Baking or Browning

We have this legal case brewing here in Germany.....over an odd topic....when is baking....really baking?

So, this starts with the ALDI grocery chain.  For Americans who aren't familiar with ALDI.....I'd describe it as a grocery operation that runs on discount to a big degree and you will find a streamlined and fairly unremarkable store operation.  It's not fancy....nor modern-looking....nor designed to be appealing.  It's simple, and they try to cut operational costs via every possible method that you could dream up.

ALDI had this idea a couple of years ago.....to have fresh bread.  This typically means that you employ bakers, and you run some oven in the operation.  My local grocery (500 ft away) has such a bakery, with two ovens and eight-part-time folks who toss the delivered dough products there, and they bake it.

Well....ALDI found that they could buy a process-system where you push a button....dough would be put onto a conveyor belt, and run through a heated system.....to be delivered a couple of minutes later as a hot bread item.  Pricing was very low, which appeals to most folks.

Somewhere in this use of the process-system.....the bakers union folks got involved and asked some stupid questions.  They say that this process is not baking BUT browning (the German term utilized).  If true, then ALDI can't use the term 'baking' in their advertising.

So a court has this problem to discuss.  Why this all matters?  For centuries.....craftsmanship has been a big deal in Germany.  Whether you were discussing bakers, roofers, carpenters, or butchers.....people protected their trade and expertise.  When a couple of German plumbers meet....it's almost like a secret society meeting, and they sit around with beers to discuss their trade, new developments, and the future trends.  ALDI has stepped into the middle of a craftsman issue.  Can a machine get the same status as a craftsman?

If ALDI loses?  Well.....there will have to be a sign change and some advertising switch, but I suspect that the machine-process will stay around.  Face it.....if you can get the same bread at a better price than the local bakery can provide.....there will be some folks who pick ALDI over the competition.

I've actually stood there and done the ALDI bread routine.  The only problem I had....was this five-minute wait to get the bread that came out.