Baking & Snack - December 2019 - 16

Flowers launching portfolio
review, strategic changes

Clay Miller named president
of Burford Corp.

A portfolio profitability review has been initiated at Flowers
Foods, Thomasville, GA, in an effort to offset headwinds weighing on bottom-line results. The review was announced by A. Ryals
McMullian, president and CEO of Flowers Foods.
Mr. McMullian described the review as an extension of costcutting efforts that were part of Project Centennial, a multi-year
restructuring initiative. Having addressed indirect costs and organizational structure, he said portfolio and supply chain optimization represents the "second stage" of this work. Flowers also
will focus more broadly on enhancing its snack cake and foodservice businesses.
In addition to the portfolio review, Flowers will invest in tools
and capabilities to help the company make more informed strategic choices around assortment, pricing, distribution and innovation, Mr. McMullian said.
"It will also help us more efficiently weed out unprofitable products or accounts that contribute nothing but added cost and complexity," he continued. "The true crux of this effort is to drive out
valueless complexity and improve our operational efficiencies."
Steps toward this optimization already have begun,
Mr. McMullian said. He cited the addition of organic bread production capacity in the Northeast this year, the announced closing of an
Alabama baking plant and the installation of a high-speed bun line
in Suwanee, GA, as examples. He said plans are in place to convert
another existing Flowers plant to organic production in 2020.
- Josh Sosland, Milling & Baking News

Middleby Bakery, Plano, TX, promoted Clay Miller to president of Burford
Corp., Maysville, OK.
The company in a press release said
Mr. Miller possesses great technical expertise and amassed unique sales and
leadership skills during nearly two decades serving the baking industry.
Since 2001, Clay has served Burford
Miller
Corp. in a number of roles including mechanical engineer, sales
engineer and, most recently, vice-president of sales.
Mark Salman, president, Middleby Bakery said Mr. Miller's
knowledge of the company, as well as the baking industry as a
whole, will be an asset to both Burford and Middleby Bakery. "Fred
Springer has put in a great team at Burford that will surely follow his footsteps in providing exceptional customer's experience
and continuous innovations that will change our customer's lives,"
Mr. Salman said. "We thank Fred for his long years of service and
wish Clay many years of success."

Innova Market Insights
names top trends for 2020
Authenticity, holistic health and customization top Innova Market
Insights' list of 2020 food trends.
More than half of global consumers said a brand or product's
story influences their purchasing decision, Innova Market Insights
said. "This is not only an ingredients trend," said Lu Ann Williams,
director of insight and innovation at Innova. "I think a lot of companies have the opportunity to talk about why they do something,
like why you add preservatives or why you don't add preservatives."
Innova also expects increased interest in mood-enhancing food
and drinks next year, as consumers look to "star" ingredients like
cannabidiol or ashwagandha to treat stress and anxiety.
Consumer demand for unique experiences will move beyond flavor to include texture. Seven out of 10 consumers said texture gives
food a more interesting experience, according to Innova, and young
people are beginning to care more about a product's texture experience than ingredient list.

16 Baking & Snack December 2019 / www.bakingandsnack.com

Fred D. Pfening Co. names
new president
The board of directors of the Fred D.
Pfening Co., Columbus, OH, elected
Fred Pfening IV as president of the
organization.
He succeeds his father, Fred D.
Pfening III. Fred D. Pfening III began
working at Pfening's in 1976 and since
1989 served as company president.
Under his leadership the company conPfening IV
tinued to grow and developed new product lines such as liquid ingredient handling.

In Memoriam

Turano

Patricia Turano, the wife of Senator Renato
(Ron) Turano, who is an owner of Turano
Baking Co., Chicago, died Nov. 23. She was
75 years old.
The Turanos were married for 54 years,
and Ms. Turano regularly attended baking industry meetings. She is survived by her husband, three children and nine grandchildren.

http://www.bakingandsnack.com

Baking & Snack - December 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baking & Snack - December 2019