Whoopie pies or whoopie cakes have now migrated from the US to the UK. A well-known London store apparently cannot make enough of them.

When is a divider not a divider? When it's a sheeter, as is the case with Rademaker's Crusto Bread line. With continuing demand for replicating the characteristic taste and structure of craft-inspired products, this divider alternative claims to lose less gas in the dough through the production of baguettes, free-standing bread and ciabatta.

Sugar glass is used on movie sets whenever glass is smashed in a film. It sets hard and is transparent, just like real glass, but is much more brittle and breaks more easily... plus it's edible and sweet!

When 31 October rolls around, do you have a selection of festively themed treats in your window or are you happy to serve your usual offerings? If the potential profits are anything to go by, bakers opting for the latter approach are missing a trick as well as a treat. For independent outlets, this is one area where you may be able to out-bake the supermarkets.

During the course of employment, there are times when employees seek leave other than for holiday. In some instances it may be reasonable to insist that annual leave entitlement should be used to cover the situations. In others, there is a statutory right to time off and, in some cases, this is with pay.

Apart from the need to keep good personnel records for example, sickness absence and time off you must keep various documents in order to comply with Health & Safety requirements. So how do you know if your business is one that requires a written health and safety policy? And, if you need one, what areas should it cover?

If a child is due on or after 3 April 2011, the father or mother's partner will be entitled to 26 weeks' "additional paternity leave". But babies are rarely on time. So what happens if they arrive before the legal deadline?

Credit card borrowers looking to transfer debt to take advantage of lower interest charges elsewhere should brace themselves for rising transfer fees.

Members may remember that, last month, I wrote "why I'm not in favour of trial periods for new employees". Now I will tell you why I am in favour of trial periods for newly promoted staff.

Small firms have been turning to business grants as a secondary source of "free" money while bank funding remains hard to find. Specialist grants database GRANTfinder says enquiries from small businesses about how to secure grant funding have risen by a third in the past year.

First came cupcakes, then whoopie pies; it's no wonder New York is being hailed by British retailers as inspiration for innovative baked goods.

MD Paul Smith calls Hayden's Bakeries a "bit of a Cinderella business" presumably not in sufferance at domestic abuse from its siblings, but rather, one that was badly in need of a makeover. Now it's had its missing shoe slipped back on, Hayden's is fit again to grace the premium retail ball, having emerged from what Smith refers to as "years of under-achievement".

SA committed to small businesses

Sand Cake is one of the recipes in Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management. The cake is made using a mixture of cornflour and rice flour or ground rice, and the tin is dusted with crushed ratafia biscuits. The cake is flavoured with lemon zest and the resulting texture is quite close and moist, but gritty.

Richard Hamilton of HamiltonBIG, a creative retail and brand consultancy, talks through the three Ps of a shopfit

I have a confession to make. Before I was allowed to be a baker I used to be a banker. Not just any old banker, but an RBS banker. Back in 1969, when a strawberry tart cost 6d, I failed to satisfy the dons at Aberdeen University and also to persuade my father to give me a job in our bakery business, so I went to work for the same people who would later take on good old Freddie Goodwin, ex-RBS chief executive.

Energy-efficient commercial refrigeration supplier Gram UK, has announced the launch of two new cabinets, to complete its Compact range. The new Compact 210 and 410 models join the existing 610 cabinet, to offer a full range of options that combine low-energy consumption with high quality.

Raymond Blanc has created two new summer cakes for his patisserie chain Maison Blanc: Raspberry Brittany Shortbread and Apricot Almondine. The shortbread treat is based on a traditional recipe from Brittany, and is made using a shortbread case topped with raspberry pâte de fruits and fresh raspberries, as well as a crispy raspberry meringue.

Fox's Biscuits is to extend its Mini Moos range with the launch of new Mini Moos Choc Chip. Developed for the kids sector, the mini malted biscuits, are designed to be the perfect lunchbox accompaniment. The Choc Chip variety joins Mini Moos Malted Milk and will be available in individual bags within a 6x25g multipack.

Over a third of exhibitors are attending the show this year for the first time, making the event a good opportunity to find new suppliers and source new products. Over 550 producers from around the world will offer creative and premium products that could provide that all-important point of difference.

Ingredients supplier Eurostar Commodities has introduced the Molino Alimonti Gran Fibra cereal mixes to the UK market for the first time.

