KANSAS CITY, MO — After celebrating its centennial earlier this year, the American Society of Baking (ASB) is heading into its next 100 years riding on a platform of change.
With the association’s annual BakingTECH conference set for Feb. 15-18 in Orlando — the first time BakingTECH will leave Chicago since 1924 — the planning committee is taking the opportunity to reimagine the attendee and exhibitor experience, starting with Marketplace … now known as the Formulation Floor.
As with any industry event, attendee feedback is critical for organizers to create the best possible experience. For ASB, that meant paying close attention to member feedback and working collaboratively to redefine what the experience could be.
The BakingTECH planning committee, led by program chair Ashley Robertson, director of marketing and communications for Corbion, worked closely with the Formulation Floor committee, led by Lisa Arato, sales development manager for Spiromatic, to accomplish those goals.
“We had the opportunity to ask members, ‘What do you really like about Marketplace? What are the areas we should change?’” Robertson said. “We worked hard to distill down the information and have brainstorming sessions to address what members were saying. Because if Marketplace as it was didn’t meet members’ needs, it can’t support ASB’s aspirations to grow over the next five, 10 or 15 years.”
Mixing it up with a new name
Renaming Marketplace to Formulation Floor was only the first step, but not one the committees took lightly.
“Everyone in our group was tasked with sharing at least five different name ideas,” Arato said. “There was a lot of collaboration, and everyone shared their voice in the process because they were all invested in the success of this change.”
While some generally associate the word “formulation” with ingredients, the Formulation Floor name is meant to evoke a sense of the end-to-end process, from R&D to finished product on the shelf … and everything in between.
“We’re emphasizing the excitement of the floor,” Robertson said. “That’s where all the action takes place. The Formulation Floor is truly about having all the innovation, people and networking in one spot, where bakers can get support for their total product development, whether it’s manufacturing, ingredients, packaging or services. Everything bakers need to know will be on that floor. It’s about formulating ideas, formulating connections and networking, and formulating product innovation.”
“The Formulation Floor is truly about having all the innovation, people and networking in one place, where bakers can get that support for their total product development, whether it’s manufacturing, ingredients, packaging or services.” — Ashley Robertson | chair | BakingTECH planning committee
Blending and bonding in new ways
While the Formulation Floor will look similar in terms of its physical layout (sans the columns in its previous home), it will be designed with features that help attendees navigate according to their specific, end-to-end R&D and operational needs or product applications. That includes a tagline encouraging bakers to “blend, bake and bond” at the tabletop exhibits.
It starts when attendees enter the space and experience Bakers Row. Think of it as an index of sorts: A row of panels designed for bakers to identify exhibitors that best fit their needs and easily navigate the floor in a more organized way.
“It’s an educational tool,” Arato said. “It will showcase how a few general products are made and how exhibitors fit into the production stages.”
Panels will display steps in specific processes, along with exhibitors whose products and services pertain to each step. Exhibitors will be listed with tabletop numbers and a QR code. This will allow attendees to identify which areas in the baking process — and suppliers that offer products and services in those areas — are most important to their needs.
“It’s also a way for them to quickly make the specific connections they need,” Arato noted. “And it’s a way for attendees who are new to the industry to quickly learn about the process.”
Previous feedback included feelings that Marketplace could be overwhelming, especially for younger professionals or those new to the industry. Bakers Row was developed to ease some of that trepidation.
“It could be hard to know how to navigate tabletops or know which exhibitors to visit,” Robertson said. “With the Formulation Floor, we hope to help attendees gain deeper insight into the process steps for the products they’re curious about and emphasize the contributions of all the various suppliers so they know exactly who they should connect with. For new attendees, that can eliminate a lot of that nervousness.”
This strategically aligns with ASB’s goal of bringing education and networking together at BakingTECH.
To deepen that experience, the Innovation Station is a new feature located at the heart of the floor, behind Bakers Row. This will be an exclusive area to showcase some of the conference’s most innovative and informative technologies, trends or services. Exhibitors must apply for a placement, and a select number of applicants will be chosen by a panel of bakers to be featured in the Innovation Station.
“These selections will be what the panel feels are innovations that are not only new but also meaningful for the industry,” Arato said. “The chosen companies will have the opportunity to present their solutions and offerings in a slightly more private space, where attendees can have a seat and visit with the selected vendors. They’ll also be able to give a presentation on a big-screen TV or provide deeper, one-on-one conversations without the bustle of nearby tabletops.”
The Innovation Station will be accessible during Formulation Floor hours, and the duration of presentations or conversations will be scheduled by the selected companies. All exhibitors are invited to apply when the application process begins in the coming weeks after registration opens.
In addition to new features on the Formulation Floor, attendees will also experience new hours they can access it.
While the former Marketplace was only open from 4-6 p.m. during BakingTECH, the Formulation Floor hours will be extended to include morning and afternoon sessions.
“By extending the hours, we can provide more flexibility and ensure there’s ample time for meaningful networking and connections throughout the day,” Robertson said. “So, if you make a connection on the Formulation Floor in the morning, it opens the door to interact at other points throughout the day, whether in the hotel’s atrium or during an education session. This will cater to diverse attendee schedules and also maximize those opportunities for collaboration and engagement.”
BakeTalks, which launched at BakingTECH in 2023, will remain an element of the Formulation Floor but with more prominence and easier access. The planning committee is currently recruiting bakers who can share their stories on the BakeTalks stage.
Innovation for a sustainable future
With leadership representing equipment technology for the Formulation Floor committee and ingredient technology for the BakingTECH planning committee (Arato and Robertson, respectively) and with a baker at the helm for the board — Xochitl Cruz, VP of Operations for Bimbo Bakeries USA serving as board chair — ASB is poised to execute a new vision for BakingTECH that serves most every sector of the industry in part through the Formulation Floor.
“BakingTECH attendees will experience a productive event full of relevant content” Cruz noted, “The work the Marketplace and BakingTECH Program Committees are preparing for the participants will exceed everyone’s expectations. It is a result of a needed evolution to enhance the experience with high quality and trendy educational sessions, effective networking and connections between bakers and suppliers to continue progressing in the Baking Industry.”
Reformulating the Marketplace into the Formulation Floor was done for all ASB members, from attendees to exhibitors.
“For tabletop exhibits, it’s important to consider all of ASB membership and represent the things people love and want to keep while also developing new aspects,” Arato said. “We’re listening to feedback from all members, including younger professionals, and keeping everyone’s needs in mind by reinventing and modernizing the tabletops … while also keeping costs down for attendees and exhibitors.”
Overall, the BakingTECH planning committee is focused on delivering education and networking opportunities in modern ways at a new venue, while it also supports the association’s vision for longevity into the next 100 years.
“The committee is always looking at what’s happening in the baking industry and considering how we should be looking at it from a perspective of innovation,” Robertson said. “We are considering topics and discussions to support innovations and keep ASB — and the industry — going for another 100 years. After ASB celebrated its 100th anniversary, we needed to help build BakingTECH in places that encourage disruption and help create a solid market for another century.”
“A reimagined BakingTECH sets us up to exceed record registration in 2025,” Cruz said. “Our agenda content centered in innovation, disruption and relevancy will position us all to be better equipped and connected in this competitive environment.”
BakingTECH registration opens Aug. 20. For more information on registration, Formulation Floor exhibitor packages and Innovation Station applications, visit the ASB website.
