Bakers and Caterers get much-needed hands-on skills training?

ON Wednesday, June 27th, 2018, ADM Caribbean Agro Industries Limited and Barbados Mills Ltd hosted a one-day interactive baking seminar for bakers, caterers and all users of flour in an effort to “transfer and sharpen the necessary skill set to enhance and maintain competitiveness in the baking industry.”

The seminar, facilitated by Barbados’ seasoned chef Peter Edey, did not only teach about the varied usage and composition of flour but demonstrated how the basic ingredients of baking should be added to the flour to manipulate the gluten content in flour so as to maximize greater efficiency in the baking process.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Director of Consumer Affairs, Mrs Pariet Herman stated, “the government has recognised the baking industry as very critical within the national economic landscape and as such has undertaken in a large measure to maintain stability and predictability in the pricing of the main ingredients necessary for baking.”

According to Mrs Herman, “government has made a deliberate policy intervention to make the supply of flour available at an affordable price so that bakers can produce products that are competitive and consumers can afford what is produced.”

Mrs Herman appealed to bakers “to produce in accordance with the ever-changing consumer taste and preferences as consumers today are more exposed to a myriad of products on the global market and if the product does not suit their taste they will quickly switch to the next alternative.”

The session was well received by bakers as it served as the ideal platform for them to enhance their knowledge and skills about the main ingredient in baking and see first-hand how flour can be manipulated to deliver various products to satisfy the varied tastes and preferences of consumers.

This session was the second such workshop hosted by ADM Caribbean Agro Industries Limited and Barbados Mills Ltd. (Consumer Affairs Division Department of Commerce)