Sweet Tech Revolution: Can Automation Enhance Craftsmanship in the Baking World?

A caramel river flows through the Tunnock factory near Glasgow, where the balance between traditional craftsmanship and modern automation is a daily challenge. Tunnock’s, a small player in a market dominated by giants like McVitie’s, produces 20 tonnes of caramel daily, relying on experienced workers to ensure the right consistency. With a workforce of skilled operators, the intricate task of spreading caramel onto wafers remains human-focused due to its sticky nature.

Despite such labor-intensive processes, Tunnock’s embraces technology to remain competitive, turning out seven million wafer bars and 4.5 million tea cakes weekly. Their wrapping process exemplifies this balance, as they choose to fold the wrapper for tradition, rather than use faster sealing methods that could jeopardize the product’s charm.

Innovations in food tech are emerging, such as the robot arm HIRO from Unifiller, designed for cake decoration. It poses its own challenges, particularly with hygiene and the variability of baked products. Derek Lanoville from Coperion discusses these hurdles, emphasizing the need for equipment that’s easy to clean and adaptable to the unique shapes of cakes.

In a different realm of baking, Anomarel Ogen, head baker at The Bread Factory, champions the irreplaceable value of human skill. Producing up to 40,000 sourdough loaves daily, they rely on delicate, skilled human hands to monitor and adjust the baking process, showing that while machines play a significant role, the soul of baking remains in human craftsmanship.

According to Craig Le Clair from Forrester, the key to successful integration of technology is creating a hybrid model that amalgamates automation with the nuances of traditional techniques. As Tunnock’s faces a volatile financial climate, they contemplate upgrading their production line while remaining cautious about their investments, especially in a world where traditional baking faces the pressures of modern automation.