IBIE Reunites Baking Industry in Las Vegas

IBIE delivers more bakers and high-quality buyers than pre-pandemic edition

The International Baking Industry Exposition, which took place in Las Vegas, Nevada from September 17 through September 21, welcomed the industry after a three-year hiatus from events. Close to 20,000 professionals registered for the expo, ready to take their baking businesses to the next level after pandemic-induced challenges filled much of the gap in the show’s three-year cycle.

Over the four-day expo, attendees flooded the halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, looking for the latest equipment, ingredient and supply solutions from more than 800 industry suppliers. While exhibitor personnel and non-exhibiting supplier guests fell just shy of pre-pandemic numbers, baker attendee participation was an astounding 25% ahead, further cementing the perception from exhibitors that high-quality bakers—with intent to buy—were walking the show floor.

A common theme expressed by exhibitors was the number of international buyers who attended the Las Vegas event. Many exhibitors stated that this was the best IBIE in history for connecting with buyers from outside the United States—buyers that many exhibitors would not have been able to reach on their own.

Despite COVID-related travel challenges, the number of international bakers increased 34% over 2019, hailing from more than 105 countries and making up more than 27% percent of baker attendance, with the largest participation from Brazil, Canada, Colombia, and El Salvador—and a record-setting delegation from Mexico.

“IBIE 2022 has exceeded all expectations,” said Dennis Gunnel, IBIE chairman. “The Baking Expo has a long history of championing innovation aimed at the changing needs of our bakers—from the advancements on the show floor and IBIEducate presentations to the high-quality buyers walking the aisles. During a time when trade events are getting a fraction of their pre-pandemic participation, our industry showed up.”

IBIE Highlights Include: 

• More than 100 education sessions, including a full day of education on Saturday, Sept. 17.
• Demonstrations from Master Bakers, celebrity chefs and influencers in the RBA Bakers Center, including Buddy Valastro, Paulina Abascal, Coinneach MacLeod (The Hebridean Baker), Lauren V. Haas, Jenna Hutchinson & Ashley Kosowan (Jenna Rae Cakes), Keegan Gerard and Sébastien Canonne. Many demos were standing room only.
• Two new pavilions, one focused on sanitation the other on cannabis as an ingredient. Demos in Cannabis Central were live-streamed to audiences outside the convention center.
• A live musical performance from Duff Goldman and his chef-led rock band, Foie Grock.
• Popular returning features included: The Artisan Marketplace, Great American Pie Festival, Pizza Information Center, and an expanded Innovation Showcase.
• IBIE, together with Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery magazine, recognized more than 70 industry suppliers and bakeries that have made particularly notable achievements in sustainability, sanitation, workforce development, and innovation. In the fifth edition of this industry awards program, the following companies earned top honors in each of the respective categories and received an honorary plaque, onsite recognition and more. The 2022 industry honors include:

