The baking industry will today outline its opposition to the proposed 20% hike to VAT on hot savouries.

BB's Georgi Gyton blogs about the final day of her bakery tour in China, in which sightseeing is the order of the day.

An investigation by Which? magazine has highlighted the need for clearer front-of-pack nutrition labelling including ‘traffic light’ colour-coding, which not every retailer supports.

BB's Georgi Gyton is continuing her trip throughout China and visiting the country's bakeries to see how they compare to the UK, including chanting from in-store staff and ‘floss’ breads.

Sugar supplier Napier Brown plans to expand its Normanton factory and open a new distribution centre in Hull as it increases sugar imports from outside the EU.

A call by medics to introduce a 20% fat tax on unhealthy food has been met with criticism from the food industry and lambasted as “irresponsible”.

Greggs, the BB75 leading retail bakery chain, has this morning reiterated its opposition to the proposed 20% pasty tax, saying the move would cause “new anomalies” and “uncertainties”.

On day three of her China tour, BB's Georgi Gyton experiences high-speed travel and samples some of the country's delicacies.

Staff from Allied Bakeries have helped to arrange a touch rugby tournament to raise cash for Caravan, the National Grocers’ Benevolent Fund.

Discounting website Groupon has launched a new online e-booking service, which it says offers businesses an easy way to manage their schedules.

A world record attempt will take place this Friday at a Derbyshire bakery to celebrate this year’s National Doughnut Week.

The government will conduct a UK-wide consultation with food manufacturers, supermarkets and health experts on how best to label nutritional content in food.

Day two of BB associate editor Georgi Gyton's diary of her bakery tour in China sees the hustle and bustle of a trade show and meeting the team from Rich Products.

British Baker's associate editor Georgi Gyton has set off on a bakery tour of China to investigate the marketplace, NPD and the potential opportunities for UK bakers.

The producers of Masterchef are to launch a new TV show that aims to crown the best bakery in the UK.

The soft drinks industry grew in value during 2011 by 5.1% to more than £14.5bn, according to the latest statistics.

Kerry Food and Ingredients has become the latest full-time member of The Federation of Bakers.

Roisin Currie, group people director at Greggs, will join a panel of keynote speakers in a debate over the future of retail outside London.

The Real Bread Campaign has enlisted 1990s punk singer Wojtek Godzisz to create an anthem for the launch of Real Bread Maker Week.

Costa Coffee has announced it has signed a deal with O2 to provide free Wi-Fi internet access across its UK sites

The Queen’s speech in the House of Lords confirming the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) has been met with mixed reactions by members of the food industry.

Despite the difficult consumer environment, Sainbury’s this morning unveiled a 3.5% sales increase in its fourth quarter.

Delice de France has unveiled a raft of new NPD, including a new range of “reception food” in collaboration with its sister company Coup de Pates.

Scottish confectionery group Lees Foods has increased its sales by almost £2m during 2011.

CSM Global has announced plans to sell both its European and North American bakery businesses, to focus on bio-based ingredients.

Waitrose is set to compete with Tesco by matching the latter’s prices on all branded groceries.

Make sure you get your entries in for this year’s Baking Industry Awards (BIA) before the deadline this Friday (11 May).

BIA will be celebrating its 25th year, with an extra special awards ceremony to take place on Wednesday, 12 September at the Park Lane Hilton in London.

There are 11 categories to enter (see below for the full list), and in addition you can also nominate someone from the UK bakery sector to receive the special Lifetime Achievement Award.

Food inflation has slowed to 4.3% for April from 5.4% in the previous month, according to the latest statistics from the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

Bakers' Fair Summer will once again host a series of competitions for bakers, organised by the National Association of Master Bakers. These will be judged live at the show and are open to all bakers to enter you don't need to be a member of the NAMB to do so. The winners' trophies will then be awarded by our celebrity guest Anthea Turner.

Heavy rainfall in April has alleviated immediate concerns about the impact of the sustained dry weather on the UK's wheat crop, although large swathes of England remain in drought.

Bacheldre Watermill has secured listings for six of its lines in 383 Morrisons stores.

Bakers are set to cash in next month as the country celebrates the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Cornish bakery firm W C Rowe is making around 40 redundancies following a major contract loss, believed to be with Tesco.

The baking industry is set to meet HM Revenue & Customs' officials for last-ditch talks about the introduction of 20% VAT on hot pie and pasties.

The tide of rising ingredients costs could finally be turning for food manufacturers, according to Lee Linthicum, global head of food research at Euromonitor International.

Pine nuts:

Sales were up for Maple Leaf Bakery UK, in a first quarter financial statement which saw parent company Canada Bread’s overall earnings slashed.

London-based bakery retailer Konditor & Cook unveiled the trial version of the cake it will be producing for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

British Baker is delighted to announce that a new category has been added to the line-up for the upcoming National Cupcake Championships.

Classic Cupcake of the Year will enable bakers to submit their best classic recipe cupcakes - either vanilla, chocolate or fruit-based.

