Baking & Snack - April 2024 - 12

Aspire expands puff
pastry production
Aspire Bakeries, Los Angeles, expanded production of its Pennant
Puff Pastry with a new line at its Hazleton, Pa., plant. The company
will make about a dozen SKUs of the French puff pastry used by
chefs and foodservice operators.
" This expansion brings opportunity for the company and the
community, " said Tyson Yu, chief executive officer, Aspire Bakeries.
" The state-of-the-art line allows us to meet increasing demand for
Pennant Puff Pastry in the foodservice industry. "
The company officially opened the remodeled bakery and new
line with a ribbon-cutting earlier this year. The investment in
Hazleton gives Aspire the ability to further innovate in the puff
pastry market, Yu said.
Pennant Puff Pastry is a favorite among chefs, said Beau Netzer,
chief commercial officer, foodservice, Aspire.
" The frozen pastry offers convenience with creativity, " he said.
" Along with boosting production, the Hazleton bakery will have the
capability to produce multiple sizes, formats and configurations. "
The 113,000-square-foot Hazleton plant opened in 1992 and
employs 150 people. In addition to puff pastry, the bakery makes
custom-baked goods for strategic customer partners.
Aspire Bakeries also produces artisan bread, buns, cookies,
donuts, muffins and pastries from brands that include La Brea
Bakery, Otis Spunkmeyer and more.
Pennant Puff Pastry was founded in 1938 and is used in sweet
and savory applications, such as appetizers, desserts and pizzas.
Mary's Gone Crackers adds
manufacturing capacity
Mary's Gone Crackers recently revealed that it has doubled its
manufacturing capacity to more than 14.2 million lbs. The glutenfree
cracker maker operates a 435,000-square-foot facility at its
headquarters in Reno that features five ovens (the fifth oven was
added in 2023).
" We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of our
operational improvement plan in order to ensure customers of optimal
order fulfillment levels while adding capacity in support of
Mary's Gone Crackers' accelerated growth in 2024 and beyond, "
said Michael Finete, chief executive officer. " Additionally, new capabilities
both inside and outside our facility will be instrumental
in enabling us to meet both customer and consumer demands for
a pipeline of category innovating products. "
Mary's Gone Crackers said it has invested in sensory and flavor
enhancing equipment, expanded manufacturing lines and added
new team members as part of its transformation.
- Eric Schroeder, Milling & Baking News
12 Baking & Snack April 2024 / www.bakingbusiness.com
Moore
Insomnia Cookies opens
new headquarters
Insomnia Cookies opened a new global headquarters building
called " The Imagine What's Possible Center " (IWP). Located in
Center City in Philadelphia, the three-story workplace includes an
innovation center and an expanded retail store within the company's
flagship bakery, Insomnia said. The expanded bakery will
include a full menu as well as opportunities for visitors to try new
flavors and products.
" Insomnia Cookies was founded in 2003 out of my Philadelphia
dorm with the goal of reinventing the cookie category, " said Seth
Berkowitz, founder and chief executive officer of Insomnia Cookies.
" Twenty years later, we open our new headquarters, innovation lab
and flagship bakery in the heart of our founding city to further our
mission of continuously redefining the category and inspire our
Insomniacs with warm, delicious cookies delivered late into the night. "
The 26,000-square-foot building houses approximately 100 fulltime
employees.
Krispy Kreme Inc. acquired Insomnia Cookies in 2018 for an
undisclosed amount. Today, the business generates approximately
$230 million in sales. Late last year, Krispy Kreme said it was exploring
strategic alternatives for Insomnia Cookies, including an
all-cash sale.
- Zachary Sosland, Milling & Baking News
Bob Moore, founder of
Bob's Red Mill, dies
Bob Moore, founder of Bob's Red Mill and
one of the most recognized figures in the
natural foods industry, died on Feb. 10. He
was 94 years old.
A perennial entrepreneur, Moore and his
wife, Charlee, who passed away in 2018,
founded Bob's Red Mill in 1978, and today
the company is a leader in organic and
gluten-free foods. The company's mission
is to promote " whole grain foods for every meal of the day, " and
its portfolio of products includes more than 200 items, including
whole grains, stone-ground flours, cereals, baking mixes and more,
that are shipped to more than 70 countries.
In 2010, Moore turned the company over to his employees,
making Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods an employee-owned company
through an employee stock ownership plan. More than 700
employees now own the company.
In 2018, he relinquished his duties as chief executive officer, but
he remained the face of the company while promoting the benefits
of whole grains around the world.
- Eric Schroeder, Milling & Baking News
https://www.bakingbusiness.com/articles/46670-krispy-kreme-parent-adding-insomnia-cookies-to-menu https://www.bakingbusiness.com/articles/60039-krispy-kreme-may-divest-insomnia-cookies https://www.bakingbusiness.com/articles/60039-krispy-kreme-may-divest-insomnia-cookies https://www.bakingbusiness.com/articles/39756-bob-s-red-mill-becomes-employee-owned http://www.bakingbusiness.com
Baking & Snack - April 2024

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