Baking & Snack - May 2018 - 14

ABA announces strategic
plan and new officers
To combat government over-reach into business operations and other critical issues, the American Bakers Association (ABA) unveiled
the first phase of the organization's new strategic plan during the All
Membership Meeting at the 2018 ABA Convention.
"This plan is a product of the ABA membership," noted Fred Penny, president of Bimbo
Bakeries USA, Horsham, PA, and ABA's immediate past chair. "We could not have done this
without the candid feedback and guidance of
our member leaders."
The plan is intended to ensure that the ABA
is aligned with the baking industry to support
Sharp
its continued growth and success, said Robb MacKie, ABA's president
and CEO.
During the membership meeting, task force members outlined details of the plan. Joe Turano, president, Turano Baking Co., Berwyn,
IL, pointed out that ABA plans to extend its core strength in federal
advocacy into key states to protect baking companies from government overreach. Currently, emerging issues in key states pull ABA
resources away from top federal priorities. Mr. Turano said the goal
of this new activity would be to maintain federal priorities while strategically engaging in activities in key states.
At the convention, ABA also elected a new group of officers.
Erin Sharp, group vice-president, manufacturing, The Kroger Co.,
Cincinnati, was elected chair. In this role, Ms. Sharp succeeds Mr.
Penny, who will serve as immediate past chair.

BBU launches Voluntary
Separation Program
Bimbo Bakeries USA, Horsham, PA, plans to initiate a Voluntary
Separation Program (VSP), effectively implementing a lean organizational design to improve efficiency.
The program, which will be offered to certain salaried associates based on their ages and years of service with BBU and/or
its legacy companies, will provide eligible associates the option
to separate from the company with an enhanced severance and
health care benefits package.
"Over the past few years, we have been transforming our business to drive growth and improve productivity," said Fred Penny,
president of BBU. "We truly value and respect our associates and,
as we redesign our business, want to provide them the ability to
explore other opportunities."
The company said it is providing eligible associates specific details of their packages.
-Eric Schroeder, Food Business News

14 Baking & Snack May 2018 / www.bakingandsnack.com

Mondelez expands sustainable
cocoa sourcing efforts
Mondelez International, Deerfield, IL, said it has made significant progress in its sustainable cocoa sourcing efforts in the
past year. In 2017, the company expanded its Cocoa Life sustainable sourcing program to reach 120,500 farmers, up 31%
from 2016, in 1,085 communities, up 26%. The company has
increased its sourcing of sustainable cocoa to 35%, up 14%
from the year before. Additionally, the cocoa sourced through
Cocoa Life was used in more baked and snack products, including Oreo cookies in Europe.
Launched in 2012, Cocoa Life improves the livelihoods of
farmers in six key cocoa-growing regions, including Ghana,
Côte d'Ivoire, Indonesia, India, the Dominican Republic and
Brazil. The goal of the program is to reach 200,000 farmers and
benefit more than a million people by 2022. It is also a part
of Mondelez International's larger commitment to sustainably
source all of its cocoa supply.
"Cocoa Life is essential to our business, and I'm proud to
see the progress we've made on the ground, working directly
in cocoa communities," said Christine Montenegro McGrath,
chief well-being, sustainability, public and government affairs
officer at Mondelez International.
Achievements last year include training 88,134 farmers and
distributing nearly 5.8 million cocoa seedlings to increase productivity and promote growth of higher quality cocoa; training
nearly 68,200 community members on good environmental
practices and distributing more than a million shade trees to
conserve natural ecosystems; developing community action
plans in more than 1,000 communities; establishing child protection committees in 516 communities; and providing financial assistance to nearly 52,000 community members.
-Monica Watrous, Food Business News
Mondelez's Cocoa Life program expanded to reach 120,500 farmers.

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Baking & Snack - May 2018

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