IBIE pavilions provide bakers specialized insights

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IBIE pavilions provide bakers specialized insights

3 Sep 2025

Annie Hollon

Annie Hollon is a journalist, copywriter and social media strategist from the Dallas, Texas area. She found a love for magazine writing during her time at the University of Alabama where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in public relations and English. Beyond writing, you can find her expanding her library, attempting to teach herself the guitar and trying new hobbies.

KANSAS CITY, MO — As an industry, baking is vast. From scale to product type to customers, no two operations are the same. While there is some overlap in certain areas, specialized segments often require more particular insights and connections for bakers to maintain their current production while also innovating.

Staying at the forefront of trends is what the Baking Expo is all about. One way the triennial event achieves this is by offering areas dedicated to specific segments and trends throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Heading into this year’s event, IBIE has taken notice of three key disciplines: snack food, pet food and international baking. These targeted spaces are designed to maximize value for exhibitors and attendees alike.

“As the leading event for the grain-based foods industry in the Western Hemisphere, IBIE has always adapted to the evolving food landscape,” said Dennis Gunnell, president of Formost Fuji and IBIE committee member and past chair. “Our strategic decision to introduce focused pavilions this year reflects our ongoing efforts to align with significant market opportunities and the needs of our diverse exhibitors and attendees.”

Check out the three pavilions providing resources for this year’s showgoers.

Take a snack break

IBIE guests can dive into the world of snack production at the aptly named Snack Food Pavilion. This specialized area is located next to the Wholesale Bakers Center, a new feature housed in the West Hall.

This pavilion provides a space just for snack professionals to meet and discuss the latest trends, technology and formulation influencing the segment. With substantial similarity to other grain-based offerings in terms of ingredients, processing equipment and packaging, attendees with snack-centered operations can find suppliers that support production efficiency, infuse new flavors into portfolios and elevate a product’s aesthetic appeal.

“Our strategic decision to introduce focused pavilions this year reflects our ongoing efforts to align with significant market opportunities and the needs of our diverse exhibitors and attendees.” — Dennis Gunnell | president | Formost Fuji

Go abroad on the show floor

International participants are a mainstay of the Baking Expo. In 2022, 27% of attendees hailed from outside the US, boasting a 34% increase in international bakers over 2019, according to IBIE. Additionally, guests traveled from more than 105 countries.

The International Pavilion connects attendees from all over the globe, offering a localized spot for bakers and suppliers of all nationalities to interact and conduct business. This show feature will also house an array of baking products, ingredients and equipment, showcasing what’s trending in other markets.

In addition to continued consumer demand for experiencing the world through food, the role of the International Pavilion will be of great interest to jet-setting attendees. This section of the show floor supports ties beyond regional boundaries, which can spur innovations of all kinds across the industry.

The pavilion also supplements additional efforts to accommodate international attendees. This includes the International Delegation Program, International Trade Center (Booth #2055) and free access to an app that can translate and transcribe live audio into 64 different languages.

“Paws”-itive foods only

Baking for human consumers isn’t the sole focus of this year’s show. The Pet Food Pavilion rounds out the new specialty zones at IBIE 2025. With various baking equipment systems working in pet food operations and some bakers beginning to make human-grade pet food, it’s an adjacent segment of the industry worth digging into.

Nestled near the Wholesale Bakers Center, attendees can connect with suppliers offering ingredients, processing equipment and packaging solutions for pet food manufacturers. In addition to finding resources, engaging in the Pet Food Pavilion can also offer visitors an opportunity to diversify their businesses.

The move to spotlight segments such as pet food strengthens IBIE’s position as an all-encompassing event for grain-based foods of all kinds.

“By leveraging IBIE’s comprehensive platform and strong international presence,” Gunnell said, “these dedicated areas will foster even greater connections and innovation across key growth sectors within the broader food industry.”

With more than 1 million square feet of show floor spread across two halls, the pavilions provide attendees dedicated spaces for bakers of various specialties to find what they need, whether it’s connections to others in their segment or resources to level up their operations.

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

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