Puratos’ Muesli Cookie took first place at this year’s American Society of Baking (ASB) Product Development Competition held in early March at The Hilton in Chicago.

Contestants submitted written proposals and displayed detailed presentations during a poster session. Visitors were encouraged sample the various concepts before additional samples were presented to a judges’ panel. During the event’s closing ceremony, ASB officials later presented the winning product recognition to Puratos’ Braden Cadenelli, Kristine Vennell, Paul Morabito and Frank Devos. 

Made with 17g of whole grains per serving and wholesome ingredients such as apricot, cranberries, almonds, tender whole grains and seeds, the Muesli Cookie concept puts a twist on the traditional Swiss German breakfast dish. Moreover, the cookie addresses two very important consumer trends: health vs. pleasure and tradition vs. innovation. An earlier global study reveals that a perception of health does not necessarily mean compromise on taste. The trends also show that consumers are interested in keeping the old and embracing the new.

The American Society of Baking advocates personal and professional development by facilitating education, collaboration and interaction between commercial baking professionals, food technologists, engineers, as well as equipment and ingredient experts. ASB is a professional organization dedicated to advancing the baking industry and bakery technology.

*2011 Taste Tomorrow Global Study involving 6,400 consumers

Puratos is an international group with a full range of innovative products and application expertise for artisans, industry, retailers and food service customers in the bakery, patisserie and chocolate sectors. Puratos’ headquarters are located on the outskirts of Brussels (Belgium), where the company was founded in 1919. In the United States, Puratos is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., and has five distribution platforms and five innovation and nutrition centers.

— Puratos, www.puratos.us