bake - May 2012 - 8

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RBA Names President
For only the second time in its history, the Retail Bakers of America (RBA) has elected a supermarket bakery executive as its president. Kenneth Downey, Sr., director of bakery sales and merchandising for Kings Food Markets, Inc., will serve as the 2012 RBA president. “The supermarket instore bakery really helped the retail bakery owners evolve into what they are today,” Downey wrote in his ﬁrst letter to association members. “There is no longer a retail bakery on every street corner of America, but the retail bakeries of today are specialized. Now we have cake shops, donut shops, pastry shops, bread bakeries and patisseries.” Downey, a graduate of The American Institute of Baking, has more than 25 years of experience in the supermarket baking industry and is a former retail bakery owner. He worked at Kings Food Markets for the last eight years and was instrumental in earning Kings the honor of “In-Store Bakery of the Year 2012,” awarded by InStore Buyer magazine. Downey has also served as president for the New Jersey Bakers Board of Trade, Inc. “I look forward to working with each and every one of you during the next 12 months as we continue to form even stronger relationships between both ends of our business that support and grow our mutual interest,” Downey says. The contest features the following categories in two divisions, professional and student: • Best wholesale/commercial raisin bread • Best artisan raisin bread • Best breakfast item All eligible contestants are bakers and research & development staff of commercial baking companies, craft bakers and retail shop owners/ managers, certiﬁed baking teachers, students in accredited baking programs, bakery technicians at bakery supply wholesalers, ﬂour milling companies and other allied bakery ingredient suppliers, and 18 years or older. The California Raisin Marketing Board’s ﬁfth annual America’s Best Raisin Bread Contest is now open, and all industry professionals and student bakers are encouraged to enter their most mouth-watering masterpieces in one or all of the three categories of this competition: Artisan, Commercial and Breakfast.

“This competition celebrates the creativity of both seasoned professionals and rising stars in the baking world, while highlighting the versatility of California Raisins as ﬂavor-packed ingredient,” says Larry Blagg, senior vice president of marketing for the CRMB. “The contest is an ideal way to showcase the endless varieties of delicious bread products that can be made from world-renowned California Raisins.” Preliminary contest judging will take place in August. A total of 36 ﬁnalists will receive a complimentary trip to the American Institute of Baking in Manhattan, KS, on October 11-13, 2012, where they will bake their formulas before a panel of distinguished judges from both the artisan and commercial baking industries. A total of 12 winners — nine in the professional division and three in student division — will be selected. Winners will be selected based on their formula’s taste, appearance, originality and value.  The California Raisin Marketing Board seeks to encourage the use of healthy ingredients. Formulas that feature 100% whole grains and/or gluten-free ingredients will be awarded in each division. In addition to industry-wide recognition, winning bakers will receive a ﬁve-day California educational vacation with visits to the Culinary Institute of America, Yosemite National Park and the San Joaquin Valley — home of the California Raisins. Entries are accepted through July 15, 2012. Visit www.loveyourraisins.com for application, rules and additional details.

Calling All Raisin Bread Formulas
Fresh from the oven is the ultimate California raisin bread competition, honoring professional and up-andcoming bakers across the country.

08 < MAY 2012 | bakemag.com
http://www.loveyourraisins.com http://www.bakemag.com
bake - May 2012

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