Eyes on excellence

Recognition for a job well done is an integral part of the IBIE agenda—and as evidenced by the myriad entries drawn in by the various competitions and awards programs throughout the expo, bakery pros don’t mind taking the opportunity to show off their skills and innovation. The contests at this year’s event enable participants to shine in several ways, demonstrating their cake-decorating skills, abilities to craft artisanal breads, streamline their operations, and more.

One of the programs offering producers and their supplier partners alike a chance to take a bow is the BEST in Baking program. Sponsored by Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery and its BNP Media sister publication Packaging Strategies, the awards offer companies the opportunity to shine a spotlight on achievements in a number of areas, celebrating hard work and ingenuity.

“The BEST in Baking awards are a powerful platform to showcase incredible innovations and recognize outstanding work across the baking industry,” notes Jorge Zarate, IBIE chair and global senior vice president of operations and engineering at Grupo Bimbo. “These awards allow remarkable companies to set themselves apart from competitors.”

Among the areas the BEST in Baking program seeks to emphasize is operational sustainability. Doug Peckenpaugh, SF&WB group publisher, notes the issue is part of BEST in Baking because it is increasingly vital to the baking industry at large.

“Today’s bakery market continues to work toward finding more sustainable solutions related to ingredient sourcing, bakery operations, product packaging, and more,” he notes. “While sustainability has long been a ‘nice to have’ feature for bakery companies, it’s increasingly growing more standardized, with more advancements highlighted at this year’s IBIE than ever before.

Courtesy of IBIE

Bakery packaging, Peckenpaugh adds, is an important part of the sustainability conversation. 

“From a packaging perspective, the rise in extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation is driving significant changes in the types of packaging substrates available for product packaging, helping move that portion of the industry toward a truly circular economy,” he says.

BEST in Baking also offers recognition for excellence in automation and robotics, plant efficiency, sanitation, workplace development, and (for the first time in 2025) sustainable packaging innovation. Winners will be hailed in an awards ceremony Sept. 15 at 9 a.m. in the West Hall lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Courtesy of IBIE

Other faceoffs taking place during IBIE 2025 include:

• Panettone World Cup, Sept. 16: During this skills competition, pastry chefs from throughout the Western Hemisphere will compete, with winners representing their countries in the world final, taking place in Milan in November. 
• World Bread Awards USA, Sept. 15‒16: Judges will review entries from 13 product categories (including baguettes, bagels, sourdough, and more) to determine which is the best.
• Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie, Sept. 14‒17: Making its IBIE debut, the Americas Selection of this event will bring together teams from across the Western Hemisphere, with two picked to represent the Americas at the global event in Paris
• Creative Cake Decorating Competition, Sept. 14‒16: Sponsored by Pillsbury, this skills showcase enables entrants to compete in four categories: wedding cake, rolled fondant, sculpted cake, and buttercream.

Education and innovation

The best bakers never stop striving to learn and improve their craft. The IBIEducate program seeks to fulfill attendees’ quest for knowledge, with more than 250 sessions, demonstrations, and other dynamic programs offering participants the chance to build their baking brains. The targeted tracks enable attendees to develop their skills and wisdom in a number of pertinent areas:

• Business & Strategy: including presentations on management, sales and marketing, operations and efficiency, and more
• Workforce & Professional Growth: designed to help attendees tackle concerns regarding attraction and retention of qualified workers, professional development, and other areas
• Baking & Pastry: offering skill-building in cake and cookie decorating, enhancing pastry techniques, and more
• Food Science & Product Development: covering trends in food science, product development, formulation, and other key topics

Courtesy of IBIE Additionally, attendees can visit specialized areas of the show floor to hone in on specific areas of interest. For example, the Retail Bakers Center, produced by the Retail Bakers of America (RBA) and backed by Lesaffre, will host many of the baking competitions and live demonstrations, including big names known by bakers and civilians alike, including culinary TV presenters like Cake Boss’s Buddy, Ace of Cakes star Duff Goldman, and other famous faces. The action stretches across four stages, including the Revent Celebrity Demo Stage, the Rondo Baking & Pastry Stage, the BakeSmart Presentation, and the Pillsbury Creative Cake Decorating Competition Stage.

Courtesy of IBIE

Because busy bakers often find themselves short on time, the IBIE 2025 program also offers concentrated sessions taking on topics in small portions. The QuickBITES series consists of 20-minute presentations on a broad range of issues of interest to baking pros. Taking place throughout the show, the agenda will pinpoint hot grain-food industry concerns, consumer trends and preferences, and what the future of food might hold.

Taking on technology

Unfortunately, there is no Best Buy for bakers, where people shopping for the latest machinery, software, materials, packaging, and other gear can take a look at all the market has to offer. The IBIE 2025 exhibit floor enables bakers and other stakeholders to get up close and personal with equipment and other tools from manufacturers and suppliers, giving them a chance to get up close and personal before they commit to a purchase. According to show organizers, this year’s exhibit area (populated by more than 850 companies) covers about 10 acres of space, giving attendees a lot to consider.

Companies slated to show off their latest wares include:

• AB Mauri: booths 1545, 5412
• Baker Perkins: booth 2125
• Beneo: booth 8049
• Blueprint Automation: booth 4345
• Brolite Products: booth 1765
• Cargill: booth 6935
• Dawn Foods: booth 2400
• Delkor Systems: booth 408
• Fanuc America: booth 2769
• Formost Fuji: booth 1500
• Givaudan: booth 6616
• Harpak-Ulma: booth 400
• Heat and Control: booth 501
• IFF: booth 3855
• JLS Automation: booth 3215
• Kerry: booth 5127
• Lallemand: booths 3037, 3137
• Middleby Bakery Group: booth 1025
• Ocean Spray Ingredients: booth 781
• Plan It Packaging Systems: booth 1177
• Rademaker USA: booth 3445
• Reading Bakery Systems: booth 3811
• Sethness Roquette: booth 8041
• Van Drunen Farms: booth 6533
• Zeppelin Systems: 3265

Baking up fun

While IBIE 2025 is taking place in Las Vegas, one of the country’s foremost centers of fun for adults, the packed expo schedule likely means attendees will be hard pressed to find any spare minutes to go outside the show to go out and play. Fortunately, the agenda makes time for letting loose and having a rocking good time, right inside the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Courtesy of IBIE

Back again this year is the Rockin’ Pint concert, sponsored by AB Mauri. After the charity made its debut in 2022, the evening of music, merriment, and beverages is set to be even bigger than before. Scheduled Sept. 14 before the show gets going, the lineup is headlined by 1980s chart-toppers Wang Chung, known for hits like “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” and “Dance Hall Days.” Then, attendees are encouraged to stick around for an afterparty set featuring baker Goldman and his rock band, Foie Grock. Admission to the blowout is $10 for all registered IBIE attendees; the entry fee includes a limited-edition lanyard, which can be picked up Sept. 14 at AB Mauri’s booth (1545).

Visit the IBIE site for more information or to register for the expo.