I was out getting my lunch one day and decided to have a couple of the famous (certainly in Edinburgh) Bain’s Pies.
I watched the baking trays come out of the oven laden with freshly cooked hot pies and noticed the silicone paper they were using to line the trays. John (the owner) told me how much it cost and that it generally lasted for just two days. That doesn’t sound long but Bain’s have a high demand and they bake pies 10 hours a day to keep up.
What was the issue?
John said they didn’t have any problems and were happy with the silicone paper although it’s expensive. He did say they would get quite a few pies each day which would stick and end up being scrapped (signalling the end of the paper's lifecycle).
He also explained they get some residue of spillage or crumbs from previous bakes building upon the silicone paper and this can become burnt-on and transfer to the base of the next fresh batch. It was clear to see the marks on the paper, but it was impossible to clean off.
Our non-stick solution
I asked John if he had ever thought of using non-stick coated trays. The vague expression said it all and he admitted he never even knew they existed for small users like himself.
As I described the product and how simple his whole process could be if he used non-stick coated trays, I could tell he was suspecting some black magic or voodoo would have to be at play for a tray to be this easy to work with.
To prove my point, I gave him a tray from stock to use and abuse for a month, knowing that PTFE non-stick coatings really are a huge step up from paper and oil.
I re-visited a month later and John’s whole team immediately gathered around to tell me about their experience with this amazing tray.
The benefits for Bain’s
John is now set up and running with 18 brand new trays custom made to fit his existing rack, coated with a two-layer hard surface non-stick release coating.
In addition, we refurbished his cooking pots and applied a similar coating to these. Now any residue on the trays from a bake simply falls off when the tray is overturned, meaning no burnt extras on his famous pies. The cleaning time on his cooking pots has also been reduced drastically.
The cost of the trays was about the same as three month’s supply of silicone paper, but they will last for years.
Can we help you too?
While many of our customers order thousands of coated trays at a time, we are still competitive for smaller bakeries. Bain’s had 18 trays and two pots but we were still able to make a positive difference to their product and cut their costs.
We can coat small quantities, recoat existing items and have a variety of coating equipment to cater for small users and large alike.
If you’re ever in Edinburgh and are lucky enough to try one of John Bain’s famous pies, just look at the bottom and see how perfect it is!
If you are a small baker or butcher with limited demand, please contact us and ask about what we can offer.
