Brunel University is hosting a practical workshop on decarbonising industrial baking this March, bringing oven manufacturers, industry specialists and food producers together to explore energy efficiency, low-carbon technologies and realistic routes to reducing emissions.

Own-label bakery now holds 46% of unit sales across Europe's largest markets. For branded producers, the pressure is real and price alone won't hold it off. This piece looks at how Europe's most resilient bakery brands, from a New Forest cottage to a Lisbon monastery, have used specific, honest origin stories to build loyalty that generic competitors can't replicate. A practical read for anyone in the industrial baking sector thinking about brand equity.

The EU's ban on Bisphenol A in food contact materials is now in force, with transition deadlines running to 2029. New official guidance, structured as 40 questions and answers, clarifies what is prohibited, what is exempt, how compliance testing works and what declarations of conformity must contain. For industrial bakers, the most pressing issues concern coatings, inks, adhesives and professional production equipment.

IKEA's survey of 31,339 people across 31 markets reveals only 44% now eat dinner at a table, whilst 18% dine on the sofa. For industrial bakers, this fragmentation of traditional dining patterns demands rethinking product formats, portability and crumb control as consumption shifts to furniture not designed for meals.

ARYZTA has announced a €40m investment in a new bun bakery near Lisbon, scheduled for commissioning in 2028. The state-of-the-art facility will work alongside the company's existing Spanish bakery to optimise supply chains and customer service across the Iberian Peninsula.

UK food manufacturers face new advertising restrictions requiring strategic reformulation as regulations limit promotion of 13 product categories. Ingredient suppliers urge focus on functional nutrients and transparent supply chains over compliance workarounds.

Finsbury Food Group has committed substantial capital to its Kara facility in Whitefield, Manchester, targeting enhanced production capabilities at the foodservice-dedicated bakery. The factory manufactures 1.2 million bread rolls daily, serving national wholesalers and customers across hospitality, healthcare and quick-service sectors.

Panattoni is developing a 10,000 m² bakery production facility for Edeka Südwest in Lambsheim, Rhineland-Palatinate. The build-to-own project marks the first partnership between the companies and will create 150 jobs when operational in Q4 2027.