They can be any size, shape or weight, but it must not be eligible for any of the other categories (e.g. can not be a savoury or use alcohol etc). However don’t delay, entries need to be in by 18 May.

DHL Supply Chain has landed a new five-year contract with Warburtons, to oversee the logistics of its daily deliveries.

Morrisons yesterday unveiled a 1% dip in like-for-like sales (LFLs) yesterday – describing its first-quarter performance as “satisfactory”.

EAT, the sandwich shop chain, which was acquired by private equity firm Lyceum Capital last year, has strengthened its management team with the appointment of Tony Campbell as its new chairman and Sarah Doyle as its first marketing director.

Tesco has aired a TV advert as part of a national marketing campaign to promote its refreshed low-cost brand, Everyday Value.

A number of bakery and food manufacturing firms have been included in The Sunday Times’ Profit Track 100 list.

The league table has positioned Noble Foods, based in Tring, Hertfordshire, as part of its top 100 British private firms with the fastest-growing profits, based on the last three years of available accounts.

BBC Radio 4 presenter Sheila Dillon has assessed the supply of eggs in the UK following the European Union’s decision to ban battery cages.

Golden Valley Pallet Wrap Specialists (GVPS), which supplies hand- and machine-applied pallet wrapping to the food manufacturing sector, has been awarded BRC accreditation in storage and distribution.

Scientists developing genetically modified (GM) wheat have asked campaigners not to damage crops at a trial at Rothamsted Research.

A Bill to relax Sunday trading laws was been given Royal Assent yesterday (Tuesday 1 May).

Around 62 jobs are thought to have been lost at bakery equipment manufacturer Turkington Europe, after the firm was placed in administration.

The Alliance for Bakery Students and Trainees' (ABST) UK youth baking team has scooped a number of awards at the 12th Russian Bread Cup in Moscow.

Organised by The Russian Guild of Bakers and Confectioners, the competition on 26-27 April saw the team pick up a gold award in the Production Class for the most product made in weight.

The team consisted of team captain Nicole Haymes of the Chatsworth House Farm Shop, alongside Jaegar Andrew and Emily Harrison of Sheffield City College.

London artisan bakery The Bread Factory revealed its new fleet of electric delivery vans at its base in Hendon yesterday (Monday 30 April).

Greggs’ product trial with frozen food retailer Iceland has paid off as it is adding a full range of nine savoury and sweet products into UK stores.

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has developed a new toolkit designed for businesses to promote healthier lifestyles to staff.

Associated British Foods’ chief executive George Weston remains in the top 10 of The Sunday Times’ Rich List.

Peter’s Foods has launched a new range of spicy pastries this month, supported by a national marketing campaign.

Bakers are being encouraged to enter the Pork and Pastry category for this year’s Bpex Foodservice Pork Product of the Year competition.

See yesterday's demo in British Baker's exclusive picture gallery. More than 500 bakers protested outside Downing Street against the proposed 20% pie tax.

More than 500 bakers protested at Downing Street yesterday over the proposed 20% pasty tax and a petition with more than half a million signatures was handed to the government.

The rally - which was organised by Greggs and the National Association of Master Bakers - heard Ken McMeikan, chief executive of Greggs, accuse the government of being out of touch on the matter.

And, a delegation from Greggs and the NAMB visited parliament following the demonstration to voice their concerns with MPs.

Craft bakers from across the UK came out in force yesterday for a demonstration in London to oppose  the 20% tax on hot food such as pies and pasties. British Baker talked to individuals from the industry about the importance of the day, why the tax should not go ahead and what they would want to say to Chancellor George Osborne if they had the opportunity.

Dunkleys, of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, was named Supreme Champion at the British Pie Awards held in Melton yesterday.

Costa saw underlying profits surge 38% to £69.7m in the past year and benefited from a 5.5% rise in like-for-like sales at its UK equity stores as it opened 332 new stores in the UK and internationally.

Petitions with hundreds of thousands of signatures apposing the 20% VAT on hot food will be delivered to the Treasury this morning.

Crieff-based Campbell’s Bakery has launched a competition tasking young bakers to ‘Design a Doughnut for Charity’.

The New York Bakery Co bagel brand has branched out into the muffins market with a new range of products.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed the British economy has contracted in the first quarter of 2012.

Premier Foods’ power brands strategy has paid off, with a 3.7% increase in sales for the three months ending 31 March 2012.

Peter Gossage, Master of the Worshipful Company of Bakers, has visited four bakeries taking part in a three-month trial of its Baker’s Marque Warrant.

The Real Bread Campaign has delivered a pledge to the government from more than 350 bakers, millers, farmers and consumers not to sell or buy GM wheat.

United Biscuits (UBUK) has refreshed the packaging of its McVitie’s Digestives biscuits range with a British theme.

Associated British Foods (ABF) has posted a decline in operating profit for its ingredients and grocery divisions this morning.

In its interim results for the 24 weeks ended 3 March 2012, ABF said its ingredients business, which includes yeast and bakery ingredients manufacturer AB Mauri, saw a £13m decline to £18m. Revenue grew by 2% to £538m.

