Milling & Baking News - May 16, 2023 - 10

TUES | 05 16 202 3
FGF Brands to build innovation
park in metropolitan Toronto
PICKERING, ONT. - Baking manufacturer
FGF Brands has purchased 151 acres
of land in Pickering to build a food manufacturing
campus called Wonderbrands
Innovation Business Park. According to
the city of Pickering, the first phase of
development will commence with the
construction of three baking plants and a
distribution center, covering a total of one
million square feet.
FGF Brands will be the largest commercial
baking manufacturer in the greater
Toronto area following the construction.
The first phase is expected to create 1,000
jobs, and the eventual second phase is
expected to create 2,000 more.
Established in 2004, FGF Brands is a
family-owned baking company that grew
over the past two decades to become a
leading baker of flat bread distributed
throughout North America. In 2012, the
company rebranded its International
Fabulous Flats as Stonefire Authentic Flatbreads,
traditional and whole grain naan.
Ardent Mills' private label flour
brand targets emerging retailers
DENVER - Ardent Mills has introduced
BakeHaven flour for manufacturers'
private labels that will target " emerging "
retailers, meaning independent, small
chain grocery stores, retailers and convenience
stores, said Raelyn Bausman, associate
manager of channel marketing.
In the past, high packaging minimums
for flour to be sold at retail often made it
unaffordable for smaller retailers and
kept Ardent Mills from servicing them.
BakeHaven, with a more affordable minimum
order of three pallets, will allow
Ardent Mills to do so, she said.
BakeHaven wheat flours include all-purpose
bleached flour, all-purpose unbleached
flour, organic all-purpose flour, self-rising
flour, whole wheat flour, bread flour and a
keto-friendly all-purpose flour blend. BakeHaven
gluten-free specialty flours include
almond flour, coconut flour and one-to-one
General Mills plans to expand
snacks facility in Illinois
GOLDEN VALLEY, MINN. - General
Mills, Inc. is looking to expand its snacks
manufacturing and warehousing facility
in Geneva, Ill.
According to a Jan. 30 proposal document
submitted to the city planner,
General Mills seeks to build a one-story
65,600-square-foot production expansion
physically connected to existing
10
MILLING & BAKING NEWS
production warehouse areas and a
48,600-square-foot warehouse expansion
physically connected to existing warehouse
and nearby manufacturing spaces.
Other additions outlined in the proposal
include a 42-space employee parking
lot, storm sewer systems and light
fixtures that are meant to " provide a high
level of safety and even illumination for
The company expanded in 2021 when it
acquired the fresh and frozen bakery
business of George Weston Ltd. for $1.2
billion.
Some of the brands in FGF Brands'
portfolio are Wonder Bread, D'italiano,
Country Harvest, Stonefire, ACE and
Casa Mendosa. The company bakes fresh
bread, rolls, croissants, muffins and sweet
goods. MBN
gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Private label growth is outpacing the
retail flour category and gaining share
from brands at 3.3 percentage points by
volume, according to Denver-based Ardent
Mills. Unit sales of private label flour yearover-year
in April 2023 were up nearly 9%
when compared with April 2022.
Ms. Bausman gave three reasons why
private label sales in general are growing.
First, prices are increasing for traditional
national flour brands because of inflation.
" Having private label, (retailers) get to
control that price a little more, " she said.
" Consumers are looking for more of that
high-quality, yet value, option. "
Second, private label's credibility continues
to improve. Third, retailers are
prioritizing their own brand.
" They are trying to build their private
label across multiple categories, " Ms.
Bausman said. MBN
employees and other visitors to the site,
while minimizing the potential for light
pollution beyond site property lines. "
Geneva's Planning and Zoning Commission
approved the proposed site plan with
conditions on April 13. The City Council
then approved the plan at its meeting on
May 1.
General Mills now can move forward
with the expansion.
The facility will " be used to support
our snacks business and plans to be operational
in 2024, " according to General
Mills. MBN
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Milling & Baking News - May 16, 2023

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