Délifrance UK is offering several new products for summer, as it continues to launch 80 new lines into the wholesale market. A 'presidential' collection of four light patisserie products are now available: raspberry, lemon zest, blueberry and lemon meringue tartlets. The range has been inspired by traditional French recipes and created by Tony Lallement, patisserie development manager for Délifrance. They can be thawed from frozen, are ready to serve within three hours and come in packs of 24.

UK confections and decorations company Orchard Valley Foods has launched a new service called Secret Ingredients. Customers to its online site www.secret-ingredients.com can choose from a range of confections, including: five-colour star mix or purple glimmer sugar, caramel cubes and silver balls.

Mention bakery to an Italian and they soon start talking twice as fast. They love their breads each region is fiercely proud of its own as well as its national breads.

We have 74 associations throughout Italy in different towns. Our members represent 16-18,000 different firms. It is a challenging market, with changing demands the latest of which is salt reduction. But there is also the challenge of frozen breads, which the French have tackled well. Now we are fighting back too.

Julian Hunt

Carr's Milling has continued to trade ahead of expectations since its interim results, largely driven by its agricultural and engineering operations.

Snack manufacturers across Europe are being urged to produce 30g snack packs to help consumers meet dietary guidelines on calorie intake.

Scottish company Johnstone's Bakers claims its turnover has more than trebled since 2007, following a major investment in a state-of-the-art factory.

United Biscuits (UB) could be looking for a new owner, according to media reports.

North-west bakery chain Sayers is counting on shopper feedback to give it a competitive edge.

Stowmarket-based malt business Muntons has been named as the UK's 20th greenest company in a recent survey.

Tesco has had to withdraw an advertisement about its in-store bakeries after a complaint by the Real Bread Campaign was upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

A B Tech Expo, the next bakery exhibition this calendar year, will take place at Fieramilano in Milan, Italy from October 23-27.

Transferring the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) work on nutrition to the Department of Health (DoH) will not adversely affect bakers, say industry figures.

Bakers' Fair, the autumn event aimed mainly at craft bakers, takes place at Bolton Arena on Sunday 3 October.

Following an article in British Baker, small bakeries are being encouraged to apply for organic certification with a new cut-price offer.

Coffee Republic has opened the doors to its first new-look store, in Hove, and has revealed plans for revamping the coffee chain's bakery range.

Battenberg cake may have won a reprieve, after the Food Standards Agency (FSA) lost its fight to ban six demonised food colourings, but bakers will now have to label products that contain them.

British Baker is delighted to announce the finalists for this year's Baking Industry Awards.

Only five of the 21 foodservice businesses trialling calorie labelling at the point of choice have decided to continue with the scheme.

Strong sales at Renshaw and Hayden’s Bakeries has helped parent company the Real Good Food Company (RGFC) achieve “good trading progress” over the six months to 30 June, 2010.

A fire stopped production at Warburtons’ Hereford Street bakery, in Bolton, as 60 firefighters fought to put out the blaze, which is thought to have started in an industrial oven.

Celebration cakes sales continue to fall at Finsbury Food Group as consumers opt to trade down. Group revenue for the cake, bread and morning goods manufacturer has fallen by 4.1% to £168.3m for the financial year to 30 June 2010, after adjustments for the 53-week year.

North-west bakery chain Sayers is counting on shopper feedback to give it a competitive edge.

Scottish Bakers, the newly rebranded Scottish Association of Master Bakers, has appointed Irishman Alan Clarke as its new chief executive.

The UK’s gluten-free market looks set to be worth the most in Europe over the next five years – valued at £242.719m. However, independent research analyst Datamonitor has predicted that growth will continue to slow.

Stowmarket-based malt business Muntons has been named as the UK’s 20th greenest company in a recent Sunday Times table.

United Biscuits (UK) is to launch a rewards scheme for its McVitie’s brand biscuits. McVitie’s VIP Club will offer consumers the chance to claim tea break treats, using a unique code, or to build up a collection of points in order to claim larger rewards. The firm claims it will be the first-ever consumer biscuit collect and reward scheme.

Tesco has had to withdraw an advertisement about its in-store bakeries after a complaint by the Real Bread Campaign was upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The UK government has confirmed its intention to retain the Food Standards Agency (FSA), though a number of its former policy areas will become the responsibility of other government departments.

Johnstone’s Bakers has announced that its turnover has more than trebled since 2007 following a major investment in a state-of-the-art factory.

lHalloween

Bakery warehouse supervisor Dave Barnes was told by his wife he'd have to retake his wedding vows after losing his wedding ring at work and that 'threat' triggered a UK-wide hunt by his bosses and workmates.

