bake - November 2016 - 8

news bites

ABA Addresses
Workforce Gap

region of southern Belgium. It opened

"Gone are the days of paying enough"

the world, including 12 from the US.

to attract an adequately staffed

The taste of sourdough depends on

workforce for the baking industry,

the micro-organisms and can vary a

said Cory Martin, director of govern-

great deal. The library is a non-proﬁt

ment relations at the American Bakers

initiative on the part of Puratos and

Association. In a presentation Oct. 10

intended as a means of safeguarding

in October 2013 and today maintains
87 sourdoughs collected from around

the rich diversity of sourdough.

at the International Baking Industry
Exposition in Las Vegas, Martin

Melissa Kroeger (left) and Kate White (right)

discussed sources of the workforce

of Honeymoon Bakery in Rome, Georgia, won

gap plaguing the baking industry, as

the 15th annual Pillsbury Bakers' Plus Creative

well as promising solutions.

Decorating Competition.

Underpinning the challenges facing

and we deﬁnitely practiced a lot. We

According to recent ﬁndings from its

bakers are unprecedented demo-

have a wonderful boss and our team

biannual national telephone survey,

graphic dynamics. At present, ﬁve

back home supported us all the way."

PNC Financial Services reports that

different demographic generations

Small Businesses
Express More Hope

owners of small and mid-sized busi-

- silent generation, baby boomers,

The competing cake decorators

nesses are upbeat about the US

Gen X, millennials  and Gen Z - all

wowed the IBIE crowds with show-

economy due to expectations for

are in the workforce at the same time.

stopping designs during the Pillsbury

sales and hiring increases over the

A principal challenge for baking has

Bakers' Plus Creative Decorating

next six months. In its Economic

been reconciling the life-work balance

Competition, in which six two-person

Outlook Survey, PNC ﬁnds that

sought by millennials, the largest

teams of top decorators from across

71 percent are optimistic about

workforce cohort, with the demanding

the country competed for the title

the economy, which would be the

nature of baking industry work, Martin

of Pillsbury Bakers' Plus Grand

highest percentage since 2005. That

said. As a rule, Martin counseled

Champion, in addition to $14,000

itself is up from 55 percent in the

bakers to ﬁnd ways to be ﬂexible to

in cash prizes. Second place in the

spring. Additionally, 77 percent say

accommodate workforce dynamics,

overall competition went to Christel

they are optimistic about their own

to expect further change ahead and

Andrews and Tammy Montesinos,

local economies, the highest since

to recognize no "one size ﬁts all" or

representing the Chicago Area Retail

2014. "Hope" was the word chosen

magic bullet solution exists.

Bakers Association. Third place went

to best describe how many are

to Sarah Crews and Mark Shrewsbury,

feeling about the impending busi-

representing the Ohio Bakers

ness climate, at 55 percent of those

Association.

surveyed. "Enthusiasm" garnered 16

Cake Decorators
Rise to Top
Kate White and Melissa Kroeger of
Honeymoon Bakery in Rome, Georgia,

percent, "fear" received 11 percent,

Puratos Expands
Sourdough Library

and "despair" was only chosen by 4
percent.
Many business owners, including

won the 15th annual Pillsbury Bakers'
Plus Creative Decorating Competition

Pursuing its aim to preserve the biodi-

bakery owners, expect sales to climb

on Tuesday, October 11, during the

versity of leavening agents around the

over the next half year. 51 percent

ﬁnal day of the International Baking

world, Puratos NV, Groot-Bijgaarden,

believe so, and 47 percent project

Industry Exposition in Las Vegas. "We

Belgium, has nearly doubled its global

proﬁts to rise. 22 percent of those

tried to go simple and elegant and

collection of authentic sourdoughs.

surveyed expect to bring on new full-

stick with what we know," Kroeger

The world heritage sourdough library

time employees in coming months,

said. Added White, "Melissa and I have

is housed at Puratos' Center for Bread

with only 8 percent saying they will

worked together almost eight years,

Flavour located in the Ardennes

reduce staff.

08 < NOV 2016 | bakemag.com
http://www.bakemag.com
bake - November 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of bake - November 2016
