ABOUT US – The Association of Bakers and Confectioners of the Czech Republic is a prominent professional association in the food industry that protects the interests and supports the work of companies in the baking and confectionery sector. The Association currently has 130 members – bakeries and confectioneries, suppliers of machinery and technology, raw materials and services for producers and food industry schools and vocational training centres. The work of the Association is managed by its Board of Directors, which implements the strategic goals and priorities set by the General Meeting. The Association’s business and organisational tasks are managed by the service organisation Pekař cukrář s.r.o. The Association is a member of the Federation of the Food and Drink Industries of the Czech Republic and works in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and other governmental institutions to fulfil its mission. It represents its members at meetings with professional food industry associations, both in the Czech Republic and internationally. The Association is artfully continuing the rich historical tradition of Czech bakers and confectioners guilds in the 21^st century.

Key Association tasks

• The Association is the leading organisation in the profession. It lays the groundwork for intensification of professional collaboration and solidarity, and supports the shared interests of companies in the sector.
• It promotes the legitimate interests of companies in the baking, confectionery and other related sectors vis-à-vis the public, state administration bodies, supervisory bodies, union organisations and key customer and supplier entities.
• The Association lobbies on behalf of its members’ interests in the Federation of the Food and Drink Industries of the Czech Republic and in economic committees of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Czech Republic when relevant legislative norms are discussed.
• It acts as a consultancy, advisory and information centre for Association members.
• To boost the technical and technology expertise of its members, the Association organises professional seminars and workshops where new trends in the sector are presented. It also facilitates meetings between professionals, as well as for regular exchange and sharing of experience and establishing of new business contacts.
• To increase product quality and to maintain a high level of craftsmanship, the Association organises a national competition called “CHLÉB ROKU” (BREAD OF THE YEAR), as well as various contests in professional craftsmanship whose winners are awarded the title “PEKAŘ ROKU” – junior (JUNIOR BAKER OF THE YEAR).
• The Association organises major events that include exhibitions of suppliers, professional seminars and promotion of bakery and confectionery products: The Pardubice Bread Days, Czech Bakers and Confectioners Day in České Budějovice, Machine Technology Seminar in Čejkovice and World Bread Day in Břevnov.
• The Association operates a “Baking Academy”, where it trains employees of member companies to increase their expertise and competitiveness.
• It organises meetings with bakers in different parts of the country (the “Bakers Tour” project) to provide them with up-to-date information about the industry and the market and to get feedback from local producers.
• The Association publishes the professional journal “PEKAŘ CUKRÁŘ” (BAKER CONFECTIONER) and “ROČENKA PEKAŘE A CUKRÁŘE” (BAKERS’ AND CONFECTIONERS’ YEARBOOK), as well as professional technology publications; it runs websites (svazpekaru.cz, stansepekarem.cz, chlebnasvezdejsi.cz) and administers its profiles on social networks (Facebook, Instagram). 
• Through its School Section, it supports the education and training of young professionals in the food and drink industry, promotes the baker and confectioner professions and strives to increase the appeal of these professions among young people.
• The Association raises consumer awareness about new nutrition and diet trends, promotes products made from local materials, as well as products manufactured according to traditional Czech technological processes. It also popularises the baker and confectioner professions in the media.

Address: Drahobejlova 2215/6, 190 00 Prague 9, Czech Republic
Phone: +420 266 199 200, e-mail: info@svazpekaru.cz

Contact details: Jaromír Dřízal, Executive Director of the Association
Phone: +420 199 266 200, e-mail: drizal@svazpekaru.cz