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.

Spanish producer De Bellota wins Fedima's inaugural €20,000 Sustainability Grant for acorn-based bakery ingredients with low carbon footprint and rural impact.

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.

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.

FEDIMA appoints Wouter Lox as Secretary General. The bioengineering specialist brings 30 years of food industry experience to the European ingredients federation, having previously led AIJN and EuSalt

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.

GNT demonstrates plant-based colour applications at IBIE 2025 using traditional Mexican concha cookies. Natural colour adoption accelerates as bakery sector addresses regulatory changes and consumer demand for recognisable ingredients, despite technical challenges including heat stability and pH sensitivity.

Research from UK's largest bakery brand reveals 60% of parents feel pressure to create picture-perfect lunchboxes due to social media influence, with 70% reporting increased pressure over the past year. Warburtons launches satirical campaign addressing Instagram-driven parenting expectations affecting food preparation industry.