ABF’s grocery division, including the Kingsmill bread brand, reported a 4% growth in revenue to £1.8bn, but a £34m decline in operating profits to £75m. The company said this was primarily driven by restructuring costs at Allied Bakeries in the UK, in addition to George West Foods in Australia.

Carr’s Milling Industries said profit before tax in the first half of the year increased from last year, helped by a 12% growth in revenue.

Warburtons is on the search for an agency to take charge of its £8m advertising account.

W.C.Rowe has announced that it will be making a number of redundancies following a major contract loss.

Warburtons is launching a range of Indian speciality bread products in April.

Chevler, the rapidly growing South Wales-based manufacturer of baking cases, muffin wraps and printed greaseproof paper, has beefed up its board with the appointment of Mark Hislop as a non-executive director.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed the value of retail sales last month increased by 5.7%, compared March 2011.

Warburtons' bread loaves are set to land on supermarket shelves in France this year.

The number of people out of work in the UK fell this month for the first time since May last year.

Mellissa Morgan, owner of Brixton-based Ms Cupcake, was awarded the Rising Star Award at last year's Baking Industry Awards. She talked to British Baker about her vegan bakery, developing the concept and life after the awards.

A bid to overturn the changes to VAT charged on takeaway food, dubbed ‘the pasty tax’, was narrowly defeated in parliament last night.

Levels of acrylamide have decreased in retail soft bread and biscuit products, according to new research from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

James Hall & Co has announced a double partnership deal to supply Hovis and Roberts bread products to Spar stores in the north of England.

Reids of Caithness has made a £1m investment in a new production site, with plans to more than double staff numbers.

Greggs is investing £1m in an integrated marketing campaign to promote its breakfast offering.

Tesco will be focusing on turning around declining UK trading profit with a £1bn investment plan for the next 12 months.

Greencore, the Irish producer of convenience foods, has acquired US food company rival MarketFare for $36m (£22.6m).

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has backed an amendment to the Finance Bill that would scrap the government’s planned £50m ‘pasty tax’.

Healthy food ranges have helped Marks & Spencer gain a 0.8% increase in group sales in its fourth quarter 2011/12.

Starbucks UK is looking to place 16 of its central London sites on the property market.

Reids of Caithness has made a £1m investment in a new production site, with plans to more than double staff numbers.

British Baker recently published an article looking at the evidence on bread and bloating. It found that products made by the Chorleywood Bread Process (CBP) did not cause bloating and gastrointestinal discomfort, compared to other bread-making processes.

Premier Foods is launching a premium, British-inspired bread product under its Hovis brand this month.

The British Society of Baking (BSB) is hosting a golf day on 28 May at the Marriott Forest of Arden Hotel in Meriden, Birmingham.

Adelie Foods, parent company of Buckingham Foods and Food Partners Group, looks set to expand after receiving investment from India Hospitality Corporation (IHC) Global Foods.

Kingston & District Master Bakers Association is to host a special dinner and dance in honour of the Queen’s 86th birthday, her Jubilee year and Saint George’s Day.

A number of new measures to aid the fluidity of the European sugar market were passed at the management committee meeting at the European Commission yesterday (12 April).

Co Armagh-based Irwin’s Bakery has secured a television sponsorship deal in its 100th year of business.

Premier Foods is one of the lowest-rated financially healthy retail companies in the UK, according to newly compiled research from Company Watch.

In a bid to clear up confusion over the legal use of edible and non-toxic glitters, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has developed new guidance for food businesses and consumers.

The Federation of Bakers (FoB) is to host a one-day training course on ‘bread weights control’ on Tuesday 8 May.

Morrisons could be rebranding its traditional Easter hot cross buns, following the government’s proposed 20% VAT on hot food products.

The unusual warm weather in March has helped drive UK retail sales values up by 1.3%, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

Scottish confectionery group Lees Foods is the subject of a takeover bid by new plc Randotte, in a management buy-out.

Greenhalgh’s Craft Bakery has baked a giant hot cross bun, which was unveiled last week at the RSPB’s Saltholme wildlife reserve.

The Cornish Pasty Association (CPA) has spoken out about how the 20% tax on hot takeaway food could affect profitability and jobs in the region.

Ditty’s Bakery will see its products listed in US gourmet and speciality food retailer Dean & DeLuca.

Tesco is to replace its Tesco Value range with a more brightly-packaged brand, Everyday Value.

Jim Paice, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food, spoke to British Baker at this year's Foodex exhibition regarding the government’s decision to add 20% VAT on to hot takeaway products, such as pies and pasties.

Ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games this summer, Starbucks UK is investing £8m to renovate its stores within the capital.

Speculation surrounding the possibility of Costa Coffee demerging from the Whitbread Group is mounting, according to a City analyst.

David Amos has been appointed UK managing director for international bakery ingredients supplier Zeelandia.

Significant developments have been made in a new bread manufacturing process, called the Radical Bread Process (RBP), according to Campden BRI.

