Date: May 22, 2022

The International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) offers a slate of more than one hundred sessions on topics ranging from automation to marketing to Generation Z at IBIE 2022, Sept. 17-21, in Las Vegas.

“I'm very excited to see how our education portion is implemented this year, and I'm expecting almost every session to be sold out," said Joe Turano, IBIE 2022 committee member. "There really haven't been in person education seminars in over two years anywhere in the industry, so this alone is a great reason to attend IBIE.”

It all kicks off the day before the exhibit hall opens on Saturday, Sept. 17, when attendees can take advantage of a dedicated day of learning with a broad range of topics and a flexible schedule of half-day and one-hour sessions. The IBIEducate speaker roster includes a who’s who of industry thought leaders and influencers covering an expansive spectrum of topics.

Baking & Snack Pro Tips columnist and President of Brixey Engineering Rowdy Brixey will offer two sessions on maintenance, presenting examples of how it must evolve if manufacturing plants like bakeries are to optimize and sustain a proper maintenance culture.

The effects of the global health crisis on the industry will be front and center when Marjorie Hellmer of Cypress Research Associates, LLC presents “Turning on a Dime: Post-Pandemic Impact & Opportunity in Retail & Commercial Baking.” Ms. Hellmer will discuss ways the crisis is reshaping both the retail and commercial sides of the US baking industry. Based on original industry study findings directly from retail and commercial bakers, the presentation will delve into trends in industry and company health, bakers’ greatest post-pandemic business concerns, and new doors bakers have opened in response to challenging times.

Josh Allen of Companion Baking, St. Louis, will share the story of how his baking company made the leap from what he describes as “an undersized and underequipped shop to a gleaming new factory” and how it immediately lost its way weighed down by cash struggles and disheartened bakers. His session “Transforming Our Bakery by Watching Our Waste” explores ways his company fixed the metrics and re-ignited their passions by looking in the unlikeliest of places.

The RBA Baker Center will feature dozens of continuous live demos with celebrity chefs and baking pros demonstrating the latest techniques, revealing expert tips and highlighting innovative trends.

Sessions include the celebrity chef and owner of Carlo’s Bakery, Jersey City, NJ, Buddy Valastro, who returns to IBIE to demonstrate his top tips on decorating. Megan Forman, chef and owner of Gracious Bakery in New Orleans, LA, will demonstrate her method for hand pies and cake decorating expert Jorg Amsler will share mermaid’s tail airbrushing tips. Extreme cake maker Molly Robbins of Molly’s Creature Creator Ltd., Rossendale, England, UK will create a detailed French Bulldog 3-D cake in just 45 minutes, without any carving, cake wastage or internal supports.

Concurrently, the Tortilla Industry Association (TIA) will offer its technical conference, addressing operation skills, safety regulations, quality control, plant efficiency and best practices to capitalize on the baking industry's fastest-growing market segment.

The Business of Baking for Beginners, better known as “BOB,” is also Sept. 17 in conjunction with IBIE 2022. Presented by the Retail Bakers Association (RBA) and the RPIA Group, the all-day program is designed for business owners and operators with fewer than ten years of experience in the baking industry. The focus is dedicated to retail and wholesale businesses looking to learn everything from planning and operations to marketing and growth strategies.

The American Bakers Association’s Cookie and Cracker Technical Workshop will also be in full swing on Sept. 17, featuring information about hybrid oven technology from a panel composed of a baker, supplier, and technical advisor offering a deeper insight into hybrid ovens, oven profiles and product outcomes. The workshop will also include a cookie cracker trends report, a session on plant-based

Ingredient technology, and a special reception where bakers and suppliers can network.

Browse the full IBIEducate program and demo schedule here. Review pricing and purchase a seat at a specific session or workshop by simply adding these items to your IBIE expo registration here.

Source: Class is in session at IBIE 2022