Job Talk: Innovation Manager Patisserie San Smets
San Smets has been working at Bakker Goedhart Patisserie and its predecessors for over twenty-nine years. She started in the commercial office, now she works in Sevenum as Innovation Manager Patisserie. The most fun job there is, with the nicest product. “Pastry and pastries are very dynamic and are part of the fun things in life.”
From coincidence to professional love
After her HEAO, San more or less accidentally entered the bakery business. When she started, pastries in the supermarket were still small. “Nowadays, fresh, including pastries and pastries, is much more important for supermarkets. And of course, it's also organized differently — supermarket chains have their own product range and a lot is now determined nationally.” With this attention to pastry, the product management function within the bakery was also created. “Because innovation is especially important in pastry, this position is called Innovation Manager for us.”
Together in one line
“As an Innovation Manager, you connect the market, numbers and bakery to new ideas that really hit the shelves,” says San. She doesn't do that alone: “We have a small, close-knit team. Two product developers work in Sevenum and two more in Panningen. I'm an Innovation Manager in Sevenum, and I have another colleague in Panningen.” And together with colleagues, including Richard, Maurice and the product development team, San also forms Team Cut the Cake.
Cut the Cake
The cheeky hospitality brand Cut the Cake has been around for 3 years now. These are special cakes for the hospitality industry and wholesale trade, and that was a bit of a switch for the bakery. “We're used to working fresh for supermarkets every day. Then you have fixed changeovers and predictable volumes,” says San. The wholesaler works differently: orders go through other channels and not at fixed times. “That was new to us. You have to learn how the market buys, plans and thinks.” The bar is also higher from a technical point of view. “Cut the Cake is real pastry, not ordinary pastry. They are complex products, but that is what makes them beautiful. You can immediately see that you are making something that stands out from the crowd.”
From numbers to creations
But there is also a challenge for the energetic Innovation Manager in fresh baked goods for various major supermarket chains. “Based on trade marketing figures, we will develop new ideas with product development.” They approve new products together. “If taste, price and story are right, we will make a presentation for the supermarket. That remains exciting. But that's exactly what gives energy.”
Tastes with an advantage
Bakker Goedhart likes to capitalise on holidays and current trends with pastry. “Of course, we had the Dubai pistachio. And now we also have Yuzu pies. These kinds of flavors give your range an advantage. Nowadays, we also make many products vegan and sometimes entirely plant-based. That suits today and our customers.” She herself is a fan of Cut the Cake's Bombastic Brownie. “And the apricot pie with fried sugar from our bakery in Sevenum. That's really a Limburg treat!”
Winners' mentality in the bakery
What really makes San happy? “When a new product proves successful. Then you'll know why you're doing it.” Conquering new markets with new products, she likes that. Yes, she is a bit competitive: “I like tennis and I also like to win,” she says with a laugh. That mentality goes a long way, it turns out. Bakker Goedhart is now the largest cake supplier in the Netherlands. “I'm really proud of that,” says San. “We keep innovating and yet the craft remains tangible. You smell it, you see it, you taste it. And behind each product, there is a team that goes for it together.”