Bakery Initiatives Group (BIG), a Dutch bakery consulting firm, in its resolve to impart modern bakery practices and techniques to help bakers in Nigeria run bakeries profitably, held another series of training for bakers in Yaba, Lagos.
The two-week series of trainings, which had over 50 participants benefitting included a “train the trainers” programme conducted by a co-founder and expert baker of more than 35 years’ experience in bakery and milling technology, Jacob Molenaar.
At the “train the trainers” programme, Molenaar told participants that the essence of the programme was not only to increase the theoretical and practical knowledge of participants in the bakery and confectionery industry but also equip them to be able to transfer such knowledge to others thereby creating a large pool of knowledgeable people in Nigeria.
Ephraim Mbanaso, country representative and CEO, Bakery Initiatives Nigeria, said the series of trainings are aimed at addressing one vital area of need Bakery Initiatives identified while interacting with bakery operators in Nigeria over the years, which is a dearth of professional bakers.
He also informed participants that the idea behind the training centred on skill acquisition for all categories of human resources needed for the effective and efficient running of bakery businesses.
The training programme saw the participants trained on various aspects of bakery, such as technology and practice of baking of bread, cakes and pastries with special emphasis on recipes, effects of basic ingredients, cost calculations, among others.
The company put the programme together to train and re-train bakers in Nigeria with a view to equipping them with the requisite knowledge to succeed in bakery business.
With support funding from BMZ/develoPPP.de, BIG used the programme to acquaint participants with baking skills and other necessary knowledge needed to run bakeries profitably, while also exposing them to international best practices and emerging trends in the industry.
“I was thrilled not only by the exposure to the new insights about baking various products but how different ingredients can be utilised to achieve a desired effect in the finished products among many other benefits,” said Fibian Ehizibolo, who participated in the “train the trainers” programme.
The training programme is a continuation of Bakery Initiatives Group’s intervention in Nigeria, which began last year and has trained more than 120 bakers so far.
