Flour Manufacturers

Europe and Australia's leading flour manufacturers have come together...

European flour manufacturers grind approximately 35 million tonnes of soft wheat and rye each year, employing 30 000 wage earners; it has a turnover of more than 12 billion euros. The difference in the structure of the milling industry between northern and southern countries is very distinct.

Since the mid-1990s, European flour manufacturers have faced a market characterized by a decline in export owing to a fall of the consumption of baked products in several countries. European flour manufacturers are suffering from 'overcapacity', which has contributed to the 54% decrease in the number of mills between 1990 and 2000. France has about 582 mills in 2001, grinding 5.8 million tonnes of wheat and producing 4.5 million tonnes of flour; 16% of which are exported and 59% used to make French bread, whereas the rest is used mainly by the food industry.

The quality and safety of flours are essential. For 20 years, the French flour milling association (ANMF) has published a list of recommended varieties (VRM), recently completed by a list of French flour milling soft wheats (BPMF) used for French bread making. Those varieties are tested by a protocol developed by the Permanent Technical Committee of breeding (CTPS) and the Cereals and Fodders technical Institute (ITCF).

In order to guarantee the security of flours, French flour manufacturers take part in a food survey plan, and have developed a hygiene code of good practices; there is also a supply contract for traceability for soft wheat, based on the wheat production charter IRTAC/ITCF...