Who said students learn nothing at university any more? Tesco's Laura Fagan appears to be carving out a niche for herself developing morning-after-leftovers sarnies. Her latest contribution to Britain's biggest retailer's shelves is the lasagne sandwich inevitably dubbed the Lasarnie by the News of the World. Last year, Fagan was behind Tesco's cold fish finger sandwich. Attempts to taste-test this delight were thwarted after it sold out in our local store.

1. The latest trend is ice cream-themed cupcakes: bit.ly/cva37p

One book we're unlikely to be reviewing is Knitted Cakes by Devon-based textiles author-cum-time-waster Susan Penny, which features a "mouth-watering" selection of mohair muffins and furry fairy cakes.

For bakeries and cafés, the crisps and snacks market, worth £2.6bn in 2009 according to Mintel, can be a lucrative part of their business.

Reformulation has resulted in overall salt reductions of up to 50% in many of the UK's most popular brands of cakes and biscuits since February 2006. And the sector has also been proactive on reducing artificial colours and trans fats, but sat fat reduction remains a challenge.

Getting customers through the bakery door on a warm summer's day involves some temptations away from the usual breads and morning pastries. Fresh fruit traybakes, fresh from the oven so the sweet aroma hangs in the shop air, is one approach used more in other countries and I'm thinking it's time we used more fresh fruit in British bakeries.

It's yet to be seen whether deputy PM Nick Clegg's stated aim of burning through bureaucracy will be a bonfire of red tape or as the cynics might predict a kindling that doesn't catch. But one baker has lit the touchpaper on her filing cabinet and, in so doing, has become the first to benefit from a new supplier accreditation scheme aimed at small businesses.

When it comes to bakery companies, there are famous brand names, family names and quite a few foreign-sounding names. However, it's not often one comes across a name so startlingly simple as Bakery and ironically the company is Italian.

From steel worker to cake maker not exactly a likely career progression more like chalk and cheese. However, Lightbody Celebration Cakes' David McClymont proved that this unusual career path can indeed be a winning one after being crowned Celebration Cake Maker of the Year, sponsored by Renshawnapier, at the Baking Industry Awards last year.

I joined The Bakery School online with a year's subscription, and also registered three of my staff members to complete the training. I would like to say what a good learning tool this has been for us. We are situated relatively remotely, so attending a college is fairly unrealistic for us, but the online school has definitely filled the void, and more. Not only have the modules been informative and helpful, the support offered by the school has been fantastic.

Cake: a global history

Baker Sarah Gayton has issued a call to all small artisan bakers to stand up and be counted when the Olympic organisers come to awarding food contracts. She commis-sioned special Olympian Oatie mugs and sent them to David Cameron and Nick Clegg along with her biscuits to remind them of their commitment to a sustainable legacy.

These delicious little cakes suffer from having a name which makes them sound unappetising. In fact they are like a crumbly version of fruit scones and are delicious. They evoke childhood memories of baking at home or at school. They look quirky and distinctive against other cakes, buns and scones.

Don Williams, CEO of brand and design consultacy Pi Global, looks at the pointers or 'equities' that make your brand stand out

Umer Ashraf is a young entrepreneur who owns the Glasgow-based iCafé chain of shops, as well as smoothie and juice bar Paradise Bay, in Oban, Scotland

CMC DayMark, in partnership with Steroplast Healthcare, has launched the Clinell range of infection control products for foodservice operators.

Glacéau vitaminwater has launched a strawberry and kiwi variant, called i-focus. It contains Vitamins A, B and C and is available in a 500ml bottle.

Cargill's new texture solutions combining pectin and starch are usable in all types of bakery fillings.

Paper-based packaging manufacturer Smurfit Kappa has developed a barrier coating for food packaging that is both water- and grease-resistant. It is made from a non-hazardous opaque water-based liquid, which when dried forms an inert translucent film. The firm said the technology will enable packaging containing frozen foods or hot and cold greasy snacks to be made from corrugated cardboard, inside of metal or plastic. The coating will then prevent moisture from penetrating the cardboard surround. Smurfit Kappa said the coating is now being trialled by a major supermarket for use with its hot baked goods.

German milling company Kampffmeyer Food Innovation has reintroduced an ancient barley variety Stone Age barley flakes.

Munchy Seeds is hoping to bring it latest offering Crunchy Bites to high-street bakeries. The snack is available in handy 30g packs, as well as 250g and 500g snack tubs.

