Modern Baking - December Issue

The December issue of Modern Baking is out and available online...read it here!

http://modern-baking.com/dec2011/

Gear Up For 2012 - BakingTech

Register now for the BakingTech conference in March of 2012! A trade show, meetings, training sessions, and more...it is a great way for a bakery to start the new year!

http://www.asbe.org/

Daily Deals for Bakeries?

A great article about bakeries using Daily Deal services like Groupon and more...very interesting!

http://www.bakersjournal.com/content/view/3435/132/

Slice Cake Triangles Inside A Pan

FoodTools can now cut triangle shapes inside quarter sheet pans with an economical stand alone machine.

In the past, the only way to achieve this slice was to purchase a high production, inline machine, a considerable investment for baking facilities.

The new accessories on the CS-10E bring this cutting process to the larger market, making it easier for all bakeries to accomplish.

SLICE IN THE PAN!
4 Quarter Sheets Per Minute
240 Quarter Sheets Per Hour

The CS-10E is a proven machine in the baking industry and is used to portion and slice sheets of brownies, rice crispy treats, granola bars, biscotti, and more. Most often the machine is used to slice products that are removed from the pan and placed on a product holder. Custom accessories allow a facility to slice these bakery products inside the pan.

The photos here show the new setup slicing chocolate cake in a quarter sheet foil pan. The cake is baked in the pan and moved to the cutting station. Next the products still in the pans are taken to the packaging station to be packaged and shipped for consumer sales.

The benefit to this upgrade is that bakeries shipping quarter sheet products in baking pans can now portion the products without the extra step of removing the products from the pan and then repackaging for shipping. Save time and investment by using an all in one solution.

Smaller Portions a Growing Trend

In recent months many publications have touted the growing trend of portion control and smaller serving sizes with articles, editorials, and reports from research and surveys. The trend seems to continue to grow and in the November issue of Baking Management another article focused on trends and statistics regarding smaller portions. The article titled “Everything in Moderation” sited data from Mintel Reports as well as Infoscan Reviews. As with past articles, the cause of this change in consumer behavior is attributed to customers seeking more healthy alternatives as well as the economic recession. Hugh Brooks, senior business manager for Dawn Food Products, was quoted saying “Pre-sliced products continue to grow quickly in terms of retailer shelf space.” Full cakes or large portions are beginning to look wasteful as most American consumers are living in smaller households. If a full cake is purchased there is a good chance that some will be wasted or thrown away. The drive for smaller pre-portioned cakes and desserts can be tricky for bakeries slicing products by hand. Bakeries that have FoodTools equipment can often order custom accessories to quickly and easily change cut patterns to achieve smaller portions. Bakeries without cutting and slicing equipment can contact FoodTools to work with a sales representative to find a machine that will work best for their products.

Source: Baking Management November 2011
Everything In Moderation by Maggie Hennessy

Day Two of Sweet & SnackTec India

Today is day two of the baking trade show in India!

Sweet & SnackTec India: http://www.sweetandsnacktecindia.com/index.html

Supply Chain Solutions For Bakeries

ToolBox is the world market leader for high-performance manufacturing and intralogistics systems in bakeries. ToolBox has committed themselves to the baking industry 100 per cent. Today, more than 600 bakeries in 30+ countries around the world rely on the warehouse and production management system dispoTool every day. A continuous tracking and tracing, according to international standards, guarantees an integrated quality management system. A reliable 24/7 hotline is available to support their customers at any time. The flagship is the distribution system for paperless dispatching that is used for quick and trouble-free order picking.

“We have a space and a time issue in our dispatching, can you help with that” a very typical statement of bakeries coming to ToolBox. Joerg Schlag, CEO of ToolBox Software North America Inc., reports that “a lot of bakeries have realized the dispatching as the bottle-neck of their operation. No matter which size of the business.”

