Milling & Baking News - October 27, 2015 - 12

Business X

McKee Foods plans $102 million
capacity and office expansion
COLLEGEDALE, TENN. - McKee
Foods Corp., based in Collegedale, said it
will invest $102 million on an expansion
project expected to add about 50 jobs over
the next five years.
Included in the project will be new
manufacturing equipment as well as an office building and conference center.
"We're thrilled to be
increasing our production capacity and supporting the community we love through
new jobs and investment in the local economy," said Mike
McKee, president and chief executive officer of McKee Foods.
With annual sales of $1.4 billion, privately-held McKee is one of the largest snack cake companies in the United
States. The company's brands include
Little Debbie, Drake's, Sunbelt, Heartland and Fieldstone.
In recent years, McKee's largest investments have been away from Collegedale,
which is located about 20 miles east of
Chattanooga. In 2014, the company said
it was investing $34 million to expand
production at its manufacturing facility

in Stuarts Draft, Va. Two years earlier, the
company announced plans to spend $19
million on new baking equipment for the
Virginia plant.
In 2012, the company was successful in
its $27.5 million bid for the Drake's snack
cake brand and certain equipment as part
of the Hostess Brands,
Inc. liquidation.
Numerous
local
officials in the Collegedale area offered
words of support for
McKee and the company's
expansion
plans. The mayor of Hamilton County,
where McKee is located, said the company is the county's top employer.
McKee Foods is the largest snack cake
maker in the United States, based on data
from Information Resources, Inc. In the
52 weeks ended Oct. 4, the company had
sales of $643,665,984, down 1.9% from the
year before. The company's 27% market
share is 77% larger than the industry's
No. 2 player, Hostess Brands L.L.C., is
about four times larger than the 6.6%
share of Flowers Foods, Inc. McKee's dollar share also is greater than private label,
which accounts for 23% of the market. MBN

Nestle identifies key baking season trends
ingredients
custom blends
innovation
national distribution

B.C. Williams Bakery Service
BCW Food Products
1-800-527-4104

bcwilliams.com

12 / October 27, 2015 XMilling & Baking News

SOLON, OHIO - Speed scratch, farmers
market-inspired baking and tradition reinvented are three core trends expected to
drive this year's baking season, according to Nestle USA. With more self-taught
and culinary adventurous consumers,
Nestle said baking has evolved to include
ingredient-driven sophistication, more
baking customization and personal interpretation of classics.
"The definition of baking now includes
a variety of ingredients, flavors and ways
to bake," said Lucien Vendôme, director
of culinary innovation at Nestle USA.
"Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies will always be an American favorite,
but by infusing them with tahini, we're
reinventing a classic recipe with a modern flavor profile. Consumers are actively
redefining traditional baking and Nestle
Toll House wants to be part of that journey by inspiring home bakers to achieve
their baking aspirations."
This year, Nestle Toll House partnered
with pastry chefs from around the United
States to define key trends for the 2015
baking season. The three core trends they

identified were speed scratch, farmers
market-inspired baking and tradition reinvented.
For speed scratch, Nestle said bakers
may tap into pastry chef creativity and
ensure success by leveraging proven baking shortcuts.
"Premade dough simplifies preparation, lets bakers explore ingredient variety and minimizes inconsistencies," the
company said.
Farmers
market-inspired
baking
should receive a lift from bakers eager to
use ingredients that are in season.
"With access to farmers markets year
round, there are plenty of options for creating desserts with a distinct seasonal flavor," Nestle said.
Finally, tradition reinvented may be a
trend that takes shape as multicultural
families are on the rise, Nestle said.
"With this demographic makeover in the
U.S., home bakers are connecting with their
heritage by updating treasured desserts,"
the company said. "The memories behind
classic recipes are timeless but today's baker is looking to create new traditions." MBN
bakingbusiness.com / world-grain.com

http://www.bcwilliams.com http://www.bakingbusiness.com http://www.world-grain.com

Milling & Baking News - October 27, 2015

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