Value-added finishing includes melted chocolate drizzles, according to Stewart Macpherson, owner and vice-president, sales and marketing, Unifiller Systems, Delta, BC. The company’s robotic-­controlled machine can be programmed by the operator to create random-looking drizzles in up to three flavors or colors at the same time, he said.

Woody Associates, York PA, specializes in string decorating machines for icings and chocolate fondants.

Because more bakeries are requiring higher levels of sanitation, Henry Reinke, president of Woody Associates, said its customers want fully washdown machines made of all stainless steel that can be easily disassembled without tools. “Our machines are available with those features, and they are customizable depending on what customers request,” he added.

String icing applicators from Hinds-Bock Corp., Bothell, WA, feature an oscillating head that moves the icer back and forth to create a zigzag pattern. The oscillation and conveyor speeds are both infinitely adjustable so bakers can create different sizes and wavelengths of zigzags just by turning a couple of knobs, said Mark Young, the company’s  Southeast US sales representative.