By using multi-color MATRIX displays together with handhelds and PCs dispoTool organizes the whole process of recording, staging and picking.
Because of the increasing inquiries of our customers dispoTool also provides a high performance full size Warehouse Management System.
The WMS manages the stock of inventory promptly and location-based and supports the processes of placing on stock and releasing from stock as well as picking. It also covers the whole range of products common in bakeries: fresh products, frozen foods, raw material, half-baked goods, finished products, inter-company products, third-party goods and non-food articles. Various stock strategies are available. Constant traceability is guaranteed.

For more information please visit
www.toolbox-software.com

Modern Bakery Moscow

Come see FoodTools at Modern Bakery Moscow...
The FoodTools CS-1A is being exhibited in the Trade Design Group stand.

Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival 2011

If you are around New York City this weekend stop in at the 2011 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival. The event runs from September 29 - October 2 and is a highly anticipated festival for foodies and wine connoisseurs. Sweet Street Desserts will be participating in the events so look for their delicious dessert treats! See this article for more specifics... http://www.perishablenews.com/index.php?article=0017749

FoodTools Ice Cream Cake Cutting

Check out photos and videos that show FoodTools machines cutting and slicing ice cream products. Click HERE!

Website: http://www.foodtools.com/?frozen_dairy_product

FoodTools Sales Team on Facebook

Do you know who is part of the international FoodTools Sales Team? If not, take a quick look at the new facebook photo album with pictures of each sales rep!

Log onto facebook.com and search "FoodTools" or click HERE to see the facebook page!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150317626403119.355233.112427958118&saved#!/media/set/?set=a.10150317626403119.355233.112427958118&type=1

Cut 7 Layers At Once - CS-8B-6

The new CS-8B-6 machine uses 6 horizontal cutting blades to cut up to 7 layers at once for layer cake production. The blades are adjustable and removable so different variations of layer cuts can be made. Use 1 blade to slice 2 layers, or use more blades for more layers. Cut cakes, breads, rolls, and more.

See the new video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4ssVz19VgA

Cakes Cut In China

FoodTools machines are slicing cakes, desserts, and more around the world. Each region has its own special flair. Cakes from one part of the world are not always exactly the same as another. Take for example the photos below of cakes that have been cut by FoodTools in China. Some may look familiar…but others may look really new, strange, and unique. FoodTools machines are prepared for the global economy; contact FoodTools to discuss how we can help your bakery!

To see more sliced desserts visit... www.foodtools.com/?sliced_products

New Photos of Sliced Products

FoodTools has a new updated section on www.foodtools.com that showcases food and bakery products that have been sliced of FoodTools machines.

The "Sliced Products" tab allows visitors to see various products such as round cakes, sheet cakes, layer products, loaf products, tortilla, pita, crumbs, and more. Each link contains several photos of products cut on machines at bakeries, test cuts, demonstrations, and more.

An additional feature is the "Sliced Products From Around The World" tab which showcases bakery products from a global perspective. For more information and to see the product photos on the website visit www.foodtools.com/?sliced_products

All Things Baking - October 2-4, 2011

PerishableNews.com released a news article with a quote from FoodTools about the upcoming All Things Baking trade show!

Chris Clemens, international marketing manager for FoodTools, looks forward to the new opportunity to “get face-to-face” with his customers. “We’re very excited about All Things Baking,” he said. “It’s a new show with a lot of energy behind it in the industry. It’ll be a great place to get together. We know it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

To read more about the trade show and other exhibitors please click here: http://www.perishablenews.com/index.php?article=0017499

We'll see you at the show!

2011 Capital Expenditure Credit

Don't forget to use the 2011 Capital Expenditure Credit for buying new equipment this year!

The Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010 gives bakery owners incentive to purchase new portioning equipment before the end of 2011 by allowing the purchaser to write off investments of capital equipment immediately, up to $500,000, rather than depreciating the expense slowly over many years.

The equipment must be purchased and installed in 2011. FoodTools is working hard to provide bakers with in stock equipment that can be delivered and installed before the deadline in order to qualify for the purchase credit.

The exact qualifications can be found on the Section 179 Deduction website here: http://www.section179.org/section_179_deduction.html

If you have any questions about the program or how FoodTools machines can benefit bakery production, contact FoodTools by clicking HERE.