Arkady Ancient Cereals is a new concept bread mix from CSM United Kingdom, which combines ancient cereals einkorn, emmer and spelt to create a fresh take on rustic ingredients.

It goes against the grain, but some small bakers are effectively being priced out of getting organic certification.

The planting of wheat in Britain has increased in area by 10% compared to last year's figures, according to the HGCA's Planting and Variety Survey for the 2010 crop. Conducted by the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board's cereals and oilseeds team, it revealed wheat planting has risen from 1.803m hectares (ha) to 1.992m ha, with the Group 4 wheat variety now making up over half (51%) of the total wheat produced in the UK. Group 1 plantings, the varieties that produce consistent milling and baking performance, were up 1%, to 17% of total wheat plantings. However AHDB senior cereals and oilseeds analyst Michael Archer said Group 1 plantings were up by 10% in the south east. Group 3 plantings, which contain soft varieties for cake flours for example, were 4% down.

l World salt talks have been taking place in London. A salt reduction forum, hosted by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the World Health Organization, looked at what is necessary to set up a successful salt reduction strategy. The link to the report will be made available on the FSA's website: food.gov.uk.

Jim Winship

Broadway Bagels of Dungarvan, Co Waterford, has won its first export deal to mainland Europe, for its frozen, pre-sliced bagels.

The Fabulous Bakin' Boys plans to invest £6m in a new fully automatic snack cake line, which will enable it to double capacity at its Oxfordshire bakery.

Braeside Country Pies has announced its first listings in the UK multiple and independent retail sector, and is seeking to expand its UK business further.

Warburtons saw a respectable rise in profits last year despite an "unprecedented" hike in commodity prices.

Free-from bakery firm Droppa & Droppa Specialist Foods has won a contract to supply gluten-, wheat- and dairy-free breads to London firm The Bread Factory.

Sales of muffins, cookies and cake slices bounced back from the recession in the past year as consumers began trading up to premium products.

Bakery products including muffins, flapjacks, rye bread and gluten-free loaves are available to buy through Amazon's new grocery website, which launched earlier this month.

Dublin-based Broderick's looks set to be a new contender in the UK cake and snack bar market after it secured its first UK listing, which will see the brand stocked in 200 WH Smith stores.

Artisan bakeries the Flour Station and the Bread Factory have won listings with Union Market a newly launched retailer that combines elements of a farmers' market with the convenience of a supermarket.

A new online salt calculator has been launched by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to help craft bakers reduce the amount of salt in their bread.

Supermarket enthusiasm for bread made with 100% British flour continues to grow, with Morrisons looking into making the switch in its in-store bakeries and Tesco launching an advertising campaign highlighting the use of home-grown wheat in its in-store farmhouse loaves.

The Richemont Bakery School in Lucerne, Switzerland, is to host a special course on decorative breads, marzipan modelling and chocolates, from 17-21 October.

Greenwich bakery Paul Rhodes London has opened a second upmarket shop in Notting Hill and hopes to open two more next year in the capital.

The baking industry has to wait until autumn to discover whether the Food Standards Agency (FSA) will be axed as part of the government's cost-cutting agenda.

Despite the Met Office announcing the sunniest June since 1929, the rise in wheat prices in the past few weeks could mean a significant increase in flour costs.

Costa is turning its coffee shops green to reduce carbon emissions and conserve water.

Bakery chain Greggs has called time on one of its late-night stores after a trial failed to pull in enough customers.

Bakery sales at Northern Foods dipped 5.6% in the first quarter of the year, after promotions were put on hold during the World Cup.

Starbucks insists it is on the road to recovery in the UK despite the latest dismal results. Figures filed at Companies House for the 12 months to 27 September show it made a loss after taxation of £52.1m compared with a loss of £46.9m the previous year.

Warburtons has become one of the first brands to simplify on-pack dates.

Robotics and automation expert CenFRA has been working with Melton Mowbray pork pie manufacturer Vale of Mowbray to reduce the cost of a planned expansion project.

A new online salt calculator has been launched to help craft bakers reduce the amount of salt in their bread and reach government salt targets within six weeks.

There’s just over one week left to get your entries in for Britain’s Best Cupcake Baker 2010, so make sure you get them in the post.

The fourth International Bakery Exhibition (ibex) is to be held from 17-20 October 2010 at the International Permanent Fairground in Tehran, Iran.

Kingsmill is to continuing in its bid to reduce carbon emissions with the introduction of new eco-friendly delivery trucks to its fleet.

