If you’ve ever been to Disney World or Disneyland with a small child, you’ve probably left with an earworm. You know the one. “It’s a world of laughter, a world of tears. It’s a world of hopes and a world of fears. There’s so much that we share that it’s time we’re aware, it’s a small world after all.”
You’ll be singing that the rest of the day.
You’re welcome.
As annoying as that song is, it does hit the mark – and the world seems to get smaller every day. Today, it’s the rare business that doesn’t have some global presence. Whether that’s sourcing materials from another country or shipping a finished product outside the borders of the United States, the world’s economies are intertwined. And the baking industry is no different.
Taking a global perspective
Over the years, BEMA has taken an increasingly global approach to our offerings. Our goal is to help bakers and manufacturers connect and thrive in this global marketplace, and that means tailoring our programming and educational options to address international issues as well as work to bridge the cultural and language barriers.
Our Convention attendees this year were able to get a first-hand look at the intricacies of the Caribbean market through the Regional Bakers Panel. Panelists answered questions and enlightened the membership about the unique qualities of the Caribbean region when it comes to the baking industry.
In addition, BEMA co-owns IBIE, the triennial IBIE show, which is coming up this September. For a long time, the international part of International Baking Industry Exposition was more aspiration than reality, but today, people from more than 100 countries attend the show. Incorporating that new reality into all aspects of IBIE requires taking a step back and looking at ways we can make sure to incorporate our international friends seamlessly into the show’s programming.
Removing the language barrier
One of the purposes of shows like IBIE is to create personal connections, but that can be difficult when you don’t speak the same language. As a co-managing association responsible for IBIEducate, the educational portion of IBIE, we were determined to open up the educational sessions to everyone, no matter what language they speak.
We’re so excited that this year we are partnering with Wordly to provide real-time translation services educational sessions in more than 60 different languages. Nearly all of our attendees will be able to participate in these educational workshops in their native languages, allowing each attendee to get the full educational experience without fear that important pieces of knowledge could be missed because of the language barrier.
Our goal is for IBIEducate to offer something that each person can use in their business no matter where that business is located.
Investing in Global Relationships
Our commitment to creating global opportunities for our membership isn’t limited to IBIE and Convention. In the past year, I’ve traveled to Taipei, Japan, Mexico and Canada to attend baking industry shows and to talk with international bakers and manufacturers. Seeing the needs in different places and making connections with manufacturers and bakers in other countries helps me to better serve our membership as I come home with a broader perspective on the baking industry.
There are so many things that we can learn from each other about the difference in cultures, food tastes, and equipment needs that make fostering global relationships not just interesting but necessary to the long-term health of the baking industry.
So, while Disney may have worked it into the most annoying earworm ever, the sentiment remains true. It really is a small world after all.
Cheers,
Kerwin