The Worshipful Company of Bakers has organised a prestigious course at the Richemont Bakery School in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Three former bosses of embattled Premier Foods, the company behind the Hovis and Mr Kipling brands, received pay-offs of more than £1.4m, it was revealed yesterday.

Pret A Manger revealed plans to open another 44 stores this year, after new shop openings in 2011 helped boost its profits by 14%.

In its annual results, the sandwich chain announced profits were just over £52m, with sales up 15%, last year, to £377.3m.

Whitbread’s group finance director Christopher Rogers has been appointed as Costa Coffee’s new managing director.

Bettys Café Tea Rooms has been named the best place to enjoy afternoon tea in the UK.

A Brighton and Hove City Council cabinet member has caused outrage online regarding the government’s decision to tax hot takeaway food by 20%.

Cupcake bakery chain Fancie sold out of 350 Easter-themed 'special' cupcakes, which contained a whole Cadbury’s Mini Creme Egg inside, in the first hour of business last Saturday (31 March).

Kingsmill has launched a regional Fun Lunch Tour in order to boost awareness of, and drive participation in, The Big Lunch.

Welsh-based Bacheldre Watermill will be creating a series of new seasonal flour mixes for Jamie Oliver’s Jme brand this October.

Gluten-free brand Dr Schär UK, is hoping to boost its penetration into the free-from sector by highlighting the existence of an emerging condition – gluten sensitivity.

Ed Balls, the Labour shadow Chancellor, has slammed moves for a 20% hike in tax on pies and hot pasties - saying it was “symbolic of a government which has got its priorities mixed up”.

The Fabulous Bakin’ Boys were crowned Great British Bounce Back champions at the recent Foodex show.

Sandwich chain EAT has announced a 6.6% rise in turnover to £87.4m in its annual financial results to 30 June 2011.

The Co-operative Group has announced falling like-for-like sales in food, down 2.1% for the full year to 31 December 2011.

Protests over the proposed pie tax reached fever pitch yesterday, going viral on the internet and leading the news agenda.

The topic of the government’s proposal to tax hot food products, such as pies, pasties and sausage rolls, by 20% was featured on last night’s episode of BBC's Newsnight. Labour MP John Mann, who challenged George Osborne in the House of Commons over when the Chancellor last bought a pasty, spoke on the programme.

Subway is to promote its low-fat sandwiches in a new healthy eating campaign, as part of its commitment to the Government’s Public Health Responsibility Deal.

Patissier and baker Eric Lanlard has designed a new afternoon tea menu for five-star hotel Jumeirah Carlton Tower in Knightsbridge, London.

Watch Chancellor George Osborne squirm as he is asked in parliament when was the last time he bought a pasty

The world’s largest sticky toffee pudding has been made by Farmouse Fare, and raised £10,000 in the process.

Ken McMeikan, the chief executive of Greggs, has accused the Chancellor of having “lost touch” - after he admitted he could not remember the last time he bought a pasty from the high street BB75 baker.

The Federation of Bakers (FoB) has launched a new-look website.

British Baker is launching a new campaign to prevent the government from taxing hot food.

Foodex 2012 started yesterday and saw artisan baker Paul Hollywood kick off the exhibition with a masterclass on the art of dough.

Finsbury Food Group, a leading manufacturer of cake, bread and morning goods, today announced it had seen a near 16% rise in its pre-tax profit to £2.2m for the six months ended 31 December 2011.

Food and non-alcoholic drink exports rose to more than £12bn (£12,152.4m) in 2011, according to the Food & Drink Federation (FDF).

Only over half of retail outlets in Britain’s top 100 towns are secure, according to a new report.

Liverpool-based plant bakery firm Coulton’s Quayside has relaunched its Happy Bread range of products.

British Baker spoke to David Jenkins, commercial director at Jenkins Bakery in Llanelli, South Wales, about difficult trading conditions in 2011 and addressing parking issues on the high street.

We also spoke to Lindsey Garland, business development manager at Britvic soft drinks – the main sponsor of the first BB75 Lunch. She discussed the importance of the right breadth of range in stores, the highest-performing soft drinks categories for 2012 and formulating relationships with retail bakeries at the event.

Greggs has seen a £20m drop in value as the government announced its plans to apply a standard rate tax of 20% to hot food products.

Indulgence Cupcake Company’s cupcakes will soon be eaten mid-flight, after it landed a deal with Virgin Atlantic’s pre-order shopping service.

Bettys Craft Bakery in Harrogate has received consent to create a celebration cake for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Father and daughter team, Peter and Sarah Wenzel, from Wenzel’s the Bakers in Pinner, Middlesex, spoke to British Baker at the first BB75 Lunch. They discussed the company’s plans to open 10 new outlets in 2012, looking at new avenues and working with Transport for London to operate in train stations.

The managing director of Forfars Bakers in Brighton, talks exclusively to British Baker at the first BB75 Lunch about the importance of location, speaking to landlords and networking.

Standard rate tax looks set to be applied to all hot takeaway food, such as pasties and pies, as part of a government drive to close loopholes in the VAT system.

