Increasing demand for the artisan products
According to the latest consumer trend studies, consumers will increasingly want locally produced, high-quality artisan products in the future. It opens up better opportunities for small bakeries to compete for consumer choices with industrially made bakery products. In the case of artisan products, the challenge is often to ensure the taste and composition of the products according to the recipe, when the flour and small-scale dosing of the dough is most often done by hand.
Ingredient dosing according to the recipe is the key to homogeneity
In very many small bakeries, the recipe is still in the notebook and the proportions are made with a calculator. In the rush of work, human error is sometimes possible; the ratio may be miscalculated or some substance may be forgotten in the dough. Sometimes bakers may have their own view of the recipe, making the products look like their creators. From the point of view of a good image of quality, it is important to strive for the most uniform quality possible while maintaining the appearance and feel of the handmade product.
The smart scale combines an operator terminal and a conventional counting scale into one package
To ensure the homogeneity and recipe compliance of the products, Powdea has introduced a new innovation developed specifically for the needs of artisan bakeries. At the heart of the solution is the Smart Scale that replaces the traditional counting scale by combining a operator panel with an accurate platform scale.
“We have delivered dozens of Smart Scales as part of the dosing systems of industrial bakeries and have seen the benefits they bring as homogeneity and smooth weighing, says Tuomo Kousa, CEO of Powdea. We began to think about how we could bring the benefits of larger bakeries to smaller bakeries as well. We came up with the idea of packing the smart scale and the recipe control program into one bundle, so that the benefits of prescription-controlled dosing are achieved without a large investment in equipment, ”Kousa continues.
Get rid of the recipe book and the calculator
The biggest benefits of a smart scale are based on the digitization of recipes, which makes them visible on the screen of the smart scale. The screen instructs the baker to dispense the ingredients according to the recipe and checks that the dispensing is within tolerance and that all the ingredients have been dispensed. The ratio counter always counts all the ingredients correctly when the dough is resized.
Equipment as a service – a new model for purchasing dispensing equipment
As an alternative to investing in equipment, Powdea has also made it possible to acquire equipment by leasing. The sourcing model used especially in IT equipment has now been made possible for dispensing equipment. “The share of IT equipment in our solutions is growing all the time as Dispensing equipment is digitalizing,” says Tuomo Kousa, CEO of Powdea. “The Devices as a Service model enables the introduction of new technologies for a fixed monthly fee, so the benefits are immediately available. Our customers can focus on their own business and we are responsible for ensuring that the Dispensing Equipment works and is renewed on time. “
