bake - November/December 2022 - 3

editor's note
a glimpse at
the future
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor
Managing Editor
Digital Media Editor
PUBLISHING STAFF
Publisher
National Account Executive
National Account Executive
John Unrein
Andy Nelson
Brian Amick
Troy Ashby
Gretchen Wagner
Lily Alvarez
Senior Director of Marketing and Promotions Kathi D. Gilleland
Sales Enablement Specialist
Audience Development Manager
Audience Database Specialist
Director of Digital Media
Digital Advertising Manager
Advertising Manager
Advertising Coordinator
Design Services Manager
Production Specialist
Whitney Hartman
Dustin Pickman
Carlea Schuler
Jon Hall
Carrie Fluegge
Nora Wages
Annie Fournier
Elisabeth Spillman
Marj Potts
Senior Design Consultant
Senior Graphic Designer
Promotions Manager
Promotions Media Designer
CORPORATE STAFF
Chairman and CEO
President
Chief Financial and Administrative Officer
Chief Operating Officer and Executive Editor
Becky White
Brian Peterman
Jim White
Abby Chronister
We're on the cusp of the end of all traditional definitions of
what a retail baker - or a retailer of any kind - is. This leaves
bakery professionals thinking, how does all of this affect my
bakery business? The notion of mobile availability is increasingly
viable and has the potential to disrupt retail bakers that are
stationary and require customers to come to them.
The new business model is, How do I get in front of people
where they are, instead of attracting them to me? This is the
strength of mobility where food trucks, delivery services and
even meal kit services all benefit.
One standout to me relates to bakers' plans for capital spendCharles
S. Sosland
L. Joshua Sosland
Staci Greco
Meyer Sosland
SOSLAND PUBLISHING COMPANY
4801 Main Street, Suite 650,
Kansas City, MO 64112
Phone: (816) 756-1000
Fax: (816) 756-0494
Web: bakemag.com
Email: bakemag@sosland.com
ing. I've heard the buzz about semi-automating to compensate
for ongoing business challenges with the lack of employees. A
recent visit to St. Louis offered a glimpse of the future. Companion
Baking's new palletizing robot - affectionately called Bruce
Banner (aka The Incredible Hulk) by the staff - enables this
innovative bakery the ability to achieve a higher level of production
efficiency.
Companion's latest projects have allowed them to carve out a
unique niche as a mid-sized bread wholesaler with vast customization
capabilities. Through semi-automation and tools such
as Redzone, the baking company is able to produce around 150
different SKUs, five days a week, in an organized and efficient
manner - all in a floor space of 42,000 square feet.
Companion's operations manager Suman Shekar has made it
a goal to bring new technologies and production processes to
the bakery floor. She has found that semi-automation allows for
members of the team to have greater personal interaction with
the production process, all while making their lives easier.
JOHN UNREIN
junrein@sosland.com
FoodEntrepreneur
Experience
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bakemag.com | NOV-DEC 2022 > 03

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bake - November/December 2022

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