Fine Foods Australia

NOW! See FoodTools at Fine Foods Australia in Sydney.

FoodTools will be exhibiting in partnership with RVO Enterprises.
Find FoodTools and RVO in stand HE36

Fine Foods Australia will be open until September 8th.

See you in Sydney!

http://www.finefoodaustralia.com.au/

FoodTools Newsletter - The Cutting Edge...

The September issue of "The Cutting Edge..." is posted online!

http://www.foodtools.com/?newsletter

This issue includes...
- New 7 Layer Horizontal Slab Cutting Machine
- Cut-In-The-Box Or Pan
- Trade Show Preview (Fine Foods Australia & All Things Baking)
- Biscotti Slicing
- New 2-Way Cheese Slicing Machine

Check it out!

Check Out "The Bakery Network" Online...

The Bakery Network on the web is a place for bakers to find tips, tricks, videos, and bakery contacts. It is a go to website for bakers looking to build more business! See the website here: http://www.thebakerynetwork.com/buyers-guide/food-tools

Remove Frozen Cakes From Pans

How do you remove frozen cakes from the pans? Use a torch? A lot of human power? Sweat and tears? How about the CD-9B?

See how easy it is to depan a cake with FoodTools...watch the video here...
http://www.foodtools.com/?cd-9b

Submit a decorated dessert or vote on your favorite treat on the All Things Baking Facebook Contest!

Do you have a sweet dessert that you can enter into the All Things Baking Sweet Facebook Contest? The winner will receive bragging rights and 2 free passes to the All Things Baking trade show in Chicago this October.

Click the link below to enter a dessert in the competition or cast your vote.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/All-Things-Baking/107503079309539?sk=app_177233788979586

Cut Tortilla & Pita Chips

Do you need to slice tortilla and pita products into chips?
See the videos of FoodTools cutting machines here...

http://www.foodtools.com/?tortilla_&_pita_product

See What People Are Saying About FoodTools...

See what bakers are saying about FoodTools...

“I like the equipment and I love the service levels."
– Mike Smith at Gizella Pastry

Read more by clicking here...http://www.foodtools.com/?customer_testimonials

How To Cut Layers For Layer Cakes

Still cutting layers for layer cakes by hand? These FoodTools machines can cut perfectly level horizontal layers at high speeds...check out the video by clicking HERE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx2-UfMCafA

Write Off $500,000 in Capital Equipment in 2011

2011 Capital Expenditures Credit Ending Soon

The Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010 gives bakery owners incentive to purchase new portioning equipment before the end of 2011 by allowing the purchaser to write off investments of capital equipment immediately, up to $500,000, rather than depreciating the expense slowly over many years.



The equipment must be purchased and installed in 2011. FoodTools is working hard to provide bakers with in stock equipment that can be delivered and installed before the deadline in order to qualify for the purchase credit.



The exact qualifications can be found on the Section 179 Deduction website here: http://www.section179.org/section_179_deduction.html



If you have any questions about the program or how FoodTools machines can benefit bakery production, contact FoodTools by clicking HERE

5-JR Slicing Cheese - Watch The Video!

Click below to watch a video of the 5-JR slicing different types of cheese.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pxDzt4sP8s


For more info on the 5-JR see our webpage here: www.foodtools.com/?5-jr

Trade Show - All Things Baking

This fall BEMA, the Retail Bakers of America, and the American Bakers Association are working together to present All Things Baking, a new trade show geared towards regionally based bakeries. In the off years of the IBIE trade show

All Things Baking will bring together forward thinking bakers, entrepreneurs, and food service professionals with equipment manufacturers and suppliers offering solutions to help artisan bakers. All Things Baking will make its debut from October 2-4 in Schaumburg, Illinois and promises to be a great event. There is a lot of energy in our industry around this new show and we hope to see you there! To register as an attendee visit www.allthingsbaking.org

We look forward to seeing you in Chicago!

Global FoodTools Representatives & Distributors

Are you looking for a global contact for FoodTools equipment? See this website for local distributors, contacts, and sales & service technicians around the world.

http://www.foodtools.com/?around_the_world

Make Cheesecakes With FoodTools...