Sainsbury’s has confirmed it has closed its concept food shop Fresh Kitchen in London, following a year-long trial.

Representatives from Kudos Blends will visit the House of Commons next week to talk about the importance of salt reduction within the bakery industry.

Waitrose has launched a TV advertising campaign featuring a young Heston Blumenthal eating the company’s latest hot cross bun product.

Sunday Trading laws are to be relaxed over the Olympics and there will be a reduction in corporation tax – some of the measures announced by George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, in today’s Budget.

Greggs is to install wireless broadband access across its 1,571 stores across the UK.

An £85m investment in fresh food helped Sainbury’s sales improve by 4.6% in its fourth quarter, the supermarket retailer revealed this morning.

Customers expect to pay on card at independent bakeries, despite a drop in spend, according to new research.

The Real Bread Campaign has claimed in a recent survey that a surge of people have started up their own small bakery businesses in the last year.

Premier Foods could be forced into disposing of assets in “near fire-sale conditions”, a leading City analyst has claimed.

The Real Good Food Company, the bakery and ingredients group, has said it is well on track to double the size of its business in the next three years.

New National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates have been announced by the government, after it accepted recommendations from the independent Low Pay Commission (LPC).

Boparan Holdings has offered to sell a Christmas pudding business in a bid to overcome competition concerns on its proposed acquisition of Brookes Avana from Premier Foods.

Premier Foods, the food conglomerate behind Hovis, has been forced to write down the value of its bread division by £282m, following a whopping 90.4% slump in profits.

Tom and Henry Herbert, the faces of National Craft Bakers’ Week 2012, are challenging UK bakers to "show them what they’ve got".

Bakery ingredients supplier Bakels has launched a new bread concentrate, helping bakers to further reach health-conscious consumers.

Tesco is facing its “most difficult period in history”, following Richard Brasher's decision to leave his role in July, according to one analyst.

Joanna Page, star of BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey, has launched Mr Kipling’s latest campaign, which aims to cheer up the nation with free cake.

Craft bakers are being urged to register for a live and interactive online chocolate masterclass.

Lancashire-based Farmhouse Fare will be attempting to make the world’s largest sticky toffee pudding this Saturday (17 March).

A new online survey has revealed that consumers would fancy a cheese and onion doughnut accompanied by a glass of champagne.

Greggs' chief executive Ken McMeikan spoke exclusively to British Baker at the first BB75 Lunch about the company's new shop opening programme, the expanding coffee market and coming away from the event with pockets full of business cards.

Irwin’s of Portadown will supply 13 of its product lines to Northern Ireland Asda stores in a new contract worth more than £1m.

An increasing focus on value will stand Greggs in good stead for 2012, according to a City analyst.

Richard Brasher, boss of Tesco UK, has stepped down from the board, with Philip Clarke, chief executive of Tesco plc, to lead the charge with the UK business.

The National Bakery School is holding an open day on 21 March, encouraging people of all ages and backgrounds to train for a career in baking.

Waitrose is to launch a new British-inspired food-to-go range in April.

Cupcake boutique chain Fancie has seen 10% positive year-on-year growth over the past three years.

Plant baker Brace’s has registered its interest in a Remploy factory site in Croespenmaen, which is under threat from closure.

Hampshire-based bakery business Mrs Crimble’s has announced plans to maximise on food-to-go and wholesale business opportunities, in addition to targeting international markets, throughout 2012.

UK unemployment levels have continued to climb by 28,000 during the three months to January 2012, with the final figure standing at 2.67 million for the quarter.

Greggs has pledged to make £15m in cost savings per annum by 2014, as it continues to work hard to mitigate against rising commodity prices.

Greggs has continued to support UK charities and communities during 2011 by raising record amounts of money.

Greggs, the UK’s largest bakery retailer, confirmed plans this morning to open three more Greggs Moment stores – its new coffee shop format – in the year ahead.

Greggs, the high street bakery retailer that tops BB75, today warned 2012 would be a “challenging year” after reporting a slowdown in sales at the start of the year and being impacted by bad weather.

Wheat that is impervious to salt has been bred by a team of scientists in Australia.

Bath Cake Company is offering customers an expanded range of sugarcraft and cake decorating supplies, following the recent expansion of its bakery.

Bankers are considering United Biscuit’s business options, with the potential sale of its £500m salty snacks division on the table, according to the Financial Times.

Premier Foods is drinking in the last chance saloon, according to a leading City analyst, despite announcing a refinancing deal with its lenders.

Gail's officially opened its 10th bakery, in Soho, last month. British Baker spoke to Tom Molnar, chief executive, about the new shop, what Gail's is noticing on the high street, and its plans for future growth.

Krispy Kreme UK has launched its second advertising campaign, encouraging workers to buy a dozen doughnuts for fellow colleagues.

Premier Foods, the food group behind Rank Hovis, has announced a new refinancing package – which it claims will aid its new growth strategies.

