06 Oct IBIE 2022: CEO Perspective

Reaching the Finish Line

For several years now, IBIE 2022 has represented both a possibility and a shining promise. During the pandemic when so many shows were canceled and everything shifted to virtual, it was difficult to imagine if a show of IBIE’s caliber might ever happen again. Each meeting that was canceled placed a blazing question mark over whether or not IBIE 2022 could and would happen.

During the last couple of months, we also had moments of questioning as we waited to see the outcome of last-minute registration peaks and to see if companies throughout the world would allow employees to attend IBIE. In short, it’s been a lot of waiting and wondering.

Mission Accomplished

Having just returned from Las Vegas, I am wildly happy that IBIE 2022 was an incredible success. As I buzzed around the pre-show floor with my GoPro during set-up, it was great to feel the collective excitement knowing the industry was back where it belongs – together. When Dennis Gunnell sliced through that gigantic bread loaf to open the show, I think everyone felt they had finally reached a long-awaited finish line.

With all hands on deck for the BEMA staff, we were able to see first-hand the extraordinary excitement IBIE generates, along with some understandable exhaustion, too. I hope the care kits delivered by the BEMA team during daily check-ins helped provide a much-needed boost. It was also great to bring a bit of The Women’s Bakery to Las Vegas with a demonstration from Fran at the Lallemand booth.

IBIE offered so much to do – networking, walking the show floor, or attending one of the informative IBIEducate sessions such as How To Build Your Diversity Initiative in the BEMA/ABA booth. I’m sure many people left each day wishing there was more time to take in all that IBIE offered.

Future Collaborations

I also want to give a shout-out to ABA who shared a booth with BEMA in the West Hall lobby. This was an amazing jumpstart to our upcoming collaboration around NEXUS, powered by BEMA and ABA. NEXUS, a new transformational industry event, will connect all facets of the baking industry on Sept. 25-28 at the Dallas Omni Convention Center. The 2023 event will include Spark Sessions, IBIEducate, and industry collaborations.

Thank you to everyone who helped make IBIE 2022 such a memorable comeback story for the industry. Below are a few of our favorite IBIE moments.

Making Memories

Let’s keep the conversation going. We’d love to hear your IBIE stories at #IBIE2022 and #bakingexpo.