First Look at ABA’s Education Program at IBIE

American Bakers Association has just unveiled its education program for IBIE, and it offers something for everyone in the baking community.

The ABA program includes sessions that are part of the onsite IBIEducate experience — on topics ranging from manufacturing and sustainability to food safety and government policy. ABA will also present a NextGenBaker Leadership Forum.

IBIE, the International Baking Industry Exposition, runs from Sept. 17 to 21 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

“We are offering education sessions that will matter to ABA members,” said Pippa O’Shea, ABA Education Manager. “These are curated sessions that enable baking industry attendees to learn about trends and identify challenges and gaps.”

IBIE is owned by ABA and the Bakery Equipment Manufacturers and Allieds (BEMA) — and is supported by the Retail Bakers of America (RBA).

ABA Hands-On Workshops

ABA will present two first-time IBIE workshops geared to beginner- to intermediate-level professionals who want to learn more about the processing of ingredients. Both sessions will be led by Brian Strouts, an industry veteran who is Technical Advisor to ABA.

A Gluten Washing workshop will delve into a test that points to the quality and quantity of gluten in wheat flour — a crucial aspect for bakery products. The workshop will address quality attributes and flour applications and performance.

An interactive workshop called Understanding Leavening Functionality will enable participants to learn about the fundamentals of ingredients and have the opportunity to manipulate ingredients to change the physical and textural properties of a cookie.

Supply Chain Strategies

ABA’s Lee Sanders, SVP of Government Affairs will join a group of industry leaders for a session called Supply Chain Challenges: A Panel Discussion. The discussion will focus on topics including supply chain strategies, policy efforts, and future forecasts. Panelists will include Hayden Wands, Vice President of Global Procurement, Commodities for Grupo Bimbo, and Maggie Brown, Director of Global Supply Chain for Kwik Lok.

Another ABA supply chain session is called The New Rules for Leveraging Contract Manufacturing Relationships, led by Carl Melville, Managing Partner for The Melville Group, LLC. The focus will be on ways to view and manage supply chains — especially critical contract manufacturing relationships — by absorbing lessons from the pandemic.

Sustainability Enhancement

ABA’s Rasma Zvaners, Vice President, Regulatory and Technical Services, will lead a session called Transforming a Traditional Bakery with Sustainability. The discussion will include perspectives from a baker and information about government programs.

A session called Regenerative Ag will explore this important sustainability topic across the supply chain. It will examine consumer expectations of companies and industry opportunities to support farm-based projects. The discussion will be led by Shrene White, General Manager for The Annex by Ardent Mills.

Food Safety Focus

A session called ABA Monitoring Chemical Hazards in Foods will raise the profile of food safety issues for the baking community. It will reference California’s Proposition 65 and the Food Safety Modernization Act in addressing topics such as material monitoring, risk assessment, and compliance and testing. The speaker will be Gina Reo, President of QAS, LLC.

NextGenBaker Leadership Forum

NextGenBaker will bring the baking industry's decision-makers and thought leaders together at IBIE on September 20 for a panel discussion with senior leaders. Join ABA and NextGenBaker as distinguished leaders share their unique perspectives on key leadership lessons from the last few years.

Plan for the Education Experience

More information about IBIEducate sessions and registration is available here. 

Registration information will be coming soon for the NextGenBaker Leadership Forum.

Finally, here are additional details about how ABA membership enhances the IBIE experience.