Gloucestershire-based Jane's Pantry will be transforming one of its bakery shops into a flagship store.

Aryzta, the Swiss-based speciality bakery company, has this morning revealed a 0.9% increase in revenue to €1.91bn (£1.59bn).

La Pizza Company has renamed itself Pan’Artisan in order to capitalise on the growing acceptance of speciality breads.

Marks and Spencer (M&S) has confirmed it plans to roll out its new in-store bakery (ISB) format to all stores by mid-2013.

Luxury pudding and cake-maker Coles Traditional Foods is moving into new markets as it aims to extend its year-round business.

The coffee shop chain Starbucks is to ask the name of every customer that enters one of its UK stores.

Dairy prices fall amid a fragile market

Coconut:

Bakers are being invited to attend a pan-industry fact-finding trip to China, organised by David Powell. The trip, from 8 to 15 May, will see a a group of bakers from the UK tour various craft bakers, retailers and specialists, culminating with a visit to the trade show Bakery China 2012.

Tesco will need to invest heavily in quality, freshness and training for its in-store bakery offering over the next two years, according to a retail analyst.

An artisan bakery from Bath is celebrating the publication of its first book. Bread Revolution was written by Duncan Glendinning, founder of the Thoughtful Bread Company, along with head baker Patrick Ryan.

With the Bakery@Foodex show only a few weeks away, make sure you've registered online to attend the event, which takes place at Birmingham's NEC.

Independent bakery retailers are bucking the trends seen in the latest UK organic report, which revealed the market share of organic bread in major multiples has fallen 13.6% in the last year.

Euphorium Bakery is investing £1m in a new factory and shop, and has plans to open a further 20 new shops. The north London-based chain, which currently has seven outlets, is due to open the 7,500sq ft factory, 10 times the size of its previous production facility, in Islington this summer.

Greggs has once again topped the BB75 table, with the highest number of bakery retail outlets, keeping Subway at bay in the number two spot. With 84 more outlets than this time last year, at the last count Greggs had 1,571 shops, with Subway on 1,424 after adding only four net new outlets in the past year.

This year’s world wheat production could reach its second highest level on record, according to forecasts by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN.

Europain 2012, held in Paris this week, saw 770 exhibitors and more than 30,000 people descend on the bi-annual bakery exhibition.

Cake by Fiona Cairns will soon be available to order online, as the firm plan to launch its first online shop at the end of April.

Cake and dessert manufacturer Erlenbacher is on the way to hitting its C0₂ reduction targets, having significantly decreased its usage of heating oil and fresh water.

Damien McDonald has been promoted to director of sales for Cereform, Ireland, in a staff shuffle.

Morrisons has announced a 7% increase in turnover, for the year ended 29 January 2012, with underlying profits before tax up 8% to £935m.

Food sales performed better in February compared to the previous month, with UK retail sales up 2.3% on a total basis.

There has been a reduction in the supply of legal eggs available for processing, the British Egg Products Association (BEPA) has warned.

Allied Bakeries has launched a new promotional campaign for its Allinson bread brand, offering consumers their own grow-your-own herb garden kit.

Food sales are up 3.6% at Waitrose on a like-for-like basis. The retailer said it had increased its market share by 0.2% to 4.1% in the year ended 28 January 2012, with sales excluding VAT up 7.9% to £5.07bn.

Battery-farmed eggs produced in the EU, and products made from them, will not be allowed to be sold in the UK following the British ban on barren battery cages.

A mill in Essex is throwing open its doors to the public in an attempt to improve knowledge of how local grain is manufactured.

Employees from Vittles Desserts will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in a bid to raise £10,000 for the Rainbows Hospice.

Krispy Kreme UK has seen a 26% increase in revenues, rising from £33.4m to £42.2m in the past 12 months.

Steak and kidney pie is officially Britain’s number one pie, according to Pukka Pies.

Hundreds of workers at a bakery near Sheffield are preparing to strike after voting in favour of industrial action over proposed changes to pay and conditions.

A Union Jack-themed Battenberg cake is set to join the Mr Kipling range after a group of high school students from West Yorkshire won a Premier Foods competition. The cake will be on sale nationally later this year.

The first ever World Pasty Championships was held this weekend at the Eden Project in Cornwall.

Tesco will put bakery at the forefront of its extensive two-year recruitment drive, which is expected to create 20,000 new jobs.

Northern Irish millers Andrews Flour has invested around £500,000 in new vehicles to enhance its delivery fleet.

Cafe and restaurant operator Benugo has scooped a contract to become the exclusive provider of catering services at the British Museum.

Gluten-free brand Genius has appointed Sir Bill Gammell as a new non-executive chairman to its board.

Yorkshire-based Foodmentalists has been shortlisted for four categories in the Free From Food Awards 2012.

Fresh savoury bakery products are very much in demand by consumers, but retailers need to make the most of in-store siting in order to capitalise on the opportunity, according to Lantmännen Unibake UK.

GM Freeze has launched a new campaign – ‘GM Wheat? No Thanks!’, in protest at the government’s approval of an open-air field trial of GM wheat by Rothamsted Research.

