bake - November 2019 - 42

Andrew Brimacombe

PURATOS USA
World champion baker Jory Downer

used the world over, and we want to be

called it a much-needed facility to

close to our customers so that we can

enhance bakery education. Jacquy

focus on local applications."

Pfeiffer, president and founder of The
French Pastry School, expressed his

The bakery features top-notch equip-

enthusiasm about the opportunity to

ment including MIWE ovens, Rondo

further elevate innovation in pastry

sheeters, spiral mixers and Koma

and baking.

retarders, and the patisserie includes
a Koma blast freezer and chocolate

Puratos welcomed a number of top

tempering machines. The entire facility is

bakery and pastry professionals to

temperature and humidity controlled.

the Oct. 22 grand opening of its
newest Puratos Innovation Center,

The goal at all Puratos Innovation

which is located in the up-and-coming

Centers is to feature relatively similar

Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. The

equipment, so that work can be consis-

6,700-square-foot facility features a

tent. "Our objective is to be more

1,650-square-foot bakery with state-

standardized, which allows a certain

of-the-art equipment, chocolate room

level of repetitiveness," Brimacombe

and much more. The interior design is

says. "When you say you are an innova-

highly conducive to creative ideation

tion company, you have got to back

with plenty of space to bring inspira-

it up. This place makes you want to

tions immediately to the workbench.

experiment."

FAST FACTS

"Chicago is a trend-setting city for

The design of the historic building, once

In 2013 Puratos launched the Puratos
Sourdough Library in the Center for
Bread Flavour in Saint-Vith, Belgium.
It gathers an authentic collection of
sourdoughs (of different flavors) from
all over the world. The initiative has
provided a real heritage source for bakers and consumers around the world.
Puratos aims to preserve the biodiversity of leaven agents and the know-how
on using sourdough in bakeries.

food, and we are excited to be here,"

the site of the lumberyard of the World's

says Andrew Brimacombe, president

Fair, features an openness that evokes

of Puratos USA. "Districts like Pilsen

the feeling of being at home. Large glass

are continuing to thrive for artists and

windows bring in natural light throughout,

chefs and, as an innovation company,

and the interior setup allows all to move

we see it as a fantastic ﬁt. Our mission

effortlessly from room to room.

42 < NOV 2019 | bakemag.com

improve business."

During a tour of the facility, John
Schifferdecker, Central Region general

The Puratos Chicago Innovation Center

manager for Puratos, points out that

marks the international company's sixth

the interior hallways showcase various

in the United States, and Puratos has

important initiatives at Puratos, such as

83 innovation centers worldwide. The

the Puratos Sourdough Library for sour-

company manufactures in 60 coun-

dough breads and Cacao-Trace program

tries across the globe and sells in 100

for better tasting chocolate through

countries.

expert fermentation.

"The DNA of who we are is that we

"We keep an open feel with a focus on

believe in being local," Brimacombe

ﬂavor," he says. "The caliber of chefs that

says. "We have great products that are

we have here is incredible."

JOHN UNREIN

In addition, Puratos is committed to
continued investments in sustainable
cocoa. Puratos launched its CacaoTrace program in 2013 to develop a
new approach for better control of the
cocoa chain with the aim of creating a
benefit for everyone.

is to help our customers grow and
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