bake - Febuary 2016 - 14

labor front

Watching What
They Eat
Calling attention to the ingredients used in your bakery products has never been more important. Customers are asking
plenty of questions about gluten-free and nut-free options, as
well as other dietary restrictions, so make sure to educate your
staff and implement standard operating procedures for posting
ingredients on menu boards and sharing information about
food allergens with your bakery's customers.
Dieting among US consumers is declining over the past decade,
according to NPD research, and consumers who are on a diet
prefer their own diet. Many are getting creative in deﬁning what
aspects of diets work for them and their schedules. This also hints
that consumers are more interested in lifestyles versus dieting.
Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery in Boston points out bakery
owners can use feedback through social media to keep
customers notiﬁed about ingredients your bakery uses and also
what customers look to avoid. "Allergy issues are big," Chang
says. "We have made sure to mark our menu items vegan, nutfree, gluten-free, low sugar, etc., to respond to guests who have

expanded two years ago into a 13,000-square-foot dedicated

various allergies. We are not a gluten- or nut-free facility but we

gluten-free bakery where they produce gluten-free, soy-free,

do take care not to cross contaminate with baking parchment

dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free and GMO-free bakery products.

and utensils as much as we can."
A new report by NPD Group reveals that consumers perceive
Interest in gluten-free continues to gain momentum. Erin

health as more about purity of foods rather than the absence

McKenna's Bakery is making a name for itself by dedicating

of negatives, such as fats. Consumers are seeking items with

signature products to three dietary buzzwords: gluten-free,

minimal processing and are focused on avoiding "unnatural"

vegan and kosher. McKenna opened her ﬁrst shop in 2005 on

elements, like artiﬁcial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup,

the lower east side of Manhattan in New York City and since

preservatives, additives, and genetically-modiﬁed organisms

expanded to Los Angeles and Orlando, Florida, in Walt Disney

(GMOs). NPD forecasts that consumer interest in natural, fresh

World. Beyond operating a retail store at Disney World, her

foods will continue to increase over the next several years.

packaged vegan, gluten-free and kosher sweets (including
chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon sugar donuts, chocolate

Of note, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has

dipped donuts and mini brownie cupcakes) are available at

extended the deadline to receive comments on the use of the

various Disney World locations like the Boardwalk Bakery and

term "natural" in the labeling of food products until May 10.

Disney's Beach Club Resort.

The FDA extended the comment period by 90 days because of
public requests. The FDA currently considers the term "natural"

Further, more retailers are opening dedicated gluten-free

to mean that nothing artiﬁcial or synthetic, including all color

bakeries. Founded as a small retail store in 2013 by actress

additives regardless of source, has been included in or added

Jennifer Esposito, Jennifer's Way Bakery in New York City

to a food that would not be expected in the food normally.

14 < FEB 2016 | bakemag.com

http://www.bakemag.com

bake - Febuary 2016

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