The recreational baker makes a cheesecake at home, with love, by hand. We all enjoy baking by hand and putting our personal spin on each creation, but if you are a cheesecake manufacturer you know that the personal touch needs to have a bit of efficiency. This is how FoodTools can help.

Step 1: The Crumb Base

The crumb base needs to be packed evenly in the pan either on the bottom only or on the bottom and sides. Sure, it can be packed and pressed by hand, but why do that when you can use a machine to spin and press the crumbs into place evenly and quickly? The CS-7B is the perfect solution for crumb bases, see the photo below.

Step 2: Depanning a Frozen Cake

After freezing your cheesecake is it hard to remove from the pan? Do you use a torch to heat the sides and take the cakes out? Isn’t that dangerous? The CD-9B can quickly and easily remove cheesecakes from the pans while keeping you and your staff safe.

Step 3: Cutting The Cake

When it is time to slice the cake do you cut it by hand? Are the slices always perfect? From a simple and economical foot pedal machine to an inline automatic slicing machine, FoodTools equipment can cut perfect slices and place a Diver Insert between each piece. Why not give it a try today?

Why Is Sanitation So Important?

FoodTools machines are in bakeries around the world and one thing is the same no matter where you go, the cleaner the better. With the recent issues in the news about food safety, sanitation is becoming an increasingly larger part of the food equipment profile. For FoodTools, machine sanitation is not only a major factor in food safety, it also directly relates to the longevity of the equipment. A cleaner machine will operate more reliably for a longer time than a neglected and messy machine. When a bakery has equipment issues our service technicians first check how clean the moving assemblies are. Dirty bearings can result in herky-jerky movements. Cake crumbs packed into an indexing assembly can cause missed cuts. An overall dirty machine can make any and all of the systems of a FoodTools machine freeze or operate erratically. For years FoodTools has been designing our machines to meet the increasingly stringent sanitation guidelines set forth by organizations such as BISSC, AIB, and CE. These guidelines along with our experience in the industry help us teach our clients how to use cleaning and sanitation to prevent major equipment malfunctions.

All FoodTools machines are designated as one of these two wash down grade options:

1. Partial Wash Down Grade

2. Wash Down Grade

Below are the typical wash down instructions for machines with these options. In bakeries where high pressure water hoses are used for cleaning these guidelines are critical. The pressure washers can force water into the pneumatic valve system that can gum up the system over time with water and residue.

Partial Wash Down Grade typically involves machines that include electric circuits. These machines may have motors or switches that are water resistant or sealed, but it is always good practice not to spray water directly on these components. With these machines a bucket of soap and water and a cleaning towel are a better option followed by a light sanitized wash down.

If you have any questions about these sanitation procedures and how they work with your equipment please contact your FoodTools representative.

Partial Wash Down Grade
This machine is able to be washed & cleaned with soap and water, we recommend using a hand towel. Always be mindful of the pneumatic valves, joints, and mufflers and avoid spraying water directly into pneumatic components. All electric components are sealed for safety, always unplug machine before cleaning.

Wash Down Grade
This machine is able to be washed and cleaned with soap and water, we recommend using a low pressure hose. Always be mindful of the pneumatic valves, joints, and mufflers and avoid spraying water directly into the pneumatic components.

All Things Baking Trade Show

The All Things Baking trade show is less than 2 months away! The expo is being held at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel just outside of Chicago, Illinois. Events go from October 2-4, 2011. FoodTools will be there along with the leaders of our industry to meet with professional bakers, caterers, chefs, and more. Should you be there?

You should attend if you are a…

- Professional Baker
- Caterer
- Restaurateur
- Pastry Chef
- Cake Decorator
- Bakery Director
- Supermarket Purchasing Director
- Food Service Professional

For more information visit: http://www.allthingsbaking.org/

Cut Butter, Margarine, or Cheese With Simple Wire Slicer

Need to slice Cheese, Butter, or Margarine?

The 5-MMB can cut, slice, and portion dairy products into blocks, slabs, & sticks.

The simple 5-MMB uses a wire grid to slice dairy products for retail sales or wholesale ingredients.

