Opinion: Growing the Future

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23 Mar 2026

Lee Sanders

Lee Sanders, CAE is president of Lee Sanders Strategy Group LLC, advising select food and agriculture clients on federal and state legislative, regulatory and public affairs strategy. She is also the founder and current president of the Society of Bakery Women (SBW), which serves as a platform, providing resources and expanding diversity in the baking industry through professional networking events and its student scholarship program. For more information on Lee Sanders Strategy Group or SBW, email Sanders at lee@sandersstrategygroup.com.

KANSAS CITY, MO — The baking industry was built on tradition, skilled expertise and community. But its future will be defined by something equally important: how intentionally we as an industry welcome and develop the next generation of professionals.

More than 20 years ago, a strong group of professional women, including me, founded the Society of Bakery Women with one simple goal: to create a space where women in the industry, especially baking and milling science students, could connect, learn and grow. What began as a small networking effort has become a national platform with 26 sponsors, a scholarship program for undergraduate and graduate students, and year-round events that bring students and professionals together in meaningful ways. The lesson is clear. When you invest in people early, and when you create environments where they feel welcome and supported, you build not only careers but also an enduring industry.

Attracting young talent is no longer optional. As experienced leaders retire and consumer expectations keep evolving, we need new professionals who bring fresh perspectives on sustainability, nutrition, technology and workforce culture. Yet recruitment alone is not enough. Retention, engagement and leadership development depend on whether people feel they belong. Individuals grow the fastest and stay the longest when they are seen and heard, mentored, and given real opportunity.

Creating welcoming spaces means opening networks that have traditionally been closed. It means offering mentorship and sponsorship. Most importantly, it clearly shows students and early career professionals what a future in baking can look like, from operations and quality to R&D, policy, marketing and executive leadership. It also means investing in professional development and removing barriers through scholarships, internships, hands-on exposure and stretch opportunities.

What I have witnessed through the Society of Bakery Women is the power of community. When students meet industry leaders, when young professionals find mentors who advocate for them, and when companies step forward as partners in development, confidence grows, innovation accelerates and loyalty deepens.

The future of baking is not just about products or processes; it is also about people. Invested, enthusiastic people are our strongest assets. If we want an industry that remains strong, innovative and relevant, we must intentionally bring in the next generation and create space where they feel they belong, have a voice and are given the tools to lead. Then, we will do more than fill jobs. We build the next successful chapter of our industry’s legacy.