Latest news

Facilities
Middleby Centro di Innovazione Opens with Focus on Production-Scale Testing
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.

Funding & investment
Acorn flour producer receives Fedima's first sustainability grant
Spanish producer De Bellota wins Fedima's inaugural €20,000 Sustainability Grant for acorn-based bakery ingredients with low carbon footprint and rural impact.

Regulation
New ISO Standard Establishes Technical Framework for Baker's Yeast Quality
ISO 23983:2025 establishes the first international standard for baker's yeast quality. Developed by COFALEC and ISO TC 34, it defines technical specifications for fresh and dry yeast formats, including microbiological criteria, physico-chemical parameters, and testing protocols for industrial bakers.

Distribution
US Artisan Baker Launches National E-Commerce Operation
Oregon artisan bakery Ocemiam launches nationwide e-commerce platform for French-style individual cakes and banana bread, targeting US holiday season market.

Regulation
Italian Wheat Initiative Achieves Third-Party Regenerative Certification
Mulino Bianco's Buongrano receives FoodChain ID Regenerative Agriculture Certification, becoming Italy's first bakery product with certified regenerative wheat flour.

Mergers & Acquisitions
Good News for Roberts Bakery and their staff
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.

New products
Hovis Enters Sourdough Market with New Cob Range
Hovis launches first sourdough range with White and Seeded Sourdough Cobs. UK sourdough market worth £170m sees 56% YoY growth as brand targets premium bakery segment.

Funding & investment
Palm-Alt: A Locally-Produced Alternative to Palm Shortening
Researchers at Queen Margaret University have developed Palm-Alt, a replacement for palm shortening in industrial bakery applications. Made from rapeseed oil, fibres and proteins, the ingredient delivers up to 25% less fat and 89% less saturated fat whilst maintaining texture and flavour in biscuits, cakes and bread. Now in commercial trials.
