Baking & Snack - April 2022 - 28

HUDSON BREAD CO.
customers' every need. And when requests for frozen
product began a few years ago, Mr. Kolodziej saw an opportunity
for Hudson Bread to grow and diversify. In
2019, after working with MIWE on a freezing process,
Hudson Bread installed a spiral freezer and freezer storage.
When the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shut
down most of New York City's foodservice business, it
was the frozen production that kept Hudson Bread in
business.
" It was a good investment at the time because while
much of New York shut down, the smaller restaurants,
schools and airports, the frozen business expanded because
retail picked up, " Mr. Kolodziej said. " It was that
investment that allowed us to stay afloat. We lost the
fresh business, which was normally 800 customers at
that time, but we were able to balance it with the frozen. "
Today the company's portfolio sits at 70% fresh and
Left: Hudson Bread
has focused much
of its automation on
eliminating manual
loading and unloading
of its two deck ovens.
Right: Hudson Bread
works closely with its
suppliers to customize
equipment, particularly
for makeup, to meet the
needs of its delicate
breads and rolls.
local, while 30% is dedicated to frozen. But it's the frozen
side that shows the promise of not only sales growth but
increases in operational efficiencies as well as flexibility,
which has been guiding investment at Hudson Bread.
Much of the frozen bread is sold to country clubs, resorts
and retail customers such as in-store bakeries. This
gives Hudson Bread the opportunity to get its brand directly
to the end consumer.
" When you do strictly catering-type of operations,
you can disappear because no one knows whose bread it
is, " Mr. Kolodziej said. " You have to have a presence; you
have to be visible. The name is getting recognized, and
we have a strong presence throughout the tri-state area. "
Not only does frozen help get the company's name in
front of the consumer, but it also provides the flexibility
to meet their ever-fluctuating needs without throwing
away product.
" One day you can have a full restaurant, the next
day you might only have five tables, " Mr. Kolodziej
said. " Having bread in the freezer allows you to not order
waste. "
And it's also allowed Hudson Bread to stretch its
reach beyond the tri-state area. As chefs left New York
City during the pandemic, Hudson Bread began getting
calls from those customers in their new locations. Now
Hudson Bread can be found in restaurants in Virginia,
Florida, Texas and even California. With freight and
logistics costs skyrocketing, however, and demand for
Hudson Bread's frozen breads and rolls showing no
signs of slowing, the company has continued to make
smart investments that will support the growing need
for greater capacity and efficiency.
An interrupted production
Hudson Bread's bakery has a footprint of 44,000 square
feet, but as the bakery grew, Mr. Kolodziej has taken advantage
of every square inch of vertical space. With all
the mezzanine space that has been built in, the facility
now has 60,000 square feet of manufacturing and storage
space.
On one mezzanine sits the HB-Technik ingredient
handling system. Two 64,000-lb indoor silos contain
white flour while a 20,000-lb silo holds whole wheat
flour. Three smaller silos hold liquid pre-ferments that
are matured over 12 hours: polish, rye sour or white
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Baking & Snack - April 2022

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