Patisserie Valerie is inviting customers to celebrate France’s Bastille Day at its new Knightsbridge outlet, which opens on the same day.

Community-supported business The Handmade Bakery has achieved a national co-operative accolade.

Braeside Country Pies has announced its first listings in the UK multiple and independent retail sector, and is actively seeking to expand its UK business further.

Free-from bakery firm Droppa & Droppa Specialist Foods has won a contract to supply a number of its gluten-, wheat- and dairy-free breads to London-firm The Bread Factory.

lCakes, Traybakes & Slices

A week is a long time in cupcakes. Two weeks, an age. Here are our top cupcake trends spotted in the build-up to National Cupcake Week and our UK Cupcake-off competition (deadline 16 July).

"I have been for three years baking cakes. And now I'm going to bake a cake that has a bitter jelly. The message of the new music is now more bitter than it was before. Because the sweeter the cake, the more bitter the jelly can be"

We've stolen enough from America in recent year muffins, giant cookies, glazed doughnuts, cupcakes, whoopie pies. Why not nick the latest bakery retail concept that is quite literally a steal? A few months ago, Stop the Week picked up on a 'Pay what you like' experiment carried out by the US' largest bakery chain Panera Bread. The idea was a bakery-café social enterprise, whereby the well-off coughed up the asking price or more, while the poorer got a cheap or free deal.

A recent mysupermarket.com survey generated the headline "You might as well eat doughnuts for breakfast as breakfast cereal", after revealing that Cheerios and Crunchy Nut cornflakes contained as much sugar as a jam doughnut.

Whether they're going posh in Pizza Express or casual in Pizza Hut, having it delivered, taking it away, buying it from the freezer or chiller of a shop or even making their own, seven out of 10 people in the UK are eating pizza, according to research company Mintel.

There was one company which undoubtedly came out on top when it came to training at the Baking Industry Awards last year. A fourth generation business, still owned and run by the Coopland family, Coopland & Son (Scarborough) has grown enormously since it moved to its purpose-built factory and current site in Caxton Way nearly 20 years ago. Back then the business had nine shops, explains operations manager Robert Pashley and winner of The Achievement in Bakery Training Award, sponsored by Rich Products. His colleague, production manager John Ruddock, took home the Trainee Baker of the Year award sponsored by Improve and the National Skills Academy.

For some, the chasm between craft baking and the supermarkets is incalculable. Not so for Asda's in-store bakery buyer Laura Sayer, who can measure it in generations. Name ring a bell? It will if you are familiar with the UK's second-largest bakery chain, which Sayer's great grandparents started in Liverpool from humble origins the now 150-shop Sayers the Bakers.

Civic-minded residents in the London suburb of Pinner were slightly miffed when Starbucks opened in the high street. But they were fuming when it transpired the coffee giant did not have the proper planning permission.

The report in British Baker (4 June) highlights concerns over the possibility of increased wheat prices, due to currency fluctuation and the increased use of wheat for biofuel production.

Who You Callin' Cupcake? Michelle and Vinny Garcia

Madeira Cake is traditionally flavoured with lemon zest and juice and is decorated with candied citrus peel. It does not originate from Madeira, but was served to accompany Madeira wine, which was popular in the 19th century. In texture it is similar to a pound cake. Large pieces of sliced citrus peel are pushed on to the top prior to baking. This recipe is flavoured with orange and cinnamon, instead of the more expensive citrus peel.

Richard Hamilton of HamiltonBIG, a creative retail and brand consultancy, discusses the benefits of a good shopfront

Tom Herbert is a fifth-generation baker and director of Hobbs House Bakery, a multi-award-winning craft bakery, based in Gloucestershire

Ham, Cheese and Leek is the latest special edition variety in the Ginsters pasty range.

Point-of-sale management and till manufacturer Aures Technologies has launched a new tilting screen version of ELIOS an all-in-one slimline EPoS terminal.

Bar-shaped Danish Pastries for eating on the move have joined the Country Choice line-up.

Wood Stone has added another oven to its Bistro range.

Sonneveld has launched two organic release agents made from sunflower oil: Bio Release for releasing bread and bakery products and Bio Division 75 for lubricating dough dividing equipment and dough hoppers.

Byron Bay Cookie Company has added a Lemon & White Chocolate Cheesecake Cookie to its range. Unveiled at this year's Caffe Culture exhibition at the end of June, the cookie features chunks of white chocolate, the zest of Mediterranean lemons and lemon curd.

