Our Senior Editor, Joseph Clarke, has just concluded a fantastic two days at the Puratos Fourayes site in Kent, getting a close-up look at the care and expertise that go into producing fruit ingredients for the bakery and pâtisserie sectors.
Here’s what Joseph had to say about the visit…
What struck me most from our initial tour of the site was just how much knowledge and attention goes into every stage of growing and processing the fruits. From the meticulous managing of the fruit orchards, through to the specialist storage facilities where apples can be kept for up to 12 months while retaining their taste and texture, there was so much to take in!
One of the highlights was spending time with Swailey, Farm Manager, whose knowledge and passion for fruit growing came through in every word uttered as he walked us around the orchards. Having the chance to pick some of the apples ourselves was a special touch too – the real cherry on the cake!
Bees and Bramleys
Puratos Fourayes combines extensive Kentish fruit growing with a high-tech processing operation, enabling the business to take fruit from orchard through to ingredients used by bakers around the world.
We were fortunate enough to tour the processing factory and see first-hand how the fruit is carefully sorted, washed, peeled and diced before being transformed into fillings, jams, compotes and other ingredients for bakery and pâtisserie applications.
Of course, one of the best parts was tasting some of the finished products. It was great to experience how everything we had seen throughout the visit ultimately translates into flavour, texture and quality.
There were plenty of fascinating details along the way. I was amazed to learn that 2 million bees are introduced to the apple orchards each year to support pollination. Another fact that really surprised me was that each Bramley apple needs around 66 leaves to support its growth – both great reminders of just how much goes into producing something we often take for granted.
I was also really interested to see the versatility of sourdough. We often associate it primarily with bread, but it can be used in both wet and dry forms across a much wider range of baked goods – The sourdough crumble was particularly good!
Another major takeaway for me was the level of R&D happening behind the scenes. It became clear just how closely Puratos listens to its customers to understand the challenges they face and develop solutions that respond to what today’s consumers are looking for.
Tasty Treats
No tour would be complete without a tasting session! Thanks to the Puratos team and their wonderful pâtisserie chef, Matt, this detail was by no means overlooked. From multi-layered cakes to banana splits, there was no shortage of opportunities to see – and taste – how the company’s fruit ingredients can bring flavour, texture and character to finished bakery and pâtisserie products. I probably shouldn’t pick a favourite product… but I will… The damson brownie and the date-caramel cookie were outstanding! (Apologies – that’s 2)
On behalf of International Bakery, I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone at Puratos Fourayes for making me feel so welcome and for giving me such a fascinating insight into its operations.
Keep your eyes peeled for the full write-up of our Puratos Fourayes site visit in the next issue of International Bakery Magazine!
