Convention Spotlights Innovation Strategies

Convention

The crucial role of innovation in the baking industry took center stage Sunday as the 2024 ABA Convention moved into full gear. During the opening session, ABA’s President and CEO, Eric Dell, outlined the association’s new strategic plan while other sessions addressed emerging technology, energy-inspired leadership, workforce issues and category growth.

ABA Driving Innovation and Growth

The Convention kicked off with a full house, adequately described by ABA Chair Cordia Harrington as "bursting with energy." Harrington (CEO of Crown Bakeries) and Dell welcomed over 100 first-time attendees — a record for the event. Harrington took the opportunity to highlight ABA’s achievements over the past year, including an increase to 352 members and the success of initiatives like the 2023 Bakers Fly-In in Washington D.C.

In outlining the association’s new strategic plan, Dell said the refreshed strategy focused on positioning the baking industry as a competive workplace; driving category growth; and ensuring high value impact for the membership and the industry at large.

The plan has already resulted in projects like Baking Works, aimed at attracting talent; the Baking Manufacturers Tour, which will facilitate direct engagement with member facilities; and initiatives to deliver elevated consumer insights resources.

Dell also touched on the industry’s use of artificial intelligence, revealing from a recent survey that 70% of member companies plan to adopt AI technologies in the next year to enhance skills and profitability.

Leveraging AI to Enhance Strategies

The emergence of generative AI tools provides leaders with opportunities to better understand how their organizations are perceived — their digital stamp — in order to enhance those perceptions for the future, according to best-selling author and motivational speaker Erik Qualman. In an engaging and innovative presentation, Qualman, founder of Equalman, predicted that AI’s overall impact may be over-hyped in the short term but under-hyped for the longer term.

Succeeding with Energetic Leadership

Leaders and teams can improve their performance in the face of growing industry challenges by better managing their own energy, according to an interactive presentation by Andrew Deutscher, a performance expert who is founder of Regenerate. He spoke at the convention’s New Attendee and NextGenBaker Brunch, which drew an audience of rising and senior leaders. Solutions such as minimizing energy depletion and regenerating energy can help advance performance in sustainable ways, Deutscher said. Self-care strategies— including those related to improving rest and breathing — can help maximize energy, he added.

Accelerating Category Growth

Baking industry organizations have unique opportunities to positively position the industry with consumers and policymakers and to grow the overall category, according to speakers at an Executive Roundtable. Key strategies cited include:

Promoting the role baked goods plays in communicating with policymakers and the public.
Engaging with communities to reduce food insecurity and support other efforts.
Leveraging innovation and consumer trends to help transform companies and the industry.

The Category Growth session was facilitated by Joanie Spencer, Editor-in-Chief, Commercial Baking and Craft to Crumb.

The roundtable, along with another one about workforce, illuminated key aspects of ABA’s new five-year strategic plan and enabled attendees to participate in solutions-oriented discussions about challenges and best practices.

Enhancing Workforces and Workplaces

Participants in the Destination Workforce Executive Roundtable addressed key workforce development challenges including recruitment, retention, work-life balance, and workplace culture. Breakout groups of attendees discussed solutions, including:

Developing education and training tools to clarify career paths and highlight baking as the fastest-growing food segment.
Enhancing the industry's appeal by fostering connections and emphasizing its value-driven mission.
Inspiring employees and accommodating personal lives by mitigating barriers to work.
Promoting an inclusive workplace culture, recognizing that happy employees will lead to happy customers.

The session was facilitated by Charlotte Atchley, Editor at Sosland Publishing.

What’s on Tap for the Rest of the Convention

Topics to be showcased later this week include sustainability, community connections, automation and state policy.