Allied Bakeries has extended its range of 400g loaves to include Kingsmill Tasty Wholemeal, Kingsmill 50/50 and Kingsmill Soft White and Burgen Soya and Linseed.

High street bakery chain Greggs has topped British Baker’s BB75 list for 2012.

Baguette chain Upper Crust has launched a new range of breakfast rolls, supported by a light-hearted advertising campaign.

Ireks and Mono Equipment will be teaming up at Hotelympia 2012 for a bread-making demonstration with Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood.

Greggs has developed its first app for Android and iPhones this week.

Canadian firm Canada Bread saw overall bakery sales rise, following price increases implemented in early 2011, as well as increased sales volumes in its UK business.

Costa Coffee has reported a 25% increase in total sales for the 50 weeks to 16 February 2012.

American restaurant chain Cheesecake Factory is set to make its UK debut in the capital this year.

Despite revenue growth for its Kingsmill brand, strong competition, driven by a high level of promotion, has squeezed margins at Allied Bakeries.

Former Baker of the Year Chris Pollard has returned to the UK to open a new French-inspired bakery and patisserie.

Gail’s officially opened its new Soho bakery last week, as it continues its expansion across London.

New Britain Palm Oil has announced that its revenue increased by 69% to around £491.5m ($780.1m) during 2011.

British Baker is pleased to announce entries for the 2012 Baking Industry Awards are now open.

Organised by British Baker, the awards are now in their 25^th year and will take place on Wednesday 12 September at the Park Lane Hilton in London.

Ken McMeikan, Greggs chief executive, has claimed that the company's profts have aided job creation.

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) announced yesterday (23 February) that the government has selected the food and drink manufacturing industry as a key sector in its ‘See Inside Manufacturing’ initiative.

An EU trade association will be holding its fifth symposium to discuss challenges behind agricultural ingredients in the bakery chain.

A bakery ingredients supplier has visited school pupils to entice young talent into the food manufacturing industry.

A small fire broke out at a Fox’s Biscuits factory after a spark ignited in an old diesel tank that was in the process of being decommissioned.

A Welsh start-up bakery business has created a jewel-encrusted cake worth £6,250 in time for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Cinnamon Square Bakery in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, is to offer free bread-making classes to all primary schools in and around his local area.

A competition to find the country’s best milling wheat grower has been launched by milling association Nabim and UK cereals authority the HGCA.

CSM Global has announced a shake-up of its Bakery Supplies Europe (BSEU) business after sales continued to fall on the back of changing trade patterns.

Barnsley-based scone specialist Haywood & Padgett has invested over £2m in its production facilities as part of a drive to increase exports.

A specialist training bakery, designed to give vulnerable ex-servicemen new employment skills to make a fresh start in life, was opened last week by celebrity chef Rosemary Shrager.

Asda’s small supermarkets and £5-off deals have helped to drive up like-for-like (LFL) sales by 1%, excluding VAT and petrol, in the 14 weeks to 7 January 2012.

The European Union and the USA have agreed a new partnership on organic trade, which will enable products to be sold in either region without needing additional certification.

The London Bread & Cake Company is looking to increase its staff employee numbers by 40% ahead of its work for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

UK craft bakers are being encouraged to enter an Easter-themed competition at this year’s Bakery@Foodex exhibition.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) will be surveying acrylamide levels this year as part of its ongoing programme. Depending on the levels found, the FSA may evaluate steps bakery manufacturers have taken to address contamination levels.

Three bakery students have made it through the UK qualifiers for the Russian Youth Bread Cup.

Shoppers are becoming more optimistic regarding the future, according to a new survey.

Noble Foods’ premium desserts brand Gü Puds has launched a new grown-up patisserie range for this Easter.

A British bakery student has competed as the youngest contestant in Délifrance’s 9th Sandwich World Cup this week.

Genius has announced that its white and brown gluten-free loaves will be on the supermarket shelves of retail chain Carrefour, in Spain, from the end of March.

Premier Foods has revealed it is to close its Hovis bakery in Eastleigh, Hampshire.

Zeelandia, the bakery ingredients supplier, has made two key appointments to its management team.

Specialist food firm Leathams unveiled its new-look brand image and website at its Leathams Food Spectular event last week, at the London Film Museum.

Campden BRI, the independent food research company, is bringing together all parts of the bakery chain, from flour and ingredient suppliers, through equipment manufacturers, to retailers and bakeries at a conference in May.

Tom Herbert, former BB-columnist and one half of Channel 4’s Fabulous Baker Brothers, and his brother Henry, have been signed as the face of National Craft Bakers’ Week.

SSP has closed all of its Ixxy’s Bagels outlets operating in the UK.

Tim Kinnaird of Macarons and More, shows British Baker how to maximise their profits on Valentine’s Day with Rose Macarons.

Fears are growing that cocoa prices are set to soar in 2012 after instability in Africa caused a surge in costs at the beginning of this year.

