BIG INTERVIEW
effectively just another catering wholesaler – so the biggest decision of all was to focus specifically on bakery and ‘people who bake’.
Having the right structure and processes in place are the key to any successful business so we have been reviewing every part of the business, improving and re-building to drive reliability. Next was a complete leadership team re-structure and the development of a core range on which to build. This has subsequently grown to 650 always-in-stock products. The plan is now our guiding light, our journey plan to drive us into the future and keep us aligned to our vision – ‘For Bakers’.
What investments have been made at BFP and why are they crucial to the company’s development? The company has invested significantly in property in the last two years and we now have close-to-nationwide coverage via three new depots in Edinburgh, Daventry and Bristol - in addition to our existing sites in Lewes and Leeds. This equates to 230,000 sq ft of chilled and ambient storage space, and means we can hold high stock levels of all product at every depot. With raw materials prices rising, our increased warehouse space has put us in a fantastic position. It has enabled us to buy strategically in bulk and hold that stock for longer, this gives us consistency of supply, and we are able to hold off on price increases for longer when the market is volatile. Two of the new depots have been built completely from scratch and all of the warehouses are BRC-accredited. We’ve also replaced paper-based systems with digital, which has massively improved efficiency.
We’ve invested heavily in a wholly-owned, multi- temperature fleet with 250 tonnes of daily capacity, so that customers can receive everything on one order, and coupled that with the latest distribution technology. Next, we developed a new website with online ordering capability which has contributed to a huge improvement in the customer experience. Finally, and most importantly, we’ve invested in people and training. We’ve employed more people across all our functions, giving us an increased focus on customer service, and training to help everyone to reach their full potential.
What trends are you noticing in bakery ingredients at the moment?
Healthy eating continues to be a huge trend. Consumers are looking much more closely at the ingredients used to make their baked goods and are opting for those which offer tangible health credentials. Vegan and gluten-free are also established categories and are growing exponentially, as are clean label products. Premiumisation is a dominating trend with consumers prepared to pay a premium for high quality products. Following lengthy lockdowns during the pandemic, people have had time to experiment with home baking and, consequently, expect a lot more.
Premium craft bread is a prime example with consumers prepared to pay upwards of £4 a loaf. Craft bakers are really pushing the boundary in this arena with lots of exciting flavoured breads coming through, with innovative combinations of vegetables, fruits, different cheeses and meats, seed and herbs.
“The biggest
decision of all was to focus specifically on bakery and ‘people who bake’”
8 Kennedy’s Bakery Production March/April 2022
bakeryproduction.co.uk
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