AB Mauri and Nutris have formed a technical partnership to develop fava bean protein and starch ingredients for industrial bakery applications in the UK and Ireland. The collaboration utilises Nutris's 45,000-tonne Croatian processing facility to fractionate fava beans into functional ingredients for commercial-scale bakery production, with development trials scheduled across multiple product categories in 2025.

Middleby Corporation opens 65,000-square-foot innovation centre near Venice for production-scale testing of bakery, protein and snack processing equipment. Facility offers R&D, validation and training for industrial food manufacturers.

Frank Roberts & Sons Limited has been acquired by Boparan Private Office securing the future of the 138-year-old Northwich bakery and preserving 433 jobs.

Roberts Bakery files Notice of Intention to Appoint Administrators whilst in talks with potential partners. The Cheshire bakery producing 3.5m loaves weekly faces challenges from fire damage, cost inflation and market shifts towards artisan products.

Baking Europe spent two days at the company's campus, hosted by Zoé Henneguier and the Lesaffre team, alongside Leah Smith. What we found was more than just a facility tour, it was a genuine look at how a family business approaches innovation.

Jonathan Mougel, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, becomes technical director at École Bellouet from January 2026. The Paris pastry school, owned by Puratos, expands beyond traditional training to offer consultancy services for industrial bakers and hospitality businesses navigating market changes.

Italian ingredient specialist Millbio acquires US manufacturer Cain Foods through private equity firm Apheon, creating a vertically integrated clean-label bakery solutions platform spanning Europe, Asia and the Americas with combined fermentation, manufacturing and R&D capabilities.

Finsbury Food Group acquires 70% stake in Lola's Cupcakes for £25m, marking entry into direct-to-consumer market. Strategic move combines manufacturing expertise with digital capabilities in premium celebration cake sector.