Odlums is to close its commercial flour mill in Dublin at the end of March with a loss of 26 jobs.

Bakery chain Apostrõphe has partnered up with an independent catering group in order to aid its London growth.

A leading brand expert has claimed that despite Premier Foods' vast investment in marketing its Hovis brand as a British product, it may not have the same impact as existing successful campaigns.

The Bakers' Fairs are back for 2012 and this year they are bigger and better than ever before.

Bakery products will not be allowed to include on-pack claims such as 'no added salt' and 'x% less...' following a vote by the European Parliament, banning the European Commission's proposed labelling amendment.

Wholesale milk supply has shown a 2.2% rise in December on the previous year, with the marketplace seeing a higher demand for powder over fats.

Almonds: Although the December 2011 shipments from California were 2% lower than 2012, prices continue to firm, due mainly to strong ongoing demand, resulting from its attractive pricing compared to other nut products.

Le Pain Quotidien will be taking its store count to 20 by the end of the month, after it announced plans to open two new outlets in central London. The coffee shop and bakery chain's newest locations will open on Kendal Street and Wardour Street in London in February, serving shop-made Continental pastries, cakes and breakfast options and produced in Belgium to be baked-off in-store.

recently visited The Village Bakery Coepoeth's new Wrexham site, opened in June last year. The site, the result of a £7m investment, produces scones for Marks & Spencer's (M&S') in-store bakeries and Café Revive concepts, in a deal secured last summer. The bakery has just launched a new line a six-pack of fruited scones at the retailer. Jane Olney, national account manager for M&S at The Village Bakery, said the firm now supplies scones to 430 M&S in-store bakeries.

There is huge confusion in the cake-making community regarding the use of decorative glitters and dusts.

Following a notice by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), at the end of last year, online forums, including British Baker's own National Cupcake Week Facebook group, have been awash with comments from perplexed cake-makers as to what they can legally use to decorate their cakes.

Clean label ingredients business Ulrick & Short has pledged to retain its non-GM status for its customer base.

The Irish baking industry has been given a reprieve after the Finance Bill published on Wednesday (8 February) extended the range of breads excluded from VAT.

Tate & Lyle, the global ingredients group, this morning reported it was on target to meet its profit expectations for the full year.

Unveiling an interim management statement, the London-listed company said it had achieved steady sales growth within its Speciality Food Ingredients division, but volumes were lower than those achieved in the first half.

Just Desserts has developed a unique fruit cake for Yorkshire brewing business Timothy Taylor.

Channel 4 will be airing a second TV series of Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard in March.

The British Pie Awards are set to return this year and are now officially open for entries.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has reported a 0.3% decline in UK retail sales last month, compared to 2011, making it the second-worst January since the survey began 17 years ago.

Home-based bakery Blueberry Hill Cakes has become a new supplier to Harrods, with a range of its heart-shaped Valentine’s biscuits now on the shelves of the upmarket retailer.

Waitrose is set to roll out its convenience store concept throughout London and UK-wide in a bid to make its mark in the food-to-go market.

2 Sisters has told British Baker that it has yet to find a reasonable offer for its Holland’s Pies brand.

A South Bristol bakery chain is set to create up to 32 new jobs after being awarded £30,000 by the Regional Growth Fund.

Mrs Crimble’s is aiming to raise at least £25,000 for Breast Cancer Campaign this month, with the launch of its Cranberry Macaroons.

Premier Foods' group marketing director Jon Goldstone has announced that he will be leaving this position later this month.

The Food & Drink Federation (FDF) is to hold a series of job workshops as part of its pledge to double the number of apprenticeships to 3,400 by the end of 2012.

Three men have been arrested following the attempted theft of a safe from a Greggs in Kingston, Surrey.

More than 50 bakers have now signed up to the Real Bread Campaign’s Real Bread Loaf Mark, since its launch in September last year.

Flour millers Whitworth Bros Ltd has acquired the assets of independent miller Smiths Flour Mills.

A move by the European Parliament to ban claims like ‘no added salt’ has been criticised by the food industry.

Northern Irish bakery McErlain’s has almost tripled its sales in Britain over the past two years, through a combination of new products and “market drive”.

Tate & Lyle has introduced two new extra-dry starch products to help control the moisture in baked goods.

EHL Ingredients is looking to take its revenue to £5m this year, after reporting a 20% increase in sales during December 2011.

Fortnum & Mason is launching a new range of bespoke wedding and celebration cakes on 20 February.

New York Bakery Co has launched a limited-edition heart-shaped bagel in the run up to Valentine’s Day.

The Real Good Food Company has more than doubled its year-end profits to £5.7m in 2011, 148% up on the previous year.

Kingsmill has launched a number of products in its morning goods range in value-added pack formats, in order to help convenience retailers capitalise on the increased demand for bakery products at breakfast time.
 

Boulangerie-patisserie and café chain Apostrophe is focusing on its expansion within London, after announcing a new partnership with an independent catering group.

Leicester College has been appointed as the new bakery training champion by the National Skills Academy for Food & Drink (NSAFD).