February 2024 SF&WB digital edition: Metropolitan Bakery’s 79-year history

The latest issue also looks at the bars market, sweeteners, and ASB BakingTech.

Photo: Liz Parker

The 2024 digital edition of Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery is now live. The publication, available online here, features a number of articles and departments of interest to professionals working in snack production, baking, and other related fields.

Cover story: Metropolitan Baking Co.

Founded in 1945 by George Kordas, the Detroit-area company is still family-run, and still going strong. Kordas’s grandson (also named George) now leads the operation, which is growing and expanding. No matter how big the company gets, however, its leadership remains committed to treating its employees so that they feel like they’re family, too. Read more.

Category focus: bars

Consumers continue to reach for bars—they’re portable, frequently offer a good nutrition profile, and (if producers have done their job) taste good. When shopping for such items, people want a balance of good taste, healthy ingredients, and other attributes. This article dives into the numbers, examines current trends, and glimpses the likely future of the category. Read more.

Show preview: ASB BakingTech

Not many industry events reach the century mark, yet when the American Society of Baking’s BakingTech event opens in Chicago next week, attendees will be enjoying the 100-year anniversary of the professional baking event. The agenda offers expert speakers, solutions exhibits, networking opportunities, and other programs. Read more.

Ingredients: sweeteners

According to the International Food Information Council, close to 75T% of U.S. consumers are looking to restrict the amount of sugar they consume. However, that doesn’t mean they’re ready to give up their sweet treats anytime soon—they’re just looking for foods that make use of the myriad sugar-alternative sweeteners available to snack and bakery producers. This article delves into current consumer trends, as well as new and emerging sweetener products. Read more.

Processing: mixers

Bakery and snack producers ask a lot of their mixes. When shopping for new equipment, things like consistent performance, efficiency, and good temperature control are at the top of the list. In this article, producers and suppliers offer insights as to what modern food production environments require, and what features are available on advanced equipment. Read more.

Access the entire February 2024 digital edition of SF&WB here.

Jenni Spinner is the chief editor of Snack Food and Wholesale with more than 25 years of experience in business-to-business communications. She has written extensively about food production, safety and packaging; pharmaceutical drug development; concrete and masonry construction; and more. She holds a Bachelor’s in Communications from the University of Illinois. Jenni can be reached at spinnerj@bnpmedia.com.

This webinar will examine variables factoring into nutritionally improved candy sales, including ingredients, label claims, and alternative sugars. Better-for-you options remain top of mind for consumers who are searching for indulgences, but in a healthier format.