• SUSTAINABILITY: AMF Bakery Systems – Sustainable Oven Service
• SANITATION: Middleby Food Processing – Vyv Antimicrobial LED Lighting
• WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT:
  • Retail Bakery: Dawn Foods – Women’s Leadership Development Program
  • Supplier: Puratos, Puratos Bakery School – Pennsauken NJ School District​​​​
• PRODUCT INNOVATION:
  • Wholesale | High-Volume Bakery: Grupo Bimbo – Sustainably Baked Supán & OroWeat 100% Whole Grain Organic Bread, including Net Zero Carbon Mobility and Regenerative Agriculture
  • Wholesale | Intermediate-Volume Bakery: Lenny & Larry’s – The Complete KickStart Breakfast Bars
  • Retail Bakery: Nick Vina Artisan Bakery – Healthier Choice Bread
• [NEW] PLANT EFFICIENCY:
  • Supplier: Bundy Baking Solutions – Synova AccuTech Pan Greaser
  • Wholesale | High-Volume Bakery: Grupo Bimbo – GBConnected Monitoring System
• [NEW] AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS: Apex Motion Control – Baker-Bot
• The Retail Bakers of America’s 21st Annual Pillsbury Baker’s Plus Grand Champion Creative Decorating Competition recognized the following winners:
  • OVERALL WINNERS– Sponsored by Pillsbury:
    • First Place: Kaytlyn Stanuszek & Lee Ann Parsons, Dorothy Lane Market
    • Second Place: Alexa Abaroa & Julie Thompson, DeEtta’s Bakery
    • Third Place: Heather Domingue & Holly Deville, Gambino’s Bakery
  • FONDANT – Sponsored by Satin Ice:
    • First Place: Alexa Abaroa & Julie Thompson, DeEtta’s Bakery
    • Second Place: Cory Jong & Emerlie Ann Miller, Hey! Cake This!
    • Third Place: Heather Domingue & Holly Deville, Gambino’s Bakery 
  • SCULPTED HYPER-REALISTIC – Sponsored by American Cake Decorating Magazine:
    • First place: Alexa Abaroa & Julie Thompson, DeEtta’s Bakery
    • Second Place: Marianna Gomez Romero & Nicole Restrepo, Jalisco, Mexico
    • Third Place: Heather Domingue & Holly Deville, Gambino’s Bakery
  • BUTTERCREAM CATEGORY – Sponsored by Cargill:
    • First Place: Kaytlyn Stanuszek & Lee Ann Parsons, Dorothy Lane Market
    • Second Place: Cory Jong & Emerlie Ann Miller, Hey! Cake This!
    • Third Place: Heather Domingue & Holly Deville, Gambino’s Bakery
  • WEDDING CATEGORY – Sponsored by CakeDeco:
    • First Place: Kaytlyn Stanuszek & Lee Ann Parsons, Dorothy Lane Market
    • Second Place: Alexa Abaroa & Julie Thompson, DeEtta’s Bakery
    • Third Place: Marianna Gomez Romero & Nicole Restrepo, Jalisco, Mexico

• For the first time, the Tiptree World Bread Awards—the United States’ leading national celebration of the art of bread-baking—were judged and presented at IBIE. Winners were awarded in 16 categories:

Overall Winner: Glorious Bastard by Guy Frenkel, Céor (Sante Fe Springs, California)

Home-Baker: Sprouted Wheat with Figs and Pecan Loaf by Richard Sperry (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Specialty Sweet: Pistachio and Cherry Panettone by Diego Cubas, Wynn Las Vegas, F&B Encore (Las Vegas Valley, Nevada)

Specialty Savory: Forbidden Rice and Sesame Loaf by Sandeep Gyawali, Miche Bread (Austin, Texas)

Gluten-Free: Rye-less Rye Buckwheat Sourdough by Mario Librandi, Vegan Mario’s (Oakview, California)

Pretzel: Bayern Pretzel by Johann Willar, Wynn Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Challah: Leavened Challah by Johann Willar, Wynn Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Bagel: Jerusalem Bagel by Khawla Khalifa, Le Paton (Rancho Cucamonga, California)

Flatbread: Pane Alla Pala by Michael Kalanty, produced for Delfina Restaurants (San Francisco, California)

Burger Bun: Heirloom Brioche Buns by Guy Frenkel, Céor (Sante Fe Springs, California)

Ciabatta: Pane Alla Pala by Michael Kalanty, produced for Delfina Restaurants (San Francisco, California)

Baguette: Traditional Baguette by Stephane Grattier, Boulangerie Christophe (Georgetown, Washington, D.C.)

Wholewheat/Wholemeal: Hill Country Hundo by Sandeep Gyawali, Miche Bread (Austin, Texas)

Sourdough: Glorious Bastard by Guy Frenkel, Céor Bread (Sante Fe Springs, California)

People’s Choice: Michelle Nicholson, The Flour Girl (Hebron, Connecticut)

Tiptree Showstopper USA: Brioche Feuilletée, by Rich Gardunia, Crave Kitchen Bar (Eagle, Idaho)

A gallery of photos from IBIE 2022 is available for download here. Daily recap footage and backstage interviews with notable presenters are hosted in the video library.

IBIE will return to Las Vegas September 13-17, 2025.