NEWS
Low threshold product development at Baron Foodtech’s Innovation Center
Baron Foodtech’s Innovation Center offers bakeries an easy and low risk way to develop new products on a small scale. The goal is low threshold product development where ideas can be tested in practice before any larger decisions are made.
Baron Foodtech’s Innovation Center is designed to make product development easy, smooth and safe for bakeries. The purpose is to offer an environment where ideas can quickly be turned into testable products and where customers receive reliable information before considering bigger investments. The latest equipment investment, a compact rotary moulder, strengthens the possibilities especially for developing biscuits and snack products.
Why low threshold product development matters
The pace of product development in the bakery industry is increasing. New products are expected quickly and industrial production lines often run with very little downtime. This makes testing between large production batches difficult, because even a small trial can disturb production or become expensive.
The Innovation Center offers an alternative. Here ideas can be tested on a smaller scale without pressure from production schedules. Results are available quickly and customers can evaluate recipes, structure and process at an early stage.
Practical testing that supports better decisions
The Innovation Center provides a wide range of equipment that supports hands on product development. Small test batches are made with real production tools and, when needed, product characteristics can be examined in the laboratory. Based on the trials, recipes and processes can be adjusted before industrial scale production is considered. If useful, 3D tools can be used to evaluate the product’s appearance.
Baron Foodtech’s CEO Mikko Lehtinen describes the situation like this:
“There is no room for trial and error on industrial lines anymore. When capacities are high, even one test can disturb production for a long time. That is why you need a place where you can run smaller tests in peace and move step by step toward a finished product.”
Rotary moulder brings flexibility to testing
The new rotary moulder in the Innovation Center is particularly useful for products where shape and texture matter. The machine is easy to use, quick to clean and designed for fast adjustments. This makes it well suited for small test batches and repeated trials without unnecessary waste.
Fabio Padovani from Padovani Technology explains the idea behind the machine:
“We designed this machine to be easy to use and easy to clean, so you can test new doughs or shapes without wasting time or ingredients.”
With the rotary moulder, customers can create their first prototypes quickly and get a clearer understanding of how the product behaves before making any larger decisions.
Product development from the customer’s perspective
At the Innovation Center, product development follows the customer’s pace. The process is kept clear so that getting started is easy.
Usually everything begins with a small idea or a question. Together we then plan a test that supports the customer’s goal. A small test batch is made using the practical equipment available and the results can be evaluated immediately. Recipes, shapes or processes can be adjusted and the work continues without major risks. Even one day of testing can provide answers that would otherwise require much more time and resources in a factory.
Mikko Lehtinen summarizes the approach:
“Quite often it is enough that you get to try something small. When that is easy, everything else becomes possible.”
The Innovation Center supports bakery growth
Baron Foodtech’s Innovation Center operates as part of the Food Pilot Plant environment at LAB University of Applied Sciences. It provides a practical and accessible place to develop products responsibly and efficiently. The combination of equipment and hands on expertise supports bakeries from the first idea to the finished product.
The rotary moulder complements the setup and makes product development even more accessible. The aim is to help bakeries move from idea to product clearly and safely with a genuinely low threshold.