WASHINGTON — Pepperidge Farm, Inc., Norwalk, Conn., took top honors in the wholesale baking category in a sustainability competition conducted in connection with the 2016 International Baking Industry Exposition.
Pepperidge was named wholesale baking winner in the Becoming Environmentally Sustainable Together (B.E.S.T.) in Baking award. Honorable mentions in the category went to Aryzta L.L.C., Los Angeles, and Dawn Food Products, Inc., Jackson, Mich.
Inaugurated in 2010, the B.E.S.T. in Baking program recognizes bakers and exhibitors that supply equipment, packaging, ingredients, products and/or services that foster sustainability through energy or water conservation or reduced landfill waste while promoting overall healthy living and reduced environmental impact.
For 2016, the program was expanded to include categories for wholesale and retail bakers, as well as products related to ingredients, packaging and logistics, in addition to equipment.
The awards will be presented during IBIE, Oct. 8-11 in Las Vegas.
In the baking equipment category, Heuft Thermo-Oel GmbH & Co., Eifel, Germany, took top honors. Honorable mentions went to Air Management Technologies, Lewisburg, Pa.; Bakery Concepts International, Enola, Pa.; and Revent, Inc., Township, N.J.
In the ingredients category, Palsgaard, Inc., Parsippany, N.J., was the winner. Honorable mentions went to Daabon Organic USA, Miami, and Western Sugar Cooperative, Denver.
In packaging, top honors went to Citamel Packaging, Jackson, Mich., with honorable mention to Tielman North America, Toronto. In logistics, the winner was FlexiBake ERP, Maple Ridge, B.C.,and honorable mention went to NetGlo Corp., Highland, Md.
The winner in the retail bakery category was O&H Danish Bakery, Racine, Wis., with honorable mentions to Small World Food, Rochester, N.Y., and New Fresh Bread Bakery, Dededo, Guam.
Judges in the 2016 B.E.S.T. in Baking competition included Siarl Dixon, certification manager, AIB International; Dan Inman, director of quality and research and development, The Long Co.; Jim Kline, president, The EnSol Group; Mike Pierce, president, The Austin Co.; and Joe Bove, vice-president, The Stellar Group. Submissions were evaluated for environmental impact, innovation, feasibility, return on investment and practicality for application in baking.
“We can make an incredibly positive impact on the environment by employing even more sustainable practices across the wide spectrum of our industry,” said Michael Cornelis, chairman, IBIE. “IBIE is proud to lead the way in this effort and recognize those who are putting environmentally sustainable practices to use every day. They are an inspiration and we’re happy to recognize their progress.”
Benefits of the B.E.S.T. in Baking designation include mentions in pre-show promotion, the IBIE web site and IBIE’s social media platforms, plus a dedicated B.E.S.T. in Baking Lounge located in the Grand Concourse Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
