LAS VEGAS — The International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) is a triennial opportunity for learning and connection, and the Artisan Marketplace, crafted by Puratos, has opportunities in spades for bakers from all walks of life.
Those attending IBIE can return to industry roots at the 2022 rendition of this staple show feature. Puratos, a Belgian ingredient group with more than 100 years in the food industry, is dedicated to celebrating all things artisan through collaborative experiences and educational resources. With speakers, interactive displays, tastings and product demos, the Artisan Marketplace gives bakers a look at the present and future of craft baking.
“At the Artisan Marketplace specifically, we’re going to have authors, bakers, scientists, farmers and millers who are coming to talk about their own research and what they see as the future of the baking industry,” said Michael Gleason, senior product manager of the bakery category at Puratos USA.
This year’s Marketplace expands beyond bread, with sweet goods and chocolate now joining the mix, providing even more insights on multiple areas of craft baking.
Jorge Zarate, global senior VP of operations and engineering at Mexico City-based Grupo Bimbo and vice chairman of IBIE 2022, shared that just talking with other people in the Artisan Marketplace is an opportunity to learn new things to get back to the craft of baking.
Jorge Zarate, global senior VP of operations and engineering at Mexico City-based Grupo Bimbo and vice chairman of IBIE 2022, shared that just talking with other people in the Artisan Marketplace is an opportunity to learn new things to get back to the craft of baking.
“What we have been losing little by little in the wholesale part of the industry is the baking craft, which is still in the [artisan side],” Zarate said. “We have to bring that knowledge, craft and passion to our bakeries again.”
Consumer trends will also be at the forefront of conversation, with discussions from popular products to critical issues that can spur inspiration for attendees.
“We will have several different speakers from various backgrounds talking about topics that range from how to produce more sustainable grains and seeds to how to turn something very traditional into something that’s a plant-based option without impacting the quality,” said.
Two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, its impact is still resonating throughout the industry. Additional precautions for tastings are in place to protect the health and safety of Artisan Marketplace visitors.
“What we have been losing little by little in the wholesale part of the industry is the baking craft, which is still in the [artisan side]. We have to bring that knowledge, craft and passion to our bakeries again.” — Jorge Zarate | global SVP of operations and engineering | Grupo Bimbo
Gleason said one of the earliest conversations regarding COVID-19 was about how to get innovative concepts into the hands of consumers wary of public safety risk. Hygienic packaging solutions are a need for bakers of every size and style in the COVID-19 era. It has created an intersection between retail and commercial operations, where packaging producers can bring solutions to their challenges.
“It’s not just because of COVID,” Zarate said. “It’s also about freshness and having the opportunity to show the product for a longer period of time, and that is where the technology comes in.”
One of the hottest consumer trends during pandemic lockdowns, sourdough bread rose in popularity as people were relegated to their homes. Flour and yeast shortages ensued as they began baking their own artisan bread, and demand for this bread type in bakeries and retail outlets led to artisanal innovation.
Zarate added that while commercial baking had veered away from sourdough in the past, it is now one of the many artisan trends happening at scale.
“We know that is good for our products, and it’s good for the process,” Zarate said. “There’s a lot of things in the Artisan Marketplace now that are the same as what we’re doing, such as sustainable, healthy, organic. And, of course, consumers are looking for a wide variety of products. The best way to learn about it is visiting this marketplace.”
Often typecast as opposites, commercial and artisan baking are two sides of the same loaf. Artisanal bread was the foundation of wholesale bakeries, Zarate noted, and both are intrinsically linked with concepts like food safety, health, quality and more.
“Wholesalers are seeking out how to produce something similar to artisanal products,” Zarate said. “Of course, you cannot bring all the characteristics of artisan bread to a packaged product, but that’s where companies like Puratos are helping.”
While commercial bakers have the advantage through the efficiency of automation, artisan bakers can work with more flexibility. Between the two, market testing and experimentation can provide key learnings that both bakery disciplines can apply to their production, no matter the size.
Puratos’ involvement in the Artisan Marketplace bridges the divide between bakery disciplines with speakers and experiences that all bakers can learn from. This includes several Puratos technical advisors creating products from crusty-style bread to cakes with miroir toppings in the booth throughout the show.
Regardless of a baker’s specialty or experience, the Artisan Marketplace provides the rare opportunity to mesh disciplines and learn.
“It would be a great mistake if you don’t visit the Artisan Marketplace because [commercial and artisan baking] are totally linked,” Zarate said. “And there’s so much to learn from the artisanal part.”
This story has been adapted from the June 2022 | 2022 New Products Annual issue of Commercial Baking. Read the full story in the digital edition here.
