IBIE 2019 is in position to bring the entire baking world together Sept. 8-11 in Las Vegas.

Dubbed The Baking Expo, IBIE provides all segments of the grain-based food industry a platform for showcasing the latest baking technology and exploring complete equipment, ingredient, supply and business solutions.

Sponsored by the American Bakers Association (ABA), Washington, D.C., the Baking Equipment Manufacturers and Allied (BEMA), Overland Park, Kan., and the Retail Bakers of America (RBA), Tinley Park, Ill., IBIE 2019 is expected to connect close to 1,000 exhibiting companies with more than 23,000 baking professionals from all over the globe for four days of business-building interaction.

“With a 65% increase in attendance over the past decade, IBIE is undoubtedly experiencing an exciting growth trajectory,” says Joe Turano, IBIE chair and president of Turano Baking Co., Berwyn, Ill. “As plans come together for IBIE 2019, not only can attendees anticipate 1,000-plus exhibitors in a sold-out show floor, but they can also look forward to a most valuable and unique experience that covers a diverse range of products and trends representative of the baking community—from artisan to wholesale, pizza to snacks and all specialties in between.”

New to this year’s show are:

Artisan Marketplaces. These two new state-of-the-art interactive marketplaces, crafted by Puratos, Pennsauken, N.J., and the Bread Bakers Guild of America (BBGA), Petaluma, Calif., will provide personalized and unique experiences for artisan bakers looking to hone their skills, make connections and grow their businesses, as well as wholesale bakers looking to capitalize on this growing trend. Within the marketplace, Puratos will feature The Sourdough Experience, which includes hands-on demonstrations and workshops, as well as a virtual tour of and samples from its Sourdough Library in Belgium. Puratos will also feature its MyBreaD program, offering attendees the opportunity to select their own ingredients for creating a personalized loaf of artisan bread that can be picked up in the marketplace just hours later. Additionally, a presentation theater in the space will feature intimate, face-to-face discussions with featured bakers, digital presentations and videos for learning, networking and informal meetings.

Virtual reality bakery tours. IBIE partnered with iba, Germany, to create virtual bakery tours with enhanced content from IBIE. With the help of virtual reality glasses and 360-degree videos, attendees will be able to see right into renowned bakeries from around the world.

“Virtual reality creates a completely immersive experience for IBIE attendees, allowing them to explore top bakeries on a national and international level, without having to board a plane,” says Fred Springer, IBIE technology task force chair. “Bakery tours have traditionally been highly requested, but understandably, are logistically hard to execute at an event of IBIE’s scale. Thanks to our partnership with iba, this virtual tour allows us to fulfill these requests in an engaging and interactive way, and with a robust lineup of renowned bakeries and an additional content focused on the industrial sector, this offering will elevate the IBIE experience for all attendees.”

Education programs. Targeted sessions give attendees the ability to gain valuable ideas and strategies to develop and improve product, optimize production and increase sales and profits. Courses will include talent management classes with a concentration on acquiring, developing and retaining workforce and cultivating great leaders. The day will also offer hands-on workshops and interactive sessions designed for artisan and retail bakers. Other topics entail applying food safety best practices to the plant, automation trends and technology, baking with edible cannabis, clean foods and clean labels, robotics-based packaging systems and more.

“As the industry’s most important gathering, IBIE’s goal is to provide education that truly benefits attendees and gives them the tools they need to drive their businesses forward,” says Andrea Henderson, chair of the IBIE education task force. “Education remains one of the primary reasons to attend a trade event. IBIEducate gives attendees more than 100 tailored sessions to participate in during the show—the largest education program IBIE has ever offered, and with a new full day dedicated to learning prior to show opening, IBIE is building on an industry leading offering.”

For more information about the show, registration, exhibitors and more, go to www.ibie2019.com.