LOAVES OF PASSION

One of the many core values that drive The Italian Baker team

Consumers in many parts of the Klang Valley and beyond have been clamouring for a taste of Massimo, a new sandwich loaf with wheatgerm that hit the market the minute full page colour advertisements and TV commercials promoting the bread made their appearances about two months ago.
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So I simply couldn't pass up on the chance to tour the spanking new factory where Massimo loaves and buns were churned out when the invitation came.

True to the Italian proverb 'Who has good flour makes goodbread', Massimo by The Italian Baker is good bread made with quality flour and wheat germ; a subsidiary company of FFM (Federal Flour Mills) Berhad.

After a sumptuous lunch, Mr Jimmy Chang, General Manager and Director of The Italian Baker Sdn Bhd briefed us on how Massimo was realised after three yearsof intensive R&D. The factory was set-up with the expertise and machinery imported from the US and Italy but the most vital aspect according to Mr Chang is his team's passion in producing good, wholesome bread that everybody can afford.

What makes Massimo different is the addition of wheat germ which is known for its nutritious goodness and primarily valued as a natural healthsupplement. However, raw wheat germ needs to be handled, stored and processedproperly before it turns rancid so The Italian Baker's biggest advantage is its close proximity to FFM where a fresh and constant supply of the byproduct is easily available.

Currently, the factory produces 10,000 sandwich loaves (equivalent to 7 truckloads) and 23,000 cream rolls per hour. Almost the whole production is mechanically controlled; from the weighing of ingredients to the mixing, panning, baking, cooling, slicing and packing processes. Of course, workers are at hand to supervise the production line to ensure everything's glitch-free and conduct quality control checks at each section.

The finished products...Massimo white sandwich loaf (in blue bag) and sandwich loaf with wheat germ (green bag) as well as Duetto cream-filled buns

Mr Jimmy Chang (centre) with Mr Lai Fei Siong (Bakery Manager, left) and Eric Ong (Divisional Manager-Bakery) in front of the Massimo factory and delivery trucks

The proof of the pudding of course is in the eating. I was initially unconvinced how different a sandwich loaf with wheat germ can be but once I had a slice of Massimo, I changed my mind. The texture is noticeably firmer compared to existing brands in the market. It also doesn't have that sticky gumminess that causes the bread to stick to the roof of your mouth.

As you can see, Massimo can be made into bruschetta or eaten with various spreads such as butter, jam and mashed tuna. It tastes even better toasted which gives the bread a subtle nuttiness. The Duetto buns are not too bad though I would have prefer more filling in them.

Hmm...I wonder if the bread can be used to make tiramisu? Now that would really make Massimo truly Italian :)