While Hudson Bread, North Bergen, NJ, doesn’t shy away from automated equipment, it does still produce 200 to 400 dozen specialty breads per day by hand. Olive pockets, onion pockets, Russian pockets and some ciabatta products are all created by the hand crew to preserve their unique look and artisan quality.

Ray Million, vice president of operations, is always in conversation with Koenig Bakery Systems, one of Hudson Breads’ three main equipment suppliers, about how these products can eventually be scaled up without losing those unique touches.

“We push Koenig to the limit to pull these things off,” he said.

The latest challenge has been a specific ciabatta loaf: how to sheet, cut and turn it and still get the same look delivered by the baker who executes this perfectly imperfectly by hand. It’s something Mr. Million has been working with Koenig on for a year.

The company offers many independent components that can be chosen to customize a makeup line, but Koenig can also engineer specific custom components for niche products. Many of Hudson Bread’s makeup lines have custom features, and Mr. Million has worked closely with the company to ensure nothing is lost in product quality. It’s a collaborative relationship Hudson Bread has not only with Koenig but the other two major suppliers it’s committed to: HB-Technik and MIWE.

“The relationship we have developed with these companies is unmatched,” he said.” We couldn’t be happier with the products, technology and support from our partners.”

This article is an excerpt from the April 2022 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Hudson Bread Co., click here.