The Guild of Bakers of Leningrad Oblast

While the word “guild” might suggest medieval craftsmen or a social group, the Guild of Bakers of Leningrad Oblast is a serious nonprofit association dedicated to providing important information and services to its member bakeries. The guild has pioneered development of the baking industry by informing members of market trends, negotiating prices with high-quality sources of ingredients, contracting for discount energy and securing tax exemptions.

Aware of the global market and believing there is power in diverse knowledge, members of the guild have exchanged training and information with Japanese and Finnish bakers. In keeping with this eagerness for new information, the guild requested an ACDI/VOCA volunteer baking expert to visit in mid-January 2002 to help refine methods and discover new recipes. Under ACDI/VOCA’s USAID-funded Russia Farmer-to-Farmer Program, the guild was connected with a 40-year veteran at U.S. food conglomerate General Mills, Mr. Arthur Fischer.

Mr. Fischer had worked extensively in quality control and test baking with wheat flours. His goal in Russia was to introduce American recipes, demonstrate baking techniques and adjust formulas for optimal product appearance and flavor. He found an eager and willing audience with four bakery owners and employees of the guild.

At each of their respective locations he demonstrated an exciting variety of new bread and sweet roll recipes. He was able to show how increased steam strengthens crust development, how greater water content makes white bread more appealing, and how keeping the oven door shut during baking yields a better product.

Guild member Babenko bakery had not been able to determine why there were consistent depressions on the top crust of the rye bread. After examining the production process Mr. Fischer and company technicians concluded that the problem was imperfect molding of the dough when it was placed in the baking pans.

As part of his Babenko consultation Fischer evaluated the company’s product line, which consisted of only three items. He presented five prospective new types of bread: American rye, improved white, potato bread, orange bread and dark bread (using flour and bran). He also reviewed flour milling procedures and equipment and made recommendations on the quality of the flour. One extra step that particularly endeared him was his presentation to the company of a host of the latest magazines and articles on bread quality. As a consequence of his intervention the company began production of potato bread, which has been well received in the market, overall bread quality is improving and sales revenues are up by 7 percent.

Within a year, armed with these new techniques and recipes, other guild bakeries were able to certify and produce new varieties including potato, soft pan and dark wheat bread. An orange bread recipe developed by Fischer was entered in Russia’s Bakery 2002 competition, where the Leningrad guild received second and third place in separate categories.

The guild has gone on to secure additional opportunities and benefits for its membership. It helped arrange a study tour of California bakeries by one bakery owner under a program organized by the Center of Civil Initiatives. It secured significant discounts for members on insurance and transportation.

Out of a commitment to enhancing opportunity for the private baking industry, the Guild avidly capitalized on Arthur Fischer’s recommendations. As a result of his contribution, it was able to improve members’ operations and develop attractive new products, and to affirm its role as a force for industry improvement.