Puratos Bakery schools for a better life in India and Brazil
We believe it is very important not only to share our skills and know-how with our commercial partners, but also to help underprivileged communities in the countries where we operate. Being a reliable local partner is part of our international business philosophy, which we demonstrated by opening bakery schools in India and Brazil.
As in many other developing countries, consumer tastes in India and Brazil are becoming increasingly westernized, with an increasing demand for finished goods such as cakes, pastries and chocolates. Supermarkets, bakeries and cake shops, as well as hotels and cruise ships, all want to increase the range of products they have to offer, but many of them suffer from a shortage of skilled labour.
Bakers of the future
Determined to teach young people the skills needed to work in the bakery, patisserie and chocolate sectors, Puratos has invested in two bakery schools, one in Brazil and one in India. In both countries, the courses have been designed to take pupils beyond basic education and to give them the practical training needed to make a decent living. The program also includes paid internships in various companies. We as a company also commit to employ pupils who graduate from the schools in India, Brazil or elsewhere, or place them with one of our partners.
Based on the proven success rate of the projects in India and Brazil, we are planning to expand the program so that even more young people from developing countries can turn their passion for bakery, pastries and chocolate into a rewarding career.
India
Our first bakery school was inaugurated in India in August 2014. Twenty-five pupils from underprivileged areas enrol the program each year. Lessons are many and varied, from learning the basics in cookery and bakery to progressing to more advanced lessons in patisserie and chocolate-making.
Brazil
In April 2015, in collaboration with the Gol de Letra Foundation, we launched a similar project in an underprivileged neighbourhood of Sao Paolo where every year around 20 pupils have the opportunity to take part in workshops for a period of 18 months.
If you would like to find out more about our bakery schools, please contact your local representative.
