Following a day’s travelling our hosts IREKS treated all to a welcome buffet prepared using their products and I believe the empty plates all round spoke volumes for the products tantalising the taste buds of the welcome recipients. What better to wash down some wonderful ‘artisan breads’ than some refreshing German beer (even better when it comes from a brewery co-owned by our hosts IREKS).

Tuesday morning seen the Bako team and customers up and about sharp for a short walk to the IREKS headquarters and while all were impressed with the building from the outside what we were about to witness inside over the following two days made the exterior fail into insignificance and was nothing short of incredible. If there was one thing that stood out above all others it was quality with a capital ‘Q’ in that the IREKS motto could easily have been ‘If It Is not excellent, then it’s not acceptable’.

Customers attending the IREKS visit were:

• DAVID LEE - D & W LEE
• GRAEME TROTTER - TROTTERS BAKERY
• MARK DICKINSON - ROTHBURY
• DAVID WARD - ARMSTRONG (CANATRICE)
• MARTIN GLENTON - GLENTONS BAKERY
• IAN WHITEHALL - DONKINS
• CHRISTOPHER GOODWIN
• COLYN PENTLETON - FARM BAKERY
• ROBERT BRADLEY -TAYLOR'S SHOTTON
• NIGEL HODGSON - COTTAGE PIE- CUMBRIA
• PAUL MORGAN - MORGANS
• JOHN TURNER - TURNERS QUALITY BAKERS LTD
• IAIN CAMPBELL - CAMPBELLS, CREIFF
• JONATHAN KELLY - KELLY OF CULTS
• CHARLES & GRACE BLACK - BLACKS OF DUNOON
• DAVID & SYLVIA IRVINE - NEWLAND BAKERY
• STUART & JEAN RUSSELL - RUSSELLS PATTISSERIE
• STEPHEN KOWALEWICZ - THE BAKERY

All were impressed by the high degree of automation at the IREKS factory and the two day technical training showcase was surpassed by the hospitality extended to us all during our visit.

Customer Comments:

May i take this opportunity to thank you and all the Bako team for such a splendid four days last week. The whole trip was so interesting and informative with all points uncovered. The Hospitality from both IREKS and yourselves was more than generous.

I have spoken with Alan yesterday and said what a great job you had all made to make the trip such a success and that the company had surpassed themselves with the visit .

Many Thanks

Ian Whitehall (J Donkin Bakers)

Hi Noel

Thanks again, it was well worth taking a few days away from my own business, the IREKS TOUR was brilliant but also it was good to get to know the other bakers and some more of the Bako staff .A very enjoyable trip all round thanks to all for the organizing

David Lee (D&W Lee Bakery)

Hi Noel,

Thanks for your email and thanks to BAKO Northern for organising a logistical nightmare so well. Your hospitality was much appreciated and I enjoyed every aspect of the trip immensely. Many new ideas were gleaned - I wish there were more hours in the day to put them into production.

The most enjoyable aspect of these trips is always the social side of things and I was delighted to meet some new faces and hear that their problems are just the same as mine!

Kind regards,

Iain Campbell
(Cambells Bakery – Crief)