science behind breadmaking with level two bakery students which Andrew Taylor, Bakery & Development specialist and Adam Davies, Bakery Technician from Zeelandia presented. Visits like this from Zeelandia are vital for the development of Tameside College students as it gives them a better understanding of the baking industry and allows them to learn from a well-established organisation. Andrew Taylor from Zeelandia said " We had a fantastic session at Tameside College and the students were engaged and keen to learn." Lorna Jones, Curriculum Leader for Bakery at Tameside College said "The students thoroughly enjoyed the demonstrations and it was great for them to understand how bakery ingredients play a role within industry. We look forward to working with Zeelandia in the future. It is these links with employers that help our students to really understand how the sector operates and prepared them for employment."

Trainee Bakers get the Ingredients for Success

'Proving' there's more to baking

Whilst TV programmes have helped popularise baking, the science behind baking and the range of careers the industry offers is often overlooked. This has led to a skills shortage in the industry and is why Barking & Dagenham College and Zeelandia, the Bakery Ingredients Manufacturer have teamed up to show students what the industry is all about. Keen to support local talent, Zeelandia, based in Billericay, ran a workshop with the College’s patisserie and bakery students. As part of the workshop students tried out their baking skills in tasks such as mixing, hand moulding and making sourdough. They then got the chance to turn the College’s bakery into a laboratory to learn the “Science behind Baking!" Andrew Taylor, Technical & Development Specialist at Zeelandia was on hand to show how the characteristics of bread change when different ingredients are added and demonstrate some of the many bread production processes that are used. The students were quick to experiment with the bread, seeing how ingredients work, such as how the protein structure expands and sets within a loaf. As student Danielle Tomlinson, 18, said: ““It was fascinating to see how science comes into baking, I really like science and I thought it was good to find out there’s so much more that goes into baking than you’d think.” The workshop also included the chance for students to find out from Andrew about the many and varied career routes in the bakery industry. Indeed currently there is high demand for skilled and specialist roles across the industry. The students learnt how jobs, as well as those in bakeries themselves, also include positions in product development and quality assurance and expert roles such as becoming flour confectioners and specialists, in which knowing the science behind bakery is essential. Andrew said: "The bakery industry has such a wide range of careers available that people just don’t know about and with the workshop, we were able to give students an insight into all the opportunities there are. It’s important to us that we support the bakers of the future and help further develop the industry. Linking with Colleges such as Barking & Dagenham College is one way for us to help do this.” Bakery lecturer Kelly Andrews added: “The students were really enthused by the session and it was great for them to learn about the industry and the science behind baking in a fun way.”

Barking & Dagenham students with their finished baked bread

Bakery supplier Zeelandia promote food industry in school

Bakery supplier Zeelandia has been offering insight to schools in support of National Careers and Apprenticeship week (3rd - 7th March)

Bakery supplier Zeelandia promote food industry in school

Caroline Ratcliffe, Marketing Executive at Zeelandia with Year 10&11 girls at Sacred Heart of Mary school

Caroline Ratcliffe, Marketing Executive at Zeelandia spoke to year 10-13 students to encourage them to look beyond the obvious when considering a career.

"When people think about working in the food industry, they tend to focus on cooking or selling, which are of course crucial- but there are a whole raft of exciting opportunities across all disciplines and across the whole supply chain which includes food ingredients" she said.

One million unemployed

She added that with nearly one million young people and the food and drink manufacturing sector facing a skills gap, it was important to think outside the box to encourage people to consider careers in the industry.

"Food and drink in Britan's largest manufacturing sector, contributing massively to the national economy" Ratcliffe claimed. " It needs new generations of talented, motivated people to help keep it at the forefront of innovation; to ensure it keeps on providing great food to feed the population;and to carry on delivering fantastic financial benefits."

Sacred Heart of Mary's Food Technology teacher Joanna Trohear said "It brought alive something that otherwise could have been quite theoretical, taught the students more about the supply chain and inspired them to think about the wide range of great opportunities there are in the food and drink industry in general and the bakery ingredients sector in particular."

PDF document icon Zeelandia Clean Natural Organic Pitfalls Opportunities whitepaper Nov2014.pdf — PDF document, 451 KB (462320 bytes)

The opportunities and pitfalls of organic, natural and clean-label products

In many countries, health concerns play an ever more important role in consumers’ choices. This has sparked a rapid growth in the number of bakery products claiming to be ‘organic’, ‘natural’ or free from certain additives. How can you seize the growth potential of this trend, and what are the pitfalls to be avoided?

Download the Full Zeelandia White Paper here