Bakers, exhibitors get prepped for IBIE 2025

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Bakers, exhibitors get prepped for IBIE 2025

8 Aug 2025

Mari Rydings

Mari Rydings is a versatile content creator, editor and marketer with experience developing dynamic, results-driven materials for B2B and B2C audiences. As the editorial director for Avant Food Media, she leads the day-to-day editorial operations for the company’s print and digital magazines, newsletters and social media platforms. Outside of work, she loves reading, hiking, putting together jigsaw puzzles and spending time with her husband and their twin daughters.

KANSAS CITY, MO — Perhaps the saying is true, “The days are long, but the years are short.”

Between Sept. 14-17 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, bakery professionals and solutions providers from more than 100 countries will descend upon Sin City, eager to see long-time friends, develop new business relationships, immerse themselves in the latest industry innovations, upskill their workforce, sharpen their skills and knowledge … and, of course, have a little fun.

The triennial show, owned by the American Bakers Association and BEMA and supported by the Retail Bakers of America (RBA), brings together people of every level and from every segment of the industry: commercial and artisan bread bakers; foodservice operators; biscuit and cracker producers; donut, pie and cookie manufacturers; in-store and commissary bakers; pizza and tortilla producers; even snack and pet food manufacturers.

With a sold-out show floor and more than 20,000 registrants, this year’s Baking Expo is on track to be one for the record books. The gathering couldn’t have come at a better time as the industry navigates ongoing workforce challenges, fluctuating tariffs, rapidly changing government regulations, shifting consumer behaviors and shrinking food budgets. It’s the perfect venue for industry professionals to gather and share experiences, swap solutions, gain a fresh perspective and discover sparks of inspiration.

Front and center is the show floor, which spans two expo halls, the equivalent of 10 acres. It will be teeming with more than 900 industry-related companies eager to demonstrate their solutions in real-time and help bakers troubleshoot production challenges and optimize efficiency.

Automation, AI, robotics, digitization platforms and sustainable packaging are just a few of the trends driving innovation this show cycle.

The latest tech isn’t just for the show floor. IBIE elevated the pre-show user experience this year with the launch of a new web-based tool that allows attendees to search for exhibits and education sessions and map out their days before arriving in Las Vegas. Plus, the updated mobile app helps people customize their personal show agenda, arrange booth meetings, and get on-site directions and personalized recommendations.

The Baking Expo will again feature a full day of IBIEducate programming on Sept. 13 before the show floor opens, with more than 250 sessions, demos and workshops running throughout the week. With 12 distinct tracks, including one dedicated to presentations in Spanish, industry members — from the production floor to the c-suite — will find professional development opportunities to broaden their knowledge, sharpen their skills and discover solutions to their current challenges.

This year, IBIE added a third education hub, with formats ranging from classroom sessions, to celebrity demonstrations to hands-on workshops. This year, all IBIEducate sessions, with the exception of the workshops, are included in the cost of registration.

Baking in the spotlight

Show features are a mainstay of the Baking Expo, and they get bigger and better with each triennial cycle. This year, thrilling competitions, creative displays, brand-new pavilion experiences and more networking areas add to the show’s “wow” factor. New this year is the Wholesale Bakers Center, a space offering a customized learning experience featuring in-depth discussions on some of today’s hot topics such as sustainability, workforce development and operational efficiencies.

Co-located with the Wholesale Bakers Center are the new Snack Food, Pet Food and International Pavilions, each with their own bevy of exhibitors and experts ready to share the latest trends, equipment, ingredients and education with established and emerging brands interested in these key market segments.

In addition to the pavilions, two new competitions will make their IBIE debut: the Americas Selections for the Panettone World Cup and Coupe de Monde de la Boulangerie. The event brings the best pastry chefs together under one roof to compete in various challenges.

Several favorites will make their return. The Rockin’ Pint is back, with ’80s band Wang Chung headlining the concert and chef Duff Goldman and his Foie Grock band taking over the after party.

The IBIE World Bread Awards USA is also back, with 13 categories, including two specialty areas: Showstopper and Student Bakers. Plus, the RBA Retail Bakers Center will host the 20th edition of Pillsbury’s Creative Cake Decorating Competition. Other familiar show features include the Artisan Village, Great America Pie Festival and the QuickBITES series featuring talks on grain-based foods issues, consumer behavior and the future of food.

All proceeds from IBIE are reinvested back into the industry — $24 million to date — to support workforce initiatives, student scholarships, consumer education, sustainability and food safety.

In Avant Food Media’s 2025 IBIE Show Issue, attendees will find everything to make the most of the Baking Expo experience: travel logistics; booth trends and video trailers; and detailed information about demos, workshops, the new pavilions and much more. IBIE is the crown jewel of the baking industry, a place to find solutions for today’s challenges and get a glimpse of tomorrow.

Are you ready for it?

This story has been adapted from the Avant Food Media’s 2025 IBIE Show Issue. Read the digital edition here.

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