To see videos of the machine in action visit www.foodtools.com/?5-MMB

FAQ Solutions At Your Fingertips...

 

FoodTools has recently upgraded the PLC touch screens on the ACCUSONIC-10U series of machines to include better functionality and added benefits like the Frequently Asked Questions section. Owners of the ACCUSONIC-10U machines will appreciate the FAQ section as it includes detailed trouble shooting answers and photos to help technicians perform maintenance on the machines. In the event that something happens to the machine and an error message appears it is now possible for a maintenance technician to search the FAQ section of the PLC system to find a solution to fix the problem. For each trouble shooting topic a screen lists possible solutions and gives a step by step instruction guide in text format. In addition, photos are added with circle diagrams showing the parts and part names discussed in the guide. With the new FAQ and troubleshooting guide the turnaround time to fix a machine and get it back into production is greatly reduced. Additional upgrades include a common parts library with photos showing important machine components like the image above. All new machines come with the new format PLC and touch screen. Existing FoodTools machines can also be upgraded to this system, please contact your FoodTools sales and service rep for more information.

6 Ways Bakers Can Improve Their Website

The internet is becoming a fact of life for business, especially retail bakers.  This great article in the Bakers Journal magazine covers six ideas that help bakers improve their websites and attract more business.  Take a moment to check it out!

http://www.bakersjournal.com/content/view/2962/

FoodTools In All Things Baking Video

FoodTools was featured in a video post by the All Things Baking trade show.

The trade show will be in Schaumburg, Illinois from October 2-4, 2011.  FoodTools will be in booth 925.  We hope to see you there!

All Things Baking Facebook Page:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/All-Things-Baking/107503079309539

FoodTools Video:  http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1900611756992&oid=107503079309539&comments

FoodTools Ultrasonic Slicing Machine Cuts 2,100 Loaf Cakes Per Hour

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/8/prweb8679149.htm

Santa Barbara, CA (PRWEB) August 02, 2011

For more than 25 years FoodTools has supplied the baking industry with equipment to cut, slice, and portion food products. FoodTools offers several models that cut loaf cakes into slices. The new machine is the most efficient model available for wholesale bakeries, portioning as many as 35 loaves per minute.

The ACCUSONIC-100FS with loaf slicing accessories is capable of cutting up to 35 loaves per minute or 2,100 loaves per hour. Plain loaf cakes, iced loaves, and flavored loaves can all be sliced on this model. To see this machine in operation watch videos at http://www.foodtools.com/?accusonic-100.

The inline machine uses a conveyor system to move the product through the machine and can be set up with automatic on load and off load assemblies. The machine is built to fit into a continuous production line and while one group of loaf cakes is sliced the sliced loaves are removed and a new group is loaded. There is virtually no downtown on this machine as it is always cutting a group of loaf products.

The machine uses two full wave ultrasonic blades to slice the bakery products. Ultrasonic technology gives the baker more versatility, allowing warm, fresh, chilled, or sticky products to be cut with ease. The Ultrasonic technology causes the blade to vibrate so fast that there is little resistance or stickiness between the blade and the product, creating a clean and precise cut every time.
All operations of the machine can be controlled by a touch screen at the front of the machine. Here the operator or baker can change product sizes, portion sizes, and speeds of the machine. The ACCUSONIC-100FS is one of the most versatile machines offered by FoodTools to the wholesale baking industry.

To schedule a free demonstration with a FoodTools machine contact FoodTools at http://www.foodtools.com.

FoodTools has served the baking industry since 1983 by manufacturing portioning equipment to cut and slice cheesecake, brownies, bars, loaves, rolls, biscotti, cheese, butter, ice cream, and more. FoodTools has sales and service offices in California, Michigan, the United Kingdom, and Asia to best serve our customers around the world.

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August 2011 - The Cutting Edge

The new issue of The Cutting Edge... has been published!

For the latest news on FoodTools and our industry visit:  http://www.foodtools.com/TheCuttingEdge/Issue%2004%20-%20The%20Cutting%20Edge%208-1-2011.pdf

Crumb Base Forming Machine

FoodTools unveiled our new crumb forming machine, the CS-7B, at the 2010 IBIE trade show in Las Vegas.  The CS-7B is based on the very successful CS-7A but is updated to include more durable components as well as to better meet the ever changing safety and sanitation standards of our baking industry.  The CS-7B was redesigned with BISSC, CE, and other certifications in mind and is not only safer, it is also easier to clean and requires less maintenance.  The operation of the machine has not changed.  Your cake and pie pans will still be filled with pre-measured crumb product and then set onto the product holder of the machine.  The operator then uses the handle to lower a plow into the pan and as the pan spins the crumb product is pressed and formed around the base of the pan.  The new machine is built to form crumbs in cake pans, spring pans, and pie tins, in either standard pans or custom sizes.  Consult your local FoodTools sales and service representative for a test or demonstration with your own pans and crumbs.  If you already use a CS-7A your current accessories will fit onto the new CS-7B so upgrading is quick and easy.  To see a video of this machine forming crumbs visit the web at www.foodtools.com/?crumb_forming

Big Blocks Of Butter? No Problem!

Do you cut butter, margarine, cream, or other products for ingredients? Do you throw large chunks of ingredients into a mixer to be processed? Do you worry about wear and tear on your mixers? The 5-AF wire slicing machine is being used by bakers around the world for ingredient reduction. Large 40-50 lb blocks of butter are placed on the 5-AF and a wire grid is pulled through the butter. This slices the block into much smaller logs of butter that can be placed into a mixer without adding extra resistance and damaging the mixer’s components and assemblies. Are you already slicing your blocks of butter and ingredients down to size by hand? Using the 5-AF reduces repetitive motion for your staff and adds safety by taking the knives out of people’s hands and instead using a reliable machine. The 5-AF can be operated by one person and can maximize your efficiency. Call today to schedule your demo!
5-AF Ingredient Reducer
www.foodtools.com/?5-AF

Baking & Snack story about Spare Parts & Preventative Maintenance

What happens if one of the machines in your bakery breaks down?  Do you experience downtime?  How much does that cost your company?  How quickly can you get the equipment fixed and the production line up and running?  It all comes down to planning and preparation!

In the July 2011 issue of Baking & Snack the article “When They Need It NOW” by Shane Whitaker focuses on these issues and how to plan to succeed when problems occur. 

http://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/bs/2011_07_01/#/80

If you are interested in ordering a spare parts kit for your FoodTools machine or setting up a preventative maintenance schedule with a FoodTools technician please talk with your FoodTools sales and service representative!

Industrial Tortilla Chip Cutting Machine

In recent years a buzz product in the food industry has been flat breads including pita and tortilla products.  FoodTools has several machine solutions to slice and cut flat bread products into portions for chip production.  The TC-2 is a high production machine designed to fit into an existing tortilla processing line where round tortilla products can be cut into wedges and then dropped directly onto a moving conveyor system.  The high speed machine has two cutting stations that rotate on an axis allowing the operator to fill the outer cutting station while the station inside the machine is being sliced.  This unique design allows the machine to cut chips while being reloaded at the same time, minimizing the overall cycle time and maximizing production rates.

Visit www.foodtools.com/?TC-2 to see a video of the machine or call FoodTools today to discuss the logistics of your project.

2011 Tax Deduction for FoodTools Equipment

The United States government extended Section 179 in the tax code allowing businesses to deduct the full amount of investment spent on capital equipment purchased and installed in 2011.  That means that the new FoodTools machine that you buy will be deducted from your taxes in 2011 as an expense rather than being depreciated over the next several years.  All FoodTools machines are included in this special option including our slicing and cutting machines, crumb forming machines, butter cutting machines, and more.  From the small corner bakery to large wholesale production facilities, this is a great opportunity to invest in your business, adding new equipment and production lines while using a beneficial tax option to help save money.
 

For more information you can speak with your FoodTools sales and service representative or contact our office.  For a more in depth analysis of Section 179 see www.irs.gov/formspubs/article/0,,id+177054,00.html