Bakers Journal

Commercial bakers are under growing pressure to meet evolving consumer expectations while managing formulation, efficiency and sustainability challenges. Enzymes are emerging as a valuable tool to help address those demands – supporting everything from dough performance and product quality to clean-label reformulation, sugar reduction and process optimization.

Read more about how enzymes are helping commercial bakeries innovate while balancing taste, performance and operational goals: https://www.bakersjournal.com/sponsored/enzyme-solutions-for-modern-baking-helping-bakers-address-todays-formulation-challenges/

Calling all bakers in the vicinity of Halifax-Dartmouth:

Join us for a gathering of local bakers, pastry chefs, chocolatiers, pizzaioli, students, instructors and members of the baking industry!

The Baking Association of Canada is presenting a day of exciting baking demonstrations, inspiring stories of bakeries and pizzerias and informal networking! The BAC is bringing along Bakers Journal to document this unique day of learning and we all look forward to engaging with the grassroots of our wonderful baking and pastry community!

Spots are limited. Register now to join us! https://www.baking.ca/chapter-event/calling-all-bakers-event/

Nova Scotia Community College - NSCC Ardent Mills Baking Association of Canada

Bakers from B.C., this is a tremendous opportunity from Baking Association of Canada. Please share with your bakery team, fellow bakers, bakery owners and anyone in the baking industry with an idea looking for an opportunity:

BC Bakers Den — Competition to Award Support for Innovative & Scaling‑Up Projects

🥐Deadline Extended to September 11

The Baking Association of Canada – BC Chapter is proud to host the BC Bakers Den, a province‑wide competition created to award financial and practical support to bakers developing new products, entrepreneurial concepts, and scaling‑up projects. If you’re building something fresh, ambitious, or ready for market, this is your chance to secure meaningful backing to help it grow.

🥮 Event Details
Friday, September 18, 2026 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM Island City Baking – Frozen Dough Division Unit #108, 8289 N Fraser Way, Burnaby, BC

🥖 What Successful Applicants Receive: (Cash equivalent)
1st Place: $5,000
2nd Place: $2,500
3rd Place: $1,000
Prizes include education, training, equipment, and supplies, plus:
A free 1‑year BAC membershipfor all finalists
Feature coverage in Bakers Journal
Potential advancement to compete nationally at Bakery Showcase

🥧Judging Criteria
Product Concept
Food Costing
Scalability
Marketability
Sales Plan

🍩 BC Bakers Den is your opportunity to gain visibility, mentorship, and real support for the projects you believe in. If you’ve been developing something special, step forward — this is your moment.

🥯 How to Apply — Deadline Extended
Submit your product idea by September 11, 2026 Event details and submission link: https://www.baking.ca/chapter-event/bc-bakers-den/

Bon Ton Bakery’s team have embraced creating and promoting monthly specials. Co-owner Edgar Semler says committing to trying new things encourages staff to be creative, innovative and keeps the days interesting.

“Our bakers, our pastry chefs and our savoury chefs, they absolutely love it,” he says. “Every month they get to dream up something new to try.”

Read more insights from Bon Ton about spotlighting in-season fruit your baked products in our juicy online summer feature.

Boosting retail bakery sales through monthly specials and seasonal innovation Edmonton’s Bon Ton Bakery's monthly specials have helped this enduring bakery boost retail sales during slow periods, keep team morale high and attract new customers.

Happy National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day! Tell us about a favourite version of this classic on your menu! Photo: Vancouver Best Cookies

Recent market discovery research has been investigating the potential of alpiste – a hairless variety of canary seed – as a high-protein, versatile ingredient for bakeries and food manufacturers.

The research, managed by the Canary Seed Development Commission of Saskatchewan (CSDCS), involved in-depth discovery calls with millers, product developers and bakers to gather real-world feedback on how this grain fits into the current food system.

Among the key findings: Rather than seeking a brand-new standalone ingredient, many industry professionals are interested in how alpiste’s high protein content and neutral flavour can enhance existing product formulations.

Bakers Journal spoke with Adele Buettner, Culinary & Food Director for the CSDCS, to learn more. Read on for a deeper look at the research results and the commercialization journey of this Canadian grain: https://www.bakersjournal.com/novel-ingredient-alpiste-stirs-interest-from-canadian-baking-and-food-industry/

That time we met up with fellow bakers and industry partners at the exciting, record-breaking ! With the help of our talented videographer, Jim Stubbington, we've put together a fun video to remind us how it refuels us to gather as an industry. Tag or share with colleagues and enjoy!

Bakery Showcase 2026: The Video Watch this three-minute video revisiting the sights, sounds and features of Bakery Showcase 2026! Relive the fun and make notes for the next Showcase.

Vietnam’s dessert scene still carries the imprint of French colonization. Yet, local bakers and pastry chefs have combined French techniques with flavours and traditions native to Vietnam. And classic Vietnamese sweets have endured, offering a rich and often overlooked side of the country’s cuisine. Here’s a glimpse from world travelling writer and Red Seal chef Karen Barr.

Take away French techniques and flavours and sweet traditions of Vietnam to enrich your own bakery!

FCC Food and Beverage presented a very informative panel at Bakery Showcase on May 3 that shared details of services that bakeries may not have on their radar.

In "From Dough to Data: Supporting Bakery Growth with FCC Food and Beverage and Inno-Centre Canada Canada," Ogie Ifoga, senior relationship manager, commercial financing, FCC Food and Beverage, led an in-depth discussion of how FCC financing and IC Canada advisory services help bakeries navigate growth, improve operations, and build sustainable, competitive businesses.

Panellists Louise McNally, vice-president and senior business advisor with Inno-centre and Paul Do, managing director of Carole's Cheesecake Company, talked about the collaborative process of consultation.

IC assisted Do in acquiring a baked goods company and guided him through various initiatives over the years.

McNally described the consultation process: "You sign up for 40 hours over two months, typically in the form of weekly meetings. IC can bring in other types of advisors as needed."

"We try to measure efficiency," she said.

Do, a passionate entrepreneur, said reaching out for help in making decisions took his business to the next level. "If you want to run a mile, you can do it. If you want to run 50 miles, you need help," he said during the talk.

FCC offers a subsidy for this service and the sessions are tailored to each participating business, Ifoga said.

To underline the kind of innovation that can happen when partners collaborate, Do shared delicious samples of Carole's cheesecake on a stick.

Thank you to FCC for bringing this practical session to our education program at Baking Association of Canada Bakery Showcase!

Get more insights from the session:

Showcase spotlight: FCC panel helps bakeries know when to seek outside help and how consultation works Informative panel discussed how FCC financing and IC Canada advisory services help bakeries navigate growth, improve operations and build competitive businesses.

New Post: Raising the bar on bakery safety https://www.bakersjournal.com/raising-the-bar-on-bakery-safety