In this IBIE blog post, Katie Juhl, Marketing and Communications Director at American Bakers Association (ABA), announces their support of the World Bread awards by recognizing heroes in our industry. The American Bakers Association is a  co-owner of IBIE along with BEMA and in partnership with the Retail Bakers of America.

The American Bakers Association will celebrate the bread community in partnership with the Tiptree World Bread Award Heroes. The 2020 awards will recognize the people behind the baked goods: the bakers, millers, farmers, and others in the industry going above and beyond to help their community.

These awards shine a spotlight on the generosity of those in the baking community who have stepped up during these challenging times. Submit a story of a Bread Hero’s impact on their community, their reach, how they have innovated, their generosity of spirit, or their care for the wellbeing of others.

There will be regional Bread Hero USA winners and one Overall Winner of the title ‘Tiptree World Bread Awards Hero USA supported by the American Bakers Association 2020’. Nominations close October 8, 2020, and awards will be announced on November 19, 2020.

Check out the interview below with Tiptree World Bread Awards Director, Caroline Kenyon, and Robb MacKie, President and CEO of the American Bakers Association, about what the Bread Heroes 2020 campaign means to him.

Follow the World Bread Awards USA on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @breadawardsUSA.

2020 has been a year of reflection for all us, reminding us in the midst of this pandemic that change is inevitable and as an industry, we must (and will) adapt. At IBIE, 2020 also marks our 100-year anniversary and the pandemic is not the first, nor the last, disruption in our industry. We’ve faced wars, depressions, 9/11, diet fads and more. As we look forward to the next century and the road to recovery ahead, we wanted to share a walk down memory lane that celebrates both our successes and challenges—as both help shape the future our industry, and in many ways drives innovation. And as IBIE 2022 approaches, we will all look forward to reuniting as a community and forging ahead together. IBIE This article was originally published in Baking Business Magazine.

An IBIE history lesson

This year IBIE celebrates a history of innovation, collaboration and education that spans a century. For 100 years to be exact, the largest baking exposition in the Western Hemisphere has taken the industry from the early days of the industrial age that laid the foundation for automation to the current digital era that’s transforming today’s technology a whole new level. Throughout the decades, a steady stream of invention that’s rooted in Old World tradition and inspired by ingenuity has redefined how baked goods are made and go to market on a global scale.

The earliest of days of Baking Expo — what has now become IBIE — spans back to the Roaring Twenties and the post-World War I period of prosperity that introduced the first mechanized proofers and gas-fired ovens. In 1920, just two years after BEMA was formed, the association called the industry together for a national exposition at Atlantic City’s Million Dollar Pier. The inaugural event, which took place during the annual convention of the American Association of the Baking Industry, assembled 125 exhibitors of machinery, packaging and ingredients and featured fully equipped bakeries operating right on the show floor.

Birth of the modern era

Fast forward to 1949. Thirteen years had passed since the previous Expo. After weathering economic difficulties and wartime privations, bakers were ready for change. They got it at the first baking show to be jointly sponsored on a regular basis by BEMA and the American Bakers Association (A.B.A.).

Baking Expo 1949 marked the first such assembly in the modern era and was hailed as a wildly successful event. Organizers promptly set the next one for 1955, and the show settled into a six-year cycle of events at Atlantic City and other venues. The pattern held steady for the 1961, 1967 and 1973 expositions.

During this period, the baking industry saw the emergence of continuous mixing for bread and cakes, automatic scales and mixers, bulk flour handling, mobile bakeries for U.S. Army use, the birth of the brown ’n serve process and rack ovens — just to name a few. In the 1960s came the development of high-speed English muffin lines, frozen dough bake-off technology and spiral conveyors for proofing, cooling and freezing. Among the major advances in technology during the 1970s were pneumatic pre-batching of ingredients, satellite-style, multi-roller laminators and vacuum cooling for par-baked bread.

To better accommodate the accelerating pace of technological change, the A.B.A. and BEMA shortened the interval to every four years starting with the 1977 event. But they had even bigger ambitions in mind; they decided to move the 1981 Baking Expo to Las Vegas. Although some thought this a risky choice, the new venue proved well worth the gamble.

Changes and challenges

The timetable held to four years apart for the next five shows: 1985, 1989, 1993, 1997 and 2001. That period saw the rise of the information age and the introduction of full bakery computer-integrated manufacturing, touch-screen equipment controls and computerized master batching systems.

From an automation perspective, the 1980s saw overtilt-bowl horizontal mixers, rotary bread dividers and gravity-controlled, stress-free dough handling. The 1990s took a quantum leap with open-architecture computer controls for processing lines, servo-driven enhanced equipment, high-rise robotic fermentation rooms, ultrasonic slicing techniques and low-stress systems for high-absorption, artisan doughs.

To herald the new millennium, show organizers officially changed the event’s name to the International Baking Industry Exposition for the 2001 gathering. However, the new century brought new challenges. Despite all the new technology at the 2001 show, its biggest development did not take place on the exhibition floor. Instead, national crisis brought IBIE to a standstill on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, a day that nobody will ever forget.

As details of the largest attack on American soil rapidly unfolded, the IBIE committee shut down the meeting when city authorities evacuated Las Vegas Convention Center 90 minutes before the show was to open. The 9/11 attacks forced a three-day shutdown of air travel worldwide, stranding 22,000 IBIE attendees and exhibitors in Las Vegas, while an estimated 2,500 others who planned to come missed the show entirely.

When IBIE reopened for those who remained in Las Vegas, show managers extended hours for its remaining days. The historic day changed the country, and IBIE was about to change as well.

IBIE’s four-year schedule often led to overlaps with bakery shows in Europe, notably iba in Germany. The A.B.A. and BEMA reorganized their event to dovetail with that three-year pattern and set the next date for 2004.

Bigger, better programs

With the move to Las Vegas came increasing demand for more program content. Over the years, industry associations, including the Tortilla Industry Association (T.I.A.) and the Independent Bakers Association (I.B.A.), scheduled their fall meetings to coincide with the burgeoning exposition, but attendees wanted more. Specifically, they requested educational offerings open to the whole trade. In 2004, they got a series of “hot topic” seminars conducted by AIB International.

In succeeding years, the Retail Bakers of America (R.B.A.) and the Bread Bakers Guild joined AIB International in providing speakers and producing educational sessions.

When the Las Vegas Convention Center could not accommodate the fall 2007 dates and space required by IBIE, the joint BEMA-A.B.A. management committee selected the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., where the Grain Foods Foundation revealed its communication program focused on the functional benefits of grains in the diet.

The year 2010 brought IBIE back to Las Vegas for a blockbuster event that covered a half-million square feet of exhibit space. BEMA and the A.B.A. welcomed the R.B.A. as a new partner for the event.

Three world-class live skills competitions brought the excitement of Food Network-style reality TV onto the 2010 show floor. The Louis Lesaffre Cup tapped IBIE for its Western Hemisphere finals ahead of the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (World Baking Cup) in Paris. General Mills hosted the Pillsbury Baker’s Plus Grand Champion cake decorating contest. The World Chocolate Masters U.S. national competition also took place and TLC brought in a TV crew to capture these events live on the cable network.

IBIE grew even larger. In 2013, it boasted 815 exhibitors (13% more than in 2010) that took up 19% more square footage in the Las Vegas Convention Center. Attendance surged, as well, to an estimated 21,000 baking professionals. Exhibitors highlighted energy conservation, sanitary systems and food safety as well as growing consumer interest in organic and healthy foods. IBIE also introduced the Innovation Showcase, organized by Sosland Publishing Company.

Exhibitors brought in food celebrities such as the “Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro to lead in-booth demonstrations, and the American Pie Council provided a pie buffet. The PQM Pizza Village showed machinery and demonstrated the latest pizza production techniques. Plus, the 2013 show added a mobile app for smartphone users.

Let’s get interactive

The 2016 gathering again set new records for exhibition space (700,000 square feet, up 28% from 2013), exhibitors (more than 1,000 with 340 new to the show) and visitors (a 9% increase over the previous IBIE). The Innovation Showcase more than doubled in number of participants. The first All-American Tailgate Party gave attendees additional networking time on opening day. One exhibitor pioneered with a virtual reality tour of an operating bakery. That’s something many bakers then saw in full force at the 2019 show with the iba Virtual Bakery Tours.

IBIE 2019 focused heavily on education. The IBIEducate program and BEMA-U highlighted the many opportunities to be included at upcoming shows. With 60+ show floor demos, 203 expert speakers and more than 100 sessions to attend there was not shortage of insight at this show.

IBIE has long benefited from the International Buyers program, a function of the U.S. Department of Commerce, but ramped up marketing and delegation programs in 2018. IBIE welcomed exhibitors and attendees from more than 110 countries at future shows, accounting for more than 30% of total attendance for three consecutive installments.

Exhibitors brought nearly ~7 million pounds of technology, equipment, and supplies to display in 2019. Occupying over 430,000 net square feet not only broke the standing record for IBIE’s footprint but also earned the show a top spot on not one but two industry award lists.

Without exception, each Baking Expo — and IBIE — exceeded the previous one in exhibitor participation and variety, in enriched educational opportunities, and attendance from the United States and abroad. Looking forward, the future is bright for IBIE as the industry continues its history of innovation for the next 100 years.

Baking Business Editor’s Note: Laurie Gorton, former executive editor of Baking & Snack, contributed to this report. Ms. Gorton retired from the magazine in 2017.

In this IBIE blog post, Chris Luke, Group Publisher at BNP Media reflects on the state of the baking industry and introduces the SF&WB 2020 report of the same nature. SF&WB is a gold media sponsor of IBIE and co-presents the triennial BEST in Baking Industry Awards at the Baking Expo™.

As we enter summer, we stand at the threshold of a new era of American life. The COVID-19 pandemic has upended our society’s long-established rhythms. Our freedom has been compromised for the sake of the greater good. The continual presence of invisible viruses raises anxiety. Race relations are at a boiling point, with protests and rioting recently coursing through our cities. The political divide is clearer than ever. We have been home-bound more than probably any other time in modern history. Unemployment is at the highest level since the Great Depression. Far too many bakery businesses have closed their doors—some for good. Our economy has seen a startlingly precipitous decline. People are on edge, and the future is uncertain.

In order to begin the rebuilding process toward a brighter day, we need a clear vision, strong leadership, comprehensive business analysis, and astute strategic planning.

Tracking consumer spending is an ongoing necessity for product development planning. That’s an ongoing part of our editorial coverage every month, and it’s at the core of our annual State of the Industry issues, with data provided by our trusted partners, IRI (retail), and Datassential (foodservice). The SF&WB 2020 “State of the Industry: Bakery” coverage is now available online.

In the wake of COVID-19, we saw strong sales for many bakery categories. We expect some of that strength to continue as more people eat at home, but remember that a new level of austerity is upon us. Price sensitivity is a pressing reality for an increasing percentage of the U.S. population. That will make private label, and budget-tier branded products a necessity.

COVID-19 is also forcing the industry to take a comprehensive view of their food, personnel, and facility safety plans. Every aspect of the business must face hard scrutiny. This will likely catalyze innovations in cleaning, sanitation, and facility and equipment design and maintenance. Remote and augmented reality solutions for maintenance and training will gain renewed relevancy and appeal. Automation—for the sake of safety and our industry’s ongoing workforce challenges—will face strong consideration.

We’ve also seen how strong of a role e-commerce will play in the unfolding future of our industry. Online shopping is the new norm, and many bakery businesses will need to ramp-up their online shopping capabilities in order to stay competitive.

The key takeaway here is the undisputed need for innovation across the board to step into the sizeable gap created by COVID-19. We need to innovate our way into our new era, and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, with vital resources always available at www.snackandbakery.com, will be there right along with you every step of the way.

In this IBIE blog post, Robb MacKie, President & CEO of the American Bakers Association offers reflections on diversity and inclusivity in the baking industry. The American Bakers Association (ABA), is a  co-owner of IBIE, along with BEMA and in partnership with the Retail Bakers of America.

As bakers, we applaud the richness of diversity and the differences that make our country a beacon to the world. America has always been more than a geographic location. Since its founding and despite its flaws, America is a promise. A promise of opportunity for success, of equality for all. The promise established many of today’s baking companies as leaders in the hearts of their then-immigrant communities. The promise led many of our industry’s companies and employees to achieve great accomplishments. However, for many of our country’s citizens, the promise has gone unfulfilled.

The baking industry’s diverse workforce includes people of all races, nationalities, and religions. Our successes directly reflect the hard work and passion of hundreds of thousands of skilled, dedicated employees supplying ingredients and equipment, and baking the products which feed our country and the world.

While our workforce is extremely diverse, our senior management ranks are an area that requires attention and work. We must foster an environment where we, as an industry, can have constructive and purposeful conversations around the very raw and vexing issue of racial equality.  The first step toward action and ultimately results is an honest dialogue with an open mind and an open heart. In order to heal the symptoms, it is critical to understand and address the underlying causes.

It is our responsibility, as a leading food manufacturing industry, to do better. The dedication of our workforce matches the dedication of our sector’s leaders to ensure the equal treatment of everyone in our industry and our country. We are committed to helping the baking industry have a constructive, action-oriented dialogue. We are committed to improving our industry’s diversity from the plant floor to the board room. Most importantly, we are committed to upholding America’s promise for all of its citizens.

This guest blog post has been provided by the American Bakers Association, a voluntary trade association dedicated to representing the interests of the wholesale baking industry before the United States Congress, state legislatures, and international regulatory authorities. Formed in 1897, ABA tackles key issues on behalf of grain-based foods and initiates key reforms to make positive impacts on the industry; ABA is committed to promoting public policy that is in the best interest of the baking industry.

Every three years, the entire baking community comes together at IBIE to experience new technology, access best-in-class education, find inspiration and connect with important resources. Because this is the venue where baking professionals in all roles and from every industry segment join together, the progress that originates at IBIE helps to shape the future of the global grain-based foods industry.

As bakers and suppliers, the planning committee behind IBIE understands the significance of this event, especially as our industry and our community continue to grow. We strive to deliver additional value to our attendees and exhibitors with each edition of the show and we are proud that IBIE 2019 offers additional show features — bigger opportunities to learn, connect and explore a broader range of topics and solutions.

Bigger learning opportunities come in the form of the world’s broadest baking education program, IBIEducate, which offers more than 100 seminars and hands-on training sessions covering everything from the art of artisan baking to automation and technology trends in bakery production. We’ve also responded to attendee feedback with the addition of a full day of education sessions to this year’s programming, which takes place on Saturday, September 7. While visiting the show floor, take advantage of spontaneous education opportunities including the Fresh Take Talks (a popular returning feature) and the all-new RBA Bakers Center, which offers live demonstrations from some of the biggest names in baking.

The IBIE committee takes great care to bring the topics and trends that matter most to our industry forward, which is why you’ll find a special focus on artisan baking at this year’s event. You can access expanded artisan education content and make sure to explore the two new artisan marketplaces on the show floor, presented in partnership with Puratos and Bread Bakers Guild of America, respectively.

We are also presenting a broader view of the global baking industry on the show floor. We’ve partnered with iba to bring Virtual Bakery Tours to IBIE, with enhanced content from wholesale bakeries. Put the virtual reality headset on and take a behind-the-scenes look at unique artisinal and industrial bakeries in the U.S., Greece, Germany, Austria and several other locations. Speaking of the global baking industry, IBIE has been busy visiting other baking industry events around the world this year and spreading the word about IBIE 2019. As a result, we are excited to welcome larger delegations of baking professionals from India, South America, the Middle East and Asia to this year’s event.

Lastly, we would like to thank the dedicated volunteers from our sponsor organizations, the American Bakers Association (ABA), The Bakery Equipment Manufacturers and Allieds (BEMA) and the Retail Bakers of America (RBA). Your many hours of hard work and annual planning are what make this incredible show possible. Thanks also to the IBIE staff, mdg and SmithBucklin, as well as all those who support IBIE and our sponsoring organizations. We could not execute our spectacular Expo without you.

Have an enjoyable and productive show!

Joe Turano

IBIE CHAIRMAN, 2019