Baking & Snack - November 2022 - 17

SPECIAL REPORT
IBIE 2022
back with a bang
IBIE 2022 reunites the baking industry with enthusiasm.
by Charlotte Atchley
A
After three years of dealing with a pandemic, a topsyturvy
market for baked goods and a supply chain and labor
crisis, the International Baking Industry Exposition
(IBIE) 2022 did not disappoint. Bakers showed up in Las
Vegas in full force this September to find solutions, educate
themselves and network with their peers.
Nearly 20,000 industry professionals registered for the
triennial event, with a notable 25% increase in baker attendance.
After two years of uncertainty about the future of
in-person events and the hope that bakers were hungry to
attend, Dennis Gunnell, chair of the IBIE 2022 committee
and president of Formost Fuji, noted that these baker attendee
numbers speak for themselves.
" Having the baker numbers exceed 2019 results just
says it all, " he said. " If the bakers are here, the suppliers
will be here, and the bakers showed up to the fullest extent.
They arrived, and they were excited to do business
and do it in person. I didn't hear one person say 'I wish
we could have done this virtually.' "
Despite optimistic energy from the baking industry
leading up to IBIE, the committee originally anticipated a
drop in international attendance due to both current travel
restrictions in certain parts of the world as well as the
lack of in-person events abroad where IBIE typically markets
the show to the global baking community. However,
the final tally of international attendees showed a robust
presence: 27% of baker attendees were from outside of the
United States, surpassing the previous expo's results and
representing a 34% growth in that category. Canada and
Mexico led the 106 different countries represented with a
52% and 40% increase in baker registrations from these
countries, respectively. Bakers also attended from Italy,
Brazil, the Netherlands, Colombia, Germany, France, El
Salvador, Australia and more.
Baker attendees were gifted with a wealth of educational
sessions, demonstrations, competitions and plenty
of innovation to see on the show floors in the North
and West Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
" IBIE 2022 has exceeded all expectations, " Mr.
Gunnell said. " The Baking Expo has a long history of
championing innovation aimed at the changing needs of
our bakers - from the advancements on the show floor
and IBIEducate presentations to the high-quality buyers
walking the aisles. During a time when trade events are
getting a fraction of their pre-pandemic participation,
our industry showed up even stronger. "
Walking the show floor
The most visible change about IBIE 2022 was the introduction
of the West Hall, which was being built during
the 2019 Baking Expo. Between both the North and West
Halls, 844 exhibitors, 200 of which were new to IBIE,
showed off their new equipment, ingredients and services
to buyers. They represented 6.25 million lbs of technology,
equipment and supplies on display. Exhibitors
on average also increased their booth size by 60 square
www.bakingbusiness.com / November 2022 Baking & Snack 17
This was the first
year IBIE exhibited
in the new West Hall
of the Las Vegas
Convention Center.
IBIE
http://www.bakingbusiness.com
Baking & Snack - November 2022

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