‘Faces of the Frontline’ - the women in bakery who are making a difference

In recent years, technological advancements in the baking industry have revolutionized production processes, leading to greater efficiencies, consistency and product innovation.​

Automation has enabled the baking industry to scale operations, reduce labor costs and maintain consistent quality. Advances in monitoring systems and data analytics have helped optimize baking conditions, ensuring precise temperature control, humidity and baking times, enhancing product consistency and reducing wastage.

Meanwhile, innovations in ingredient processing and formulation continue to drive the development of products that meet consumers’ evolving needs. All these advancements not only improve productivity and through put but also open new possibilities for creativity and consumer engagement in the baking industry.

A key part of these advancements is the workers behind the machines who empower the industry on a daily basis. Their dedication and resilience were highlighted throughout the pandemic when factory workers continued to work on the frontline to ensure production continued and that their teams were equipped to safeguard against illness.

When empowered with the right tools, such as QAD Redzone’s Connected Workforce Solution, frontline workers can lead an organization forward in improving efficiency, overcoming production obstacles, reducing occupational injuries and bringing manufacturing costs down.

Digital tools and collaborative software solutions, such as Redzone, are creating virtual training platforms to upskill employees, promoting a connected workforce that can access resources that can be updated in real-time, regardless of location. This, in turn, fosters a culture of continuous learning, motivation and innovation.

People power: The frontline workforce in bakery

The people behind the machines – the workers on the frontline – are crucial to achieving a company’s goals, ambitions and growth. At the heart of every baking operation lives a team of all stars, the frontline workers whose hands-on expertise ensures that production processes run smoothly, enabling consistent product quality and innovation. By being encouraged to actively participate in improvement initiatives, these workers can help optimize efficiency, reduce waste and increase through put, positively impacting a company’s reputation and profitability.

In addition, their troubleshooting, feedback and experience can offer valuable insights to help guide the development of new products and processes, ensuring that the seamless functioning of the production line aligns with the company’s long-term vision.

Women in the baking industry significantly contribute to a company’s ambitions and growth through their leadership, innovation and dedication. Women also play key roles in mentoring and training, helping to build a skilled and motivated workforce. Their attention to detail and commitment to quality ensures that the company maintains the high-quality standards that are crucial for long-term success.

Let’s find out how three women are making a difference by embodying the spirit of craftsmanship and commitment that defines the baking industry today.

‘Faces of the Frontline’: Manufacturing's All Stars

Shannon Bone​

Shannon Bone, the Safety and Sustainability Manager at Companion Baking in St. Louis, MO, is an example of the transformative impact women can have in the manufacturing industry.

In her first year of joining Companion Baking, Shannon demonstrated a keen ability to identify areas for improvement and a safety commitment to making meaningful changes.

Shannon organized all the safety information the committee would need in easily accessible formats. She produced safety videos and created checklists for frontline workers. She also recorded all her findings and corrections in Redzone, helping the team iterate on the process and drive continuous improvement.

This dedication to safety has built an environment where employees feel they can voice their concerns and suggest improvements. In the last three years, Companion Baking has seen a 61% decrease in safety costs.

In addition to her work on safety, with Redzone’s help, Shannon launched the Waste Watchers Committee (WWC) with the goal to reduce the company’s landfill waste. By establishing the WWC, she has driven initiatives that have reduced the company's waste output.

The committee made simple shifts such as composting waste instead of hauling it to the landfill, baking waste bread dough to reduce volume, and switching to products that result in less waste. Having all waste data stored in Redzone allowed WWC to make informed decisions and eventually reduce landfill waste by 92% while cutting down on waste disposal costs. 

These efforts not only contribute positively to the environment but also inspire a sense of purpose and pride among employees, reinforcing the importance of sustainability.

Jessica Hernandez​

When Jessica Hernandez first joined Dot’s Pretzels in Lenexa, KS, as a temporary worker, her main goal was to secure a long-term position where she could make a meaningful impact.

Despite lacking experience in manufacturing and technology, Jessica's determination and willingness to learn quickly led her to the role of Training Lead, where she now plays a pivotal role in deploying QAD Redzone’s Reliability and Learning modules.

Jessica taught herself how to navigate technology, mastering everything from typing to effectively using iPads and Redzone software. Her quick adaptation not only impressed her superiors but also positioned her as a leader capable of driving change within the organization.

By 2021, Jessica was tasked with training more experienced colleagues on how to optimize their use of the platform, a testament to her rapid learning and leadership abilities. She retired the old paper system and created a maintenance forum that everyone could access.

She also developed 175 preventative maintenance tasks which simplified the workflow and improved performance. Automating these important maintenance tasks in Redzone also made the process faster, which further improved team morale.

Digna Cedillo​

Digna Cedillo has worked at Empire Bakery in Rocky Mount, NC, for over two decades and is now Production Lead and Decorator.

Digna’s determination and belief in her peers has ensured that many problems have been solved during her time at the company. For example, on one particular day, Digna was short on decorators and needed to reassign production line workers to fill the gap. Feeling overwhelmed and underprepared, the production line workers were reluctant – but Digna didn’t take no for an answer.

Training them every step of the way, Digna made sure that they were comfortable and happy enough to complete the job. In fact, in the end they were so happy with the work they had done, they asked Digna to take pictures to send to other members of the team.

Digna’s problem-solving skills have also been vital in aiding her success. Using Redzone’s ‘5 Whys’ method, her team have been able to get to the root cause of problems. After finding an issue with the icing production, Digna’s team could not determine how the icing had turned bad. By asking a series of ‘why’ questions, her team was able to find the cause and the problem was resolved.

Redzone has a clear track record in helping to elevate frontline teams by equipping them with new technology and skills to align with their company’s goals; it is this which is key for businesses in the baking industry to thrive, both today and into the future.

Read more inspiring stories from the ‘Faces of the Frontline​’ who are driving progress, innovation, and transformation on the shop floor.​