Munching in Munich
I am writing from Munich, Germany, where I am attending the iba show, the trade fair for bakery, snacks and confectionery. Over 1,200 exhibitors from around the world are in attendance to show off their latest innovations to the 70,000 visitors from more than 160 countries.
The highlights for me have included a look at Bosch’s new Pack 301 LS for the packaging of biscuits and crackers on edge. Designed for gentle product handling for delicate and brittle biscuit products and in response to the growth and product diversification being seen in the biscuit market, such as demand for small snack packs, Bosch is confident its new machine will give manufacturers a competitive edge in the marketplace.
Another highlight has been Arla’s latest cake solution, designed to tap into the ongoing snacking trend. The high protein snack cake is an example of an easy to manufacture product which also delivers on health claims – it offers up to 10 per cent whey protein, 200mg of calcium and is just 100 calories for a 21g serving. Arla believes the solution will offer inspiration for creating products that will appeal to consumers seeking guilt-free indulgent snacks.
Elsewhere, Haas is using wafer production to show the endless possibilities of local ingredients. The company has been running tests with different local ingredients in its worldwide technology centres, demonstrating the versatility of the likes of red potatoes, black rice and red corn in order to eliminate the need for artificial colourants. In addition, as local ingredients do not need to be imported, they support cost efficient production.
Also on show is Uniferm’s time of day concept. Presenting its FermFresh fermentation range for the production of bread, small baked goods and pastries, the company is using the concept to offer manufacturers inspiration by serving freshly baked products at the appropriate time of day, including breakfast rolls with FermFresh Goldling – fine wheat germs, wheat germ oil and natural sourdough – and afternoon sweat treats such as a cake with FermFresh Kurbis – real pumpkin juice and pumpkin seeds.
Of course, with 12 exhibition halls, this is just a taster of what’s on offer at iba. Running until 17 September, there’s still time to pay the show a visit if you haven’t already.