By Max Jenvey of Oxxygen Marketing Partnership, a strategic business accelerator specialising in foodservice, bakery and convenience retail sectors

Melitta highlighted what it claims is the world's smallest fully automatic coffee machine the new C35 at the Caffe Culture exhibition last month.

Rectory Foods is hoping to make inroads into the bakery ingredients sector with the launch of a new 10-strong range of garlic products suitable for bakery. The firm now offers premium frozen and dehydrated garlic as well as an ambient sterilised purée.

CSM has launched a new range of Craigmillar Frostings for topping or filling cakes. The firm said the frostings range is suited to American-style products, such as cupcakes, brownies and whoopie pies.

It was a weekend full of thrills and thankfully very few spills at the Alliance for Bakery Students and Trainees (ABST) Annual Conference at the Alton Towers Hotel last month.

Raisins: California has significantly increased exports this season from a reduced total crop. The development of the new crop in Turkey is not quite as good as earlier reports suggested. Given Turkey's major loss of raisin business to California this season, weather permitting at harvest, it is highly likely that Turkey will aim for optimal raisin production.

Researchers from California and Spain have concluded that regular peanut consumption improves cholesterol levels and contributes to heart health, following data collated from 25 nut consumption trials across seven countries.

Alan Stuart

The standard rate of VAT will increase from 17.5% to 20% from 4 January 2011, announced Chancellor George Osborne in his first Budget, but zero-rating for most food remains in place.

The Food Standards Agency's (FSA) position as the nation's nutritional guardian appears to be slipping as fellow government quango the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) publishes conflicting advice on saturated fats.

Honeytop has more than doubled capacity at its bakery and claims to have the world's largest and fastest tortilla line.

Consumer demand for healthier breads has led malted ingredients supplier Muntons to double output at its flake manufacturing site. The firm is now capable of supplying more than 10,000 tonnes of malted flakes per year.

Many independent sandwich shops and cafés would go out of business if they were obliged to serve food that was healthy, fair, and green, according to a damning new report from the New Economics Foundation (NEF).

Desserts have shown stronger growth than many frozen cate-gories during the recession, as they are seen as better value for money.

The European Parliament (EP) has been forced to quell fears that bakery businesses would be banned from denoting the number of products on multi-packs, after a proposal for the continuation of selling by number was rejected by MEPs in a recent vote.

Linlithgow-based designer cake business Truly Scrumptious is to open a Cupcake Café Bar alongside its newly opened Cake Decorating School later this month.

The new government looks set to simplify the planning system and encourage coffee shops to open stores in high streets.

Goal for Jaffa Cakes

Roberts Bakery has bought Aldreds the Bakers after parent company D&G Food Group put its four bakeries up for sale earlier this month.

Hayden's Bakeries has opened bigger premises in Devizes, with the aim of creating 150 new jobs over the next three years.

The members of the UK team that will be representing the nation in the SIGEP Bread Cup, in Rimini, Italy next January can now be confirmed.

British Baker is delighted to announce that renowned TV presenter and producer Esther Rantzen CBE is to host this year's Baking Industry Awards on Wednesday 8 September at the Park Lane Hilton, London.

Leading UK cake experts will judge entries for Britain's Best Cupcake Baker 2010, part of the build-up to National Cupcake Week, running from 13-19 September. They are: John Slattery, Slattery's Patissier and Chocolatier; Chris Bachmann, Bachmann's Patisserie and Chocolate Creations; and Eric Lanlard, Cake Boy.

Cornish pasties could be granted PGI status within seven months, after the case was published in the Official European Union Journal.

Helen Gregory

Scullions Wholesale Bakery, a subsidiary of the McGhee Group, has bought fellow Scottish firm Fords Bakery out of administration, saving 87 jobs. However, the East Lothian firm's nine shops have closed, with the loss of 41 staff, and another 26 have been made redundant from the bakery in Prestonpans.

Wrap manufacturer Mission Foods has teamed up with the hit West End Musical We Will Rock You for its latest on-pack promotion.

From today (1 July) all pre-packaged organic produce will need to carry the new Euro-leaf logo. The new EU organic logo was designed by German student Dusan Milenkovic after a pan-European competition was held by the European Commission.

Hayden’s Bakeries has opened bigger premises in Devizes, with the aim of creating 150 new jobs over the next three years.

Leading UK cake experts will judge entries for Britain’s Best Cupcake Baker 2010, part of the build-up to National Cupcake Week, running from 13-19 September.