From baker to bakery expert: the man behind the machine

Erwin Tweebeeke has been firmly rooted in the bakery world from a young age. For the past 18 years, however, he has been doing so in hundreds of different bakeries. As a bakery expert at Kalmeijer, he serves as the vital link between traditional craftsmanship and modern machinery.

Not made for sitting still

Erwin knew from an early age what he didn’t want: to spend all day sitting in a classroom. Reading books was never really his thing. He needed to keep his hands busy, and his mind as well. The bakery turned out to be the perfect answer.

He trained in bakery and pastry making and worked for many years as a pastry chef. What started as a practical career choice gradually developed into a deep-rooted passion for the craft. And it is precisely this background that makes him such a valuable asset to Kalmeijer today.

"Those years in the bakery are the foundation of everything I do," Erwin explains. "When I’m with a customer, I understand what’s going on. Not from a textbook, but from experience."

No two days are the same

Anyone who thinks a bakery expert spends their days behind a desk is mistaken.

One day, Erwin is testing a new machine in the test bakery. The next, he is visiting a customer to investigate a baking issue or commission a newly installed machine. In between, he prepares demonstrations, supports the sales team, and represents Kalmeijer at trade fairs in the Netherlands and far beyond.

"Every bakery is different," he says. "Different ways of working, different products, different people. At one bakery, you’ll be sitting around a farmhouse table with a cup of coffee. At another, you need a visitor’s pass just to get through the door. Even after all these years, that’s what keeps the job interesting."

Going further together

When Erwin arrives at a customer’s bakery to address a baking issue, he doesn’t start by offering his own solution. He starts by listening.

"I always assume that the baker already knows a great deal," he says. "It’s not about who has the most knowledge. It’s about combining that knowledge and putting it to work together."

Kalmeijer’s sales representatives all have a bakery background and are able to solve most questions themselves. But when a challenge becomes particularly complex, they turn to Erwin. That is when the real detective work begins: is the problem caused by the machine settings, the dough, or perhaps even this year’s harvest?

"You always have to look at the bigger picture," he explains. "A machine can be functioning perfectly while the real issue lies elsewhere, such as the ingredients or the temperature of the dough. Only when you understand the complete process can you identify the right solution."

Theory versus Practice

Sometimes a dough performs perfectly on paper, yet still causes problems once it enters the machine. Erwin has seen it happen countless times.

Take an oil-based cookie dough, for example. In theory, it should pass through the machine smoothly. In practice, however, it turned out to affect the machine in a way no one had anticipated. Or consider a baker who wants to produce dough pieces weighing 16 or 17 grams using the KKM, while the minimum adjustable weight is 20 grams.

In situations like these, Erwin works alongside the customer to find a solution. Can the recipe be adjusted? Can the machine settings be modified? And if neither option works, what then?

"That’s when you explore the boundary between what is technically possible and what the customer truly needs."

Everything under one roof

What makes Kalmeijer stand out, in Erwin’s view, is not a single machine or department. It is the combination of everything working together.

"Development, production, service, and sales are all under one roof here. Communication lines are short. If a customer is experiencing an issue, I can immediately coordinate with R&D or the service department. That’s a huge advantage."

When new machines are being developed, Erwin works closely with the R&D team. He tests, observes, and feeds his findings back to the engineers. In this way, his practical experience directly influences the ongoing development and improvement of Kalmeijer machines.

After eighteen years, Erwin knows exactly what motivates him.

"When you’ve been working on a serious problem at a customer’s bakery, examined every detail, and then walk out knowing the issue has been resolved, that’s the moment. That’s when everything comes together."

The same satisfaction comes from a successful trade show, a demonstration that perfectly showcases a machine’s capabilities, or a baker who calls months later to say that their production process is running more smoothly than ever before.

Looking to the future with confidence

The bakery industry is changing. There are more specialized concepts, more semi-industrial operations, and a growing demand for machines that can increase efficiency while reducing dependence on labor. Erwin sees these developments every day, and he remains optimistic.

"The baking profession will always exist. In fact, we’re seeing more bakeries opening again. They may look different than before, but the demand for good bread and true craftsmanship isn’t going away."

And neither is the need for people like Erwin: someone who understands the bakery floor, knows the machinery inside and out, and understands the people behind the business.