Bakery

Pascal Rigo, the founder and operator of a midsized cafe and bakery chain in the San Francisco Bay Area called La Boulange, sold his company to Starbucks last year for $100 million. He stayed with the company and is now charged with transforming the Starbucks pastry case over five years. He has a large budget at his disposal, although the exact size is confidential. …

Cupcaketree.com, makers of the Original Cupcaketree Cupcake Stand announced a new partnership with Meijer Stores of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Grocery store chain will offer a customized Cupcaketree Cupcake Stand in local school colors to pair with their baked goods. …

For the production of rye bread, which is a staple food in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe, guar gum is commonly used for its water binding properties and its positive effects on dough rheology, bread shape, crumb softness and moistness. …

Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products, is to be honored for its collective sustainability efforts over the past years with the prestigious “Sustainable Standard-Setter” award at the Rainforest Alliance 2013 Annual Gala on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 to be held at New York’s American Museum of Natural History. …

One of the practical problems facing professional bakers is how to adapt a dough to fit into a production schedule. “Crafting Breads to Fit Your Schedule,” a Bread Bakers Guild of America class to be taught by Roger Gural, will address this problem by looking at the complex interrelationship of formula design, preferment choice, yeast level, and temperature control. …