LAS VEGAS — After canceling its September 2021 event due to COVID-19, iba announced it will return in-person Oct. 22-26, 2023 in Munich. Leaders from iba attended IBIE 2022, which took place Sept. 18-21, and shared their plans for the baking and confectionery industries’ largest European trade fair. Exhibitors and attendees will notice two key changes from the last iba in 2018:
- The triennial show has shifted is date pattern from September 2021 to October 2023.
- For the first time, the show will be structured by areas of interest.
“The expo will be segmented into four major categories: production technology and equipment, raw materials and ingredients, artisan bakeries, and packaging technology,” said Dan Schneider, managing director of the German Bakers Confederation.
Prior to the pandemic, iba metrics had consistently been trending upward.
“In 2018, iba drew 1,373 exhibitors — up from 1,309 in 2015— of which 69 percent were international companies,” said iba exhibition director Susan Seidemann. “We attracted 77,020 visitors from 173 countries, and 82 percent of visitors were decision makers.”
Exhibitors in attendance at the iba presentation expressed concern over the show’s timing being so close to Gulfood Manufacturing, which is scheduled for November 2023. Exhibitors also wanted to know if the show would return to its previous date pattern and how the 2023 show might impact future events.
It is unclear at this time if or when iba will return to its previous show cycle, according to Seidemann.
“We were not able to get dates in September 2023 from the building due to other